Teachers ’ conversations about civic education: Policy and practice in Australian schools |
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| Authors: | Kerry J Kennedy Simon Jimenez Di Mayer Suzanne Mellor Janet Smith |
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| Institution: | (1) Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong, China;(2) University of Sydney, Australia;(3) University of Queensland, Australia;(4) Australian Council for Educational Research, Australia;(5) University of Canberra, Australia;(6) Dept of Curriculum and Instruction, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, CHINA |
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| Abstract: | Civic education has been a priority for many countries in the Asia Pacific region over the past decade. Governments of different
persuasions have recognized the need to provide stability and cohesion in their societies. This has been particularly so at
a time when globalization and other forces threaten to fragment the nation state and co-opt its citizens into broader realms
of allegiance and commitment.
Policy makers have not been slow to come up with new directions for civic education in the school curriculum and the literature
now abounds with examples from different countries. Yet missing from this flurry of policy development has been recognition
of the role that teachers play in constructing civic education programs at the school level. In the end, it is teachers in
classrooms who determine how centralized polices are understood and implemented.
Drawing on a sample of Australian teachers, the purpose of this paper is to highlight the role that teachers play in constructing
and reconstructing civic education policy in schools and classrooms. Interviews conducted with teachers in four Australian
States/Territories have revealed that teachers ’ personal views of civics are more likely to influence them than external
policies, their focus is more on citizenship than formal civics programs and that they are reluctant to develop programs where
civic knowledge is formalized and disciplined based.
The research reported in this paper was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). The views expressed are those of
the authors and not the ARC. |
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