Section 2: What should education for citizenship seek to achieve?
2.1 Introduction
Education for citizenship is a key purpose of the early years and school curriculum and of community education programmes. It is about the development of the whole person and is closely related to other key, overarching purposes of the curriculum such as education for personal growth and education for work. This section proposes an overall goal for education for citizenship and elaborates this into a framework of learning outcomes that offers a basis for reviewing and developing existing provision.
2.2 The overall goal
Education for citizenship should aim to develop capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life. This capability is rooted in knowledge and understanding, in a range of generic skills and competences, including 'core skills', and in a variety of personal qualities and dispositions. It finds expression through creative and enterprising approaches to issues and problems.
Being a capable citizen is not just about possessing knowledge and skills. It is about being able and willing to use knowledge and skills to make decisions and, where appropriate, take action. Nor is effective citizenship just about having the capacity and disposition to be active. It is about being able to take action and make things happen for ends - and by means - that are infused with respect and care for people and a sense of social and environmental responsibility. Equally, a reasoned decision by an individual not to take action is a legitimate personal choice.
Capability for citizenship encompasses social, economic and cultural 'literacies' coupled with the capacity for participation in all aspects of society - economic, social and cultural. Finally, and importantly, capability for citizenship, as envisaged here, also includes ideas about 'political literacy'.
2.3 Outcomes
Capability for citizenship can be analysed in terms of four related aspects, each of which relates to a set of broad categories of learning outcome. These aspects are: are 'knowledge and understanding'; 'skills and competences'; 'values and dispositions'; and 'creativity and enterprise'. Each of these types of outcome is described and exemplified in the following paragraphs. Whilst many are distinctive to education for citizenship, some are also associated with other key purposes - 'education for work' and 'education for personal growth'. By their very nature, core skills, for example, are important for personally rewarding living and productive employment as well as for effective citizenship. Outcomes related to each aspect of capability for citizenship are relevant to the whole process of lifelong learning. The school is responsible for providing contexts for learning appropriate to the maturity and prior experience of young people, and for ensuring progression through the various stages.
Knowledge and understanding
'Knowledge and understanding' means appreciating the need to base opinions, views and decisions on relevant knowledge and on a critical evaluation and balanced interpretation of evidence. A knowledgeable citizen is aware of the complexity of the economic, ethical and social issues and dilemmas that confront people. She or he also recognises that narrowly focused responses to an issue can often create or exacerbate other problems. Citizens need to have some knowledge of political, social, economic and cultural ideas and phenomena. They also need to know how to go about extending and deepening that knowledge. It is especially important that they should come to understand how everyday events have a connection with larger happenings in the community and society.
Examples of learning outcomes related to knowledge and understanding for citizenship
As a result of their learning experiences, young people should become progressively more able to demonstrate understanding of:
- contemporary local and global issues, paying regard to available evidence, and to a range of ideas and interpretations of their significance
- the rights and responsibilities underpinning democratic and other societies
- opportunities for individuals and voluntary groups to bring about social and environmental change, and the values on which such endeavours are based
- people's material and spiritual needs and wants and the implications of these for issues such as environmental sustainability and social justice
- the working of the economy, including mechanisms for the creation and uses of wealth
- the causes of conflict and possible approaches to resolving it, recognising that controversy is normal in society and sometimes has beneficial effects
- the barriers to full opportunity to exercise citizenship arising from socio-economic circumstances, prejudice and discrimination decision making processes in society and the roles of the media and marketing in these processes
- global interdependence, and the effects of globalisation on human societies.
Skills and competencies
Education for citizenship involves developing a range of generic skills, including 'core skills' that are widely recognised as also being essential for personally rewarding living and for productive employment. 'Competence' is used here to denote a cluster of generic skills that need to be developed along with various personal qualities such as self-esteem, confidence, initiative, determination and emotional maturity in order to be responsible and effective participants in a community. Being skilled and competent as a citizen means feeling empowered, knowing and valuing one's potential for positive action and being generally prepared to take a constructive and proactive approach to issues and problems. Whilst the skills described here may be acquired across a wide range of curricular areas, it is necessary that some explicit links are made with the nature and purpose of education for citizenship.
Examples of learning outcomes related to skills and competencies for citizenship
As a result of their learning experiences, young people should become progressively more able to:
- work independently and in collaboration with others to complete tasks requiring individual or group effort as appropriate
- locate, handle, use and communicate information and ideas, using ICT as appropriate
- question and respond constructively to the ideas and actions of others in debate and/or in writing
- contribute to discussions and debate in ways that are assertive and, at the same time, attentive to and respectful of others' contributions
- make informed decisions in relation to political, community and environmental issues
- persevere, where appropriate, in the face of setbacks and practical difficulties
- negotiate, compromise, or assist others to understand and respect difference, when conflict occurs, recognising the difference between consensus and compliance.
Values and dispositions
A key part of education for citizenship is developing the ability to recognise and respond thoughtfully to values and value judgements that are part and parcel of political, economic, social and cultural life. At the same time, early education centres and schools can help to foster in young people a number of personal qualities and dispositions rooted in values of respect and care for self, for others and for the environment. They can also promote a sense of social responsibility. Being fair-minded in making decisions and being inclined to exercise responsibility are essential qualities of a responsible citizen.
Examples of learning outcomes related to values and dispositions for citizenship
As a result of their learning experiences, young people should become progressively more disposed to:
- develop informed and reasoned opinions about political, economic, social and environmental issues
- express, explain and critically evaluate views that are not their own
- demonstrate a sense of responsibility for the welfare of their communities
- understand and value cultural and community diversity and be respectful of other people
- understand how ethics and values influence people's decisions and actions
- understand and value social justice, recognising that what counts as social justice is itself contentious
- confront views and actions that are harmful to the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
Creativity and enterprise
Being an effective citizen means being able to demonstrate the capacity for thinking and acting creatively in political, economic, social and cultural life. Creative and enterprising citizenship involves making thoughtful and imaginative decisions and being enterprising in one's approach to participation in society.
Examples of learning outcomes related to creativity and enterprise for citizenship
As a result of their learning experiences, young people should become progressively more able to:
- identify and frame their own questions and problems and suggest possible solutions
- respond in imaginative ways to social, moral and political dilemmas and challenges
- apply knowledge and skills gained in one context to another in order to take advantage of an opportunity, solve a problem or resolve an issue
- imagine alternatives to current ways of doing things
- manage change, dealing with risk and uncertainty in an enterprising manner
- explore and reach an understanding of their own creative abilities and how to make best use of these.
All four of these categories of learning outcome are key parts of the development of capability for citizenship. Having said that, it is essential that the four aspects are fostered in ways that ensure development of the integrative ability that is at the heart of effective and purposeful citizenship. For example, young people need to see, and learn to make use of connections between:
- knowledge and skills associated with different areas of study
- what they learn in formal settings and their experiences in the wider world
- acting locally and thinking globally.
Therefore, although many, if not all, of the above learning outcomes can be located within existing subjects and programmes of study, there is a continuing challenge for schools to create learning opportunities that make these connections in memorable and enjoyable ways.