Understanding How Teachers Define and Employ Civics Education in Non-Elective Social Studies Classrooms

This study explored the perceptions of civics and civic education held by secondary school teachers of non-elective social studies classes in four schools within the same school district. Using a qualitative approach, this study examined how veteran teachers understood and defined civics, the ways in which they employed civics education in their teaching methodology and daily lessons, and the challenges or obstacles they perceived, if any, incorporating lessons reflecting a progressive experimentalist methodology. The study was undertaken in response to popular and governmental rhetoric reflecting a lack of civil discourse and alleging a lack of civics in public education, as well as concerns over the methodology employed by teachers trying to incorporate civics into their lessons. The conceptual framework of this study advances the scientific foundations of progressive experimentalism as the most effective methodology to prepare students to face the unknown challenges that await them, a generally agreed-upon goal of civics education. The literature supports a variety of general methods through which teachers can adopt this approach, allowing students to explore authentic and/or current issues that reflect their interests or experience. Findings support some existing conclusions identifying a variety of different interpretations of civics and civics education, as well as expected limitations, but the results added to the research by identifying several factors perceived by educators as limiting their ability to explore authentic learning, including content expectations inherent in the New Jersey student learning standards and/or their own perspectives of social studies education. This study joins those seeking to investigate the best practices of civic education and discover methods to encourage greater incorporation of civics into public schools. Its conclusions support reforms to the student learning standards, needed updates in policy, as well as a reevaluation of the actions and efforts of public school leaders on educational philosophies and teaching methods.