NCoC: Civic Learning

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Civic Learning

NCoC believes the foundation for an engaged, informed, giving, and trusting citizenry is fostered through meaningful civic education and learning programs. These programs help instill the values of democracy, develop soft skills and core competencies, and prepare students for a 21st Century workforce.

NCoC believes to address community issues and challenges in any area, research must be collected, discussion must occur, and solutions must be proposed. Here, you can see research, discussion, and solutions associated with civic learning. This is meant to help explain and animate that focus area, as well as facilitate the process of moving from information to action within it.

Civic Learning Issues:Research | Discussions | Solutions

Civic Learning Research

Title	Date	Type
Gaps in ParticipationThe Power of A Good EducationEducation marks the great gap in civic participation today. Overall, the differences by race, ethnicity, and gender are small. But this study, like much previous research, finds that Americans with more ...	Sep 17th, 2007	civic health index
Civic Involvement Tied to EducationHigh School Dropouts Unlikely to VoteHigh school dropouts are significantly less likely than better-educated Americans to vote, trust government, do volunteer work, or go to church, according to a new report that reveals a widening gap in ...	September 19, 2006	news
Appendix I.11: Analysis By Educational BackgroundIn this report, we look separately at college graduates, non-college adults, and high school dropouts . The gaps in civic health are large, consistent for virtually all the indicators, and often widening.	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index

Civic Learning Discussions and Commentary

Title	Date	Type
Fiscal Literacy 101The Future of Economics EducationBeyond a cursory introduction to programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid in U.S. History, how many of us can say we cemented a basic understanding of our country’s economic policy from ...	June 16, 2011	discussion
Report finds significant decline in number of “Dropout Factories”A report by America’s Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises and Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center provides some of the first positive signs that America is making progress ...	November 30, 2010	publication
Closing the College Completion GapA Guide for Faith CommunitiesA degree beyond high school has become an essential element of opportunity in America and is a proven pathway out of poverty. However, the majority of our nation's young people, especially low-income ...	November 1, 2010	discussion
Target 2020: My Education. Our Future.by Decker Ngongang, Mobilize.orgMobilize.org believes the Millennial Generation should play an active role in the future of education in our country and that one of the single most important factors in reversing generational poverty ...	August 24, 2010	discussion
Education/Participation Gaps: A Case Studyby Abby Kiesa, CIRCLEEducational achievement has long been credited as the biggest predictor of whether or not a young person will be civically engaged. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement ...	February 23, 2010	discussion
An Inequitable Invitation to CitizenshipNon-College-Bound Youth and Civic EngagementThere has been considerable effort to engage college-bound students in public life, but much less attention has been paid to the 50% of youth that are not on the secondary education track. Philanthropy ...	December 8, 2009	publication
Paths to 21st Century Competencies Through Civic Education ClassroomsThere is an expectation that students will have mastered an essential skill set by the completion of their education. In an economy that is globally connected and rapidly changing, the required skills ...	December 1, 2009	publication
Civic Health in Hard TimesA 2009 NCoC PanelThis panel at the 2009 National Conference on Citizenship explored the impact of the economic crisis on the civic health of the states, using the 2009 America’s Civic Health Index findings.	September 25, 2009	video

Civic Learning Solutions

Title	Date	Type
What So Proudly We HailMaking American citizens through literatureWhat So Proudly We hail takes a literary approach to civic education, using short stories, speeches, and songs to teach about the American character and American identity. Resources include an online curriculum—complete ...	November 29, 2012
Advancing Civic Learning and Engagement in DemocracyA Road Map and Call to ActionU.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan along with several Obama Administration and education officials launched a national conversation today about the importance of educating students for informed, engaged ...	January 10, 2012	publication
Library Priority: Community-Civic EngagementA leadership brief from the Urban Libraries CouncilA new issue brief, “Library Priority: Community-Civic Engagement” emphasizes the essential role public libraries play in getting people involved in issues of concern in their communities.	December 9, 2011	publication
From Command to CommunityLeadership is changing. Leadership education needs to change with it.In this collection of innovative and diverse essays, editors Nicholas V. Longo and Cynthia M. Gibson present a new definition of leadership education. Moving away from the top-down notion of leadership, ...	April 15, 2011	press release
Report finds significant decline in number of “Dropout Factories”A report by America’s Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises and Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center provides some of the first positive signs that America is making progress ...	November 30, 2010	publication
Closing the College Completion GapA Guide for Faith CommunitiesA degree beyond high school has become an essential element of opportunity in America and is a proven pathway out of poverty. However, the majority of our nation's young people, especially low-income ...	November 1, 2010	discussion
Presidents ParkResources on leaders in American historyExactly what are “defining moments” and how do they shape a nation's history? This was the mission of the recently closed President's Park. Though the park's resources provide a wealth of information ...	October 13, 2010	program
Paths to 21st Century Competencies Through Civic Education ClassroomsThere is an expectation that students will have mastered an essential skill set by the completion of their education. In an economy that is globally connected and rapidly changing, the required skills ...	December 1, 2009	publication
Close Up FoundationFormed in 1971, Close Up is a nonprofit that exists to educate and inspire young people to participate in our democracy.	January 13, 2009	partner
iCivicsiCivics (formerly Our Courts) is a web-based education project designed to teach students civics and inspire them to be active participants in our democracy.	November 17, 2008	partner