European Education Area Policy Brief on Citizenship Education (2023) PDF

European Education Area Strategic Framework Working Group on Equality and Values Policy brief on citizenship education European Education Area Citizenship education This document summarises key messages of the 2023 and belongings (lo...

European Education Area Strategic Framework Working Group on Equality and Values Policy brief on citizenship education European Education Area Citizenship education This document summarises key messages of the 2023 and belongings (local, regional, national, European, and Issue paper on citizenship education, produced within the global), are an important part of citizenship education European Education Area strategic framework Working discussions. group on equality and values in education and training Traditionally, citizenship education documents refer to (2021-2025). citizens, but it may be beneficial to expand to a more This executive summary presents the main challenges and comprehensive understanding and include non-citizens as points for attention in the Issue paper. The background well, such as refugees. context, definitions, some research insights and examples Education authorities should more systematically issue of related initiatives and practices are available in the full guidelines for teachers on how to assess students in version. citizenship education. Several EU-funded initiatives and programmes support POLICY citizenship education. For example, promoting democratic participation, common values and civic engagement is Despite growing emphasis on the importance of one of the four horizontal priorities of the Erasmus+ citizenship education, a significant gap persists between programme. Broadened Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Actions policy objectives and their actual implementation. Too which now include schools and vocational education and often, citizenship education is not given sufficient attention training institutions, empower teachers to talk about in education policy and schools. The implementation gap the EU and to enhance participation of pupils in the may be further widened by the unfamiliarity with (un) democratic process. New actions also support teacher successful approaches drawn from past experiences and training and school networking. These are complemented practices in other countries. It is useful for policy makers by other actions such as Erasmus+ Teacher Academies to, through research and evaluation, gain insight into the and e-Twinning activities. The Citizens, Equality, Rights effectiveness and impact of different types of citizenship and Values (CERV) programme, Horizon Europe, the New education. European Bauhaus also support different efforts relating In the context of the EU, issues related to respecting to citizenship education. diversity and embracing multiple levels of identities CURRICULUM AND CONTENT TEACHING AND TEACHER EDUCATION To remain relevant, citizenship education must be able Citizenship education can be demanding and/or daunting to respond to and reflect societal changes and complex for teachers, especially if not sufficiently addressed global issues. in initial teacher education and through continuous professional development. Teachers in different subject The understanding and implementation of its core areas might need different kinds of professional training elements in schools often fall short due to lack of time relating to citizenship education or (tailor made courses and overloaded curricula. Attention given to citizenship for the subject(s) taught). competence is often perceived as having to compete with basic skills needs. There is a need to focus on transformational and action- oriented pedagogical approaches, including on more Lack of effective teaching materials or not knowing where practical and fieldwork-oriented, pre-service teacher to find useful materials can also be an issue. education on citizenship education. Instead of avoiding controversial or sensitive topics, these should be addressed carefully and respectfully. The nature of citizenship education often requires controversial, political, religious, or ethical conversations Citizenship education is given less attention in the VET in the classroom which may be uncomfortable for some sector. However, citizenship education can be practiced in teachers. workplaces, in companies, sector organisations and trade unions, as well as in collaboration with these actors. Increased linguistic and cultural diversity within the Learning about the origins and functioning of the EU, and classroom provides many opportunities for learning but its impact on citizens’ lives, the rights and responsibilities it can also pose challenges when conveying nuances that come along with EU citizenship, civic engagements, in discussions and raising issues which may heighten and ways to participate in development of EU policies, sensitivities for some pupils. is an important component of citizenship education. These discussions must be age-appropriate and Teaching about these issues should leave room for critical encompass not just knowledge and skills, but also reflection and learners’ active engagement. attitudes and values. Effective citizenship education requires non-traditional teaching and learning approaches, available where needed, to tackle more serious issues. fostering autonomy, and encouraging learner participation. School leadership plays a crucial role in in supporting teachers and providing the necessary support and Teachers face numerous challenges, including dealing direction for effective citizenship education. with exclusionary practices, aggression, violence, However, not all school leaders are well-equipped for threats, (cyber)bullying, and self-harm among learners. this task, and not enough school leaders have access Additionally, students are often more familiar with to professional development relating to citizenship technologies and online platforms than their teachers, education. which can leave teachers unaware of key information sources. Teachers rarely have the time to apply for EU funding for citizenship education projects and schools rarely have Teachers often report having insufficient time for staff specialised in procedures for funding opportunities citizenship education due to administrative burdens. and projects implementation. The topics, approaches and effective practices associated with citizenship education evolve continuously and it is To support effective citizenship education, it is useful for essential that teachers remain up to date with the latest teachers to broaden their experiences. Teacher mobility developments. can enhance citizenship education, and sustainable national and international networks of teachers can Teachers must be supported to work collaboratively to provide further support. achieve the desired learning outcomes and specialist support (e.g., psychological support) should be made LEARNING APPROACHES AND TEACHING METHODOLOGIES Education about inclusion, equity, democratic values, students with an understanding of their roles and human rights, and cultural diversity should not be responsibilities as global citizens. delivered in a top-down manner and should leave space for critical reflection. Teaching about EU values and Initiatives involving role models, such as present and institutions should spark students’ interest and curiosity, past students or teachers, can be helpful. Mediators can and not come across as dogmatic. also be used to bridge gaps between schools and local communities and minorities. Citizenship education should not only be taught as a specific subject, but also in a cross-curricular manner, NGOs and community groups can, in both formal and embedded in all classes and all subjects, in both formal informal learning, provide important support to teachers and non-formal learning. in addressing specific topics, such as minority religions or the history of the countries of origin of students. Effective teaching of citizenship education requires learner-centred methods building upon learners’ Resource centres and visits to EU institutions can provide daily experiences and a competence-based approach valuable support and inspiration for citizenship education. encompassing attitudes. Citizenship education should The advancement of new media and the digital universe be transformative and action directed. Less traditional has brought opportunities but also poses threats. Though formats of teaching and learning for example include AI can open different opportunities for personalised learner/people-centred methods, peer education, learning, e.g., by providing feedback on progress and phenomenon-based learning, project learning, cooperative performing, concerns have been raised about AI chatbots’ learning, collaborative work, service learning, using potential to spread misinformation, reinforce negative examples from the media/art/film, and discussions on stereotypes, or amplify social biases. controversial issues as well as relevant social problems, with the teacher acting as a (neutral yet engaged) facilitator rather than a provider of knowledge. Citizenship education should be embodied in school processes and environments, creating democracy-in- action learning environments. A whole school approach, which involves the full school community, is essential for effective citizenship education. This includes mobilising the full school community (including parents/guardians, wider family, community groups, NGOs). Citizenship education can benefit from a closer connection to Education for Sustainable Development, thus providing  PARENTS/CAREGIVERS AND COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION Parents/caregivers can sometimes be resistant to Measuring competences in citizenship education is citizenship education, viewing it as exposure to complex for different reasons, partly due to citizenship indoctrination or unsuitable topics. A disparity can exist education often being taught as a cross curricular between the values taught in school and those upheld at (integrated) topic. Devising measurement instruments home. This disparity can create a challenging environment for non-formal education is especially challenging, as is for both teachers and learners. assessing active and participatory learning. A lack of trust in teachers and schools by parents/ Schools and teachers often lack awareness of effective caregivers and the wider community can undermine measurement instruments. There is a shortage of citizenship education. Parents/caregivers of non-majority communities of practice on assessment and evaluation pupils often feel excluded or unheard by schools. among schools and teachers. Furthermore, physical distance from school can make Formative assessment, being more process-oriented and parental involvement challenging in some communities. providing feedback loops, would seem more suitable than An intergenerational approach can be a successful summative forms. While the cognitive dimension is often component of citizenship education. Providing learning assessed more than attitudes or values, the evaluation opportunities for parents/caregivers can help break down of competences in citizenship education should be barriers between schools and parents. Joint workshops multifaceted, covering knowledge, skills, and attitudes. involving students, teachers, and parents can serve as a platform for open dialogue and mutual understanding, Self-assessment and peer assessment are increasingly thereby enhancing citizenship education. used by schools. However, they require training and time to implement, and assessments based on self-reflection can be flawed. © European Union,© 2024 European Union, 2024 All images: All images: © European © European Union, 2024 (CCUnion, 2024 4.0) BY-NC-ND (CC BY-NC-ND — image4.0) — image sources: sources: Adobe Firefly,iStockphoto.com iStockphoto.com Luxembourg: Luxembourg: Publications Publications Office Office ofUnion, of the European the European 2024 Union, 2024 BOOK ISBN EN BOOK NC-09-24-329-EN-C 978-92-68-11179-6 doi: 978-92-68-16209-5 10.2766/820133 NC-06-24-000-EN-C 10.2766/68389 PDF ISBN 978-92-68-11180-2 doi: 10.2766/477763 NC-06-24-000-EN-N EN PDF NC-09-24-329-EN-N 978-92-68-16170-8 10.2766/576903