Planting the Seed: Translating Civic Education into Citizen Engagement

Youth is a transitional stage of life. During this time, an individual’s relationship with their government changes from passive to active. As individuals reach the age of enfranchisement, and later become old enough to stand for office, they are able to formally participate in their country’s political processes.

While this important transition is widely acknowledged, relatively few efforts are made to ensure youth are equipped with the civic knowledge required to participate in an informed, impactful way. The general perspective is often that young people are uninterested and disengaged, and efforts spent on their inclusion do not translate into meaningful engagement.

Join IFES in a panel discussion on the role of civic education in the development of active citizens. Experts will address the myth of youth disengagement, the impact of civic education and the best ways to reach young people.

Featured Speakers:

Marcie Taylor-Thoma, Coordinator for Social Studies, Maryland State Department of Education

• Comparative Methods in Civic Education: A Field Test of Civics Mosaic Lessons
• Civic Life in America: Key Findings on the Civic Health of the Nation
• Civic Voices
• How Are Nations Governed and How Is Policy Made?
• Maryland Civic Health Assessment Fact Sheet
• The Elements and Applications of Pedagogical Content Knowledge
• The Heart of the Matter

Scot Wilson, Academic Director, Close Up Foundation

• Educating the “Good” Citizen: Political Choices and Pedagogical Goals
• The Heart of the Matter
• New CIRCLE Fact Sheet: Civic Engagement and Political Leadership Among Women – a Call for Solutions
• "No Backpacks" vs. "Drugs and Murder": The Promise and Complexity of Youth Civic Action Research

 

Nermin Nisic, Chief of Party in Georgia, IFES

 

Moderated by Augusta Featherston, IFES Regional Coordinator for Europe and Asia and Youth Working Group Co-Chair