Academic literature on the topic 'Citizenship Teachers'

In this thesis I examine two citizenship education teachers' critical thinking in relation to the texts of "Education for Democratic Citizenship" (EDC) programme. I examine - how their critical thinking defines their teaching practice. Based on the relevant literature pertaining to the concept of critical thinking, I argue that critical thinking is an intersubjective and meaning making process which aims at the restoration of truth. I inform this view with the Critical Realist philosophy and its dialectics of truth according to which truth has a world reporting meaning and that knowledge comprises a 'truth-talk'. Hence, I view the EDC programme textbooks as a 'truth-talk' . about the social and political reality, having at its core the concept of citizenship. I regard the EDC programme textbooks as an 'interlocutor' within the educational process who holds a superior epistemological position in comparison to the teacher and exerts power on her. Based on case studies, I examine how two citizenship education teachers in Greece, interpret the EDC texts, process the meaning and proceed to critical thinking constructing their subjective versions of truth about the political and social reality. I record the way they structure and manage a discussion in the classroom and I conclude that their teaching practice is defined by their subjective versions of truth which are nevertheless objectively false. I emphasise the power relations in the classroom where teachers hold a superior position to the students and I conclude that teachers comprise the [mal 'truth-tellers'. I thus stress teachers' ethical obligation regarding what kind of 'truth' they import in the classroom. This involves both the EDC programme knowledge of citizenship - which I evaluate as a pseudo 'truth talk' - and their own 'truth-talk' consisting of knowledge, discourses, ideological, philosophical and theoretical trends which do not enable them to effectively restore the truth. Consequently, I argue that teachers should be in constant evaluation of their critical thinking processes and I suggest the concept of the 'Sociology of Critical Thinking'.

This thesis investigates South African history teachers’ understandings of citizenship education while it is being reconceptualised in post-apartheid curriculum change. The main purposes are to examine how teachers understand citizenship education and thereby identify what concept of citizenship emerges as central in their understandings. It finally seeks to establish whether or not teachers’ conceptualizations of citizenship education match citizenship education as conceptualized in the present Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (2011). This thesis uses a qualitative methodological approach that includes semi-structured interviews to collect the data from the teachers’. It further uses discourse analysis in order to identify central discourses in teachers’ understandings of citizenship education. The thesis shows that teachers’ understandings of citizenship education include elements of nationalism, national identity, learning to act in the interest of the wider society, addressing past issues related to apartheid and the struggle for democracy, the law, rights and the constitution. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement that is now in use in South Africa focuses on issues central to citizenship education, such as the learner as an individual, citizen identity, learners acting in the interest of their own life, addressing current issues in society, promotion of knowledge and skills in local contexts. This shows an important difference, where teachers’ understandings of citizenship education are mainly promoting citizenship as a legal and passive concept, while the curriculum holds a focus on citizenship education which promotes citizenship as a moral concept. The main conclusion of this thesis is that there are differences of understandings of citizenship education between the teachers and the curriculum, and consequently the meanings and purpose of the emerging concept of citizenship is being pulled in different directions. This indicates a need to make the curriculum citizenship education agenda more explicit as well as a need for the development of teachers’ professional awareness of what is to be expected from them regarding citizenship education. This thesis uses both primary and secondary sources to arrive at these conclusions.

This quantitative study explores string teachers’ perceptions of citizenship education and its use in the private lesson. Guided by Westheimer and Kahne’s (2004) model of citizenship education the study sought to identify (a) how private string teachers perceive citizenship education, and (b) the factors that influence these perceptions. Four hundred and fifteen (415) members of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) participated in this study by completing an on-line survey that contained both closed and open-ended questions. The resulting data was coded and organized according to the survey questions and the conceptual framework. Research findings revealed that, although teachers did not explicitly consider citizenship education a part of their lessons, their intentions and their report on pedagogical practices could be described as citizenship education when viewed through the conceptual framework used in the study. Indeed, nearly all of the participant responses revealed intentions to include attributes of what Westheimer and Kahne refer to as the Personally Responsible Citizen in their music lessons with students. Educating for traits of other types of citizenship was also reported. Factors deemed influential in string teachers’ perceptions of citizenship education included the following: If the teachers had earned certification in Suzuki pedagogy; the number of years of teaching experience; if teachers self-identified as primarily educators, performers, or both; the age of the students who are taught. Additionally, the study addresses teachers’ statements about the use of competitions, dialogue in lessons, and general attitudes about the appropriateness of citizenship education in several different learning environments. The study findings add to a small but growing body of research that furthers understandings of the links between citizenship education and music education. In addition, the findings contribute to our understanding of the complexity of the relationship between private teachers and their students.

The study discussed in this thesis addressed the question of how Japanese high-school English teachers (JTEs) may play a role in citizenship education. Similar to other countries, Japan faces challenges in preparing young people for citizenship in the context of globalization and increasing cultural diversity. Previous research from several countries has suggested that foreign language teachers (FLTs) can contribute to citizenship education by teaching intercultural communication skills and nurturing positive attitudes towards diversity. It suggests they can employ materials that promote reflection on contemporary issues, and help learners develop skills for dialogue. Notwithstanding the importance of English in Japan’s high schools, there has been little or no research on JTEs’ role in citizenship education, and an opportunity exists to contribute to knowledge in the field. The study discussed in this thesis explored JTEs’ role in citizenship teaching through the perceptions of JTEs who were purposively selected for their interest in this area. A questionnaire survey gathered views of 46 JTEs on citizenship and the possibility of incorporating citizenship education into English classes. Semi-structured interviews with 14 JTEs focused on ways they say they teach for citizenship and issues they say they confront in doing so. The study suggests participants tend towards a cosmopolitan view of citizenship, seeing the need for a strong Japanese identity combined with a sense of global citizenship. They believe JTEs can promote a cosmopolitan outlook by nurturing respect for human rights and cultural diversity and raising global awareness, and tend to emphasize the knowledge and values dimensions of citizenship rather than skills. The study highlights aspects of the local teaching environment that participants perceive as affecting their ability to pursue citizenship-related aims. It suggests JTEs’ role in citizenship education may be constrained by the extent to which schools prioritize entrance exam preparation and associated grammar-translation pedagogies.