What is citizenship education, and what is it for?
22 March 2013
10:00 - 16:45
Host: CISRUL
Venue: Macrobert 266, King's College campus
Forum for teachers, parents and researchers
Please click for the programme for the Friday 22 March forum (and the academic workshop on Saturday 23 March).
Citizenship has been seen in recent years as a remedy for ills as diverse as social and economic inequality, terrorism, fundamentalism, anti-social behaviour and the crisis of representation. It was introduced as a statutory subject in the English National Curriculum for 11-16 year olds in 2002, following the recommendations of the Crick Report in 1998, and more than 300,000 young people have attained GCSEs or ‘A’ levels in Citizenship Studies. Examples of pupils’ practical Citizenship projects initiated through the Curriculum include establishing recycling programmes, forming student action groups to address bullying, or campaigning to lower the voting age to 16. In Scotland, citizenship has not yet been introduced as a school subject but it has been identified since 2002 as a “key context for learning” within the Curriculum for Excellence.
The Centre for Citizenship, Civil Society and Rule of Law (CISRUL) at the University of Aberdeen is best known for its pioneering work in rethinking the concepts of citizenship, civil society and rule of law, but it is now hosting a project designed to improve the delivery of education for citizenship, especially by developing curriculum materials, working closely with schoolteachers, NGOs, and local and national government.
The topic for the March forum was agreed at an initial workshop held in December, attended by CISRUL and other UoA researchers, as well as by representatives of the Montgomery Development Education Centre and the Gordon Cook Foundation. It was evident from discussion that “citizenship education” can mean several different things and serve several different ends, and that it was essential to distinguish and decide among those meanings and ends, before we develop plans for curriculum materials.
The forum will begin with presentations by academic experts on citizenship education in Scotland and other countries, but much of the day will be set aside for engaging with teachers and others interested in shaping the future direction of education for citizenship in Scotland.
Contact
Please email Tracey Connon t.connon@abdn.ac.uk to reserve your free place. Sandwiches and refreshments will be provided to all attendees.