Two-Column Notes

Date:

Name: Carson Firestone

Class/Subject: EDTL 2760

MR Title(s): Beyond personally responsible: A study of teacher conceptualizations of

citizenship education
MR Source(s):
Patterson, N., Misco, T., & Doppen, F. (2012). Beyond personally responsible: A study of teacher conceptualizations
of citizenship education. Education, Citizenship, and Social Justice, 7(2), 191-206.
Page #
192

197

The Text Says

One international study of 14-year-old
intended levels of civic participation
showed US students ranking relatively high
comparatively (Torney-Purta et al., 2001),
while CIRCLE (2003) reports that over the
past half-century, there has been a
downward trend in student political
participation and a reduction in the number
of civic education courses that students are
offered.
The overall survey data suggested a
discrepancy between what teachers
believed to be the purposes of social
studies and their definitions of citizenship,
which required clarification in the
interviews.

I Say
The reason for the drop off in civic participation
and social activism of students could be the
reduction in education about these topics.
Much of the things kids learn about these
issues are from school and they are not being
taught these things in their social studies as
much today. If students arent learning about
what is happening around them then they
cannot take an active role in social issues and
help to create change.
This shows that an issue with creating not only
interest in social studies but a passion to be
active in it. If teachers are teaching things that
serve a different purpose than what the actual
goal of social studies is, then kids will not be
able to learn what they need and to be the
effective citizens that social studies is designed
to help them be.

203

This finding mirrors Martins (2008) study,

which found that preservice teacher
conceptualizations of citizenship aligned
most closely with elements of the
personally responsible citizen.

Social studies teachers define citizenship as

something that each individual is responsible
for. With that being said, it is still the
responsibility of the teacher to educate those
students to be good citizens. Once they have
that education then they will be correctly
prepared to fulfill the goals that the social
studies programs originally had for them.

Connections to previous MR:

This is furthering the point that there is an issue with kids not studying social studies. In our previous
readings we learned about why kids dont like the subject and what can be done to change that fact.
However, this looks at what some of the effects are and gets to a deeper root of the problem. This
study points out what social studies is intended to accomplish and why it isnt doing that. These issues
are the direct results of the previous readings and point out what must be changed in order to achieve
the citizenship goals that are set for it.