Preface by the Chairman of LT Scotland to the Education for Citizenship framework paper
This paper sets out the position of the Advisory Council of Learning and Teaching Scotland on education for citizenship together with recommendations for actions that should be taken to ensure that important principles are turned into effective practice. On behalf of the Advisory Council I wish to record our thanks to Professor Pamela Munn and the members of the National Review Group established in October 1999 for undertaking this important work on this key, overarching purpose of education at all stages from the earliest years to 18+. We also wish to acknowledge with gratitude the valuable contributions made by many others during extensive discussions and consultations conducted as part of the review.
The central idea in the paper is that young people should be enabled to develop capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life.
Much that happens in all educational settings promotes active and responsible citizenship. However, this has not always been recognised and made explicit. Education for Citizenship in Scotland attempts to establish a clear framework that can be used by all those involved in young people's education to assist with discussion, evaluation and further development of existing policies and practices. The framework is relevant to, and supportive of, implementation of all of the current National Priorities for education.
The central idea in the paper is that young people should be enabled to develop capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life. This is defined in terms of four aspects - knowledge and understanding, skills and competence, values and dispositions and creativity and enterprise. The paper also describes the types of opportunities and conditions for learning that schools and early years centres, working with parents and their communities, need to provide to facilitate progressive development. As well as focusing on implications for learning and teaching and for curriculum design, the paper emphasises two related core themes that need to be considered by schools, early years centres and local authorities.
Firstly, young people learn most about citizenship by being active citizens. Schools, should model the kind of society in which active citizenship is encouraged by providing all young people with opportunities to take on responsibilities and exercise choice. This requires the development of an open, participatory ethos, and management and organisation that recognises the importance of involving young people and everyone else with a stake in the learning community in the key decisions that affect them.
Young people learn most about citizenship by being active citizens.
Secondly, the development of capability for citizenship should be fostered in ways that motivate young people to be active and responsible members of their communities - local, national and global. Education for citizenship entails building bridges and developing interconnections between school or early years centre and community, to give young people opportunities to develop knowledge, understanding and care for the wider world.
All this is challenging and will not be overtaken immediately. Education for Citizenship in Scotland sets out an important agenda for development and provides a focus for further exploration and discussion. We look forward to playing our part in supporting these processes of discussion and development that are essential to the future quality of Scottish education.
Chairman
Learning and Teaching Scotland