Final Research Assignment in Canvas and TK-20 Final Proposal Combine all sections according to attachment and include Table of Contents Look back at the feedback provided and use that to revise your
Literature Review
Students in high school require educational training about citizenship to transform into responsible civic members of society. The educational methods used in civic education provide important knowledge but provide limited connection between theoretical concepts and actual practical usage. Growing community-based learning (CBL) programs that deliver students real learning experiences designed for civic engagement is what resolves the deficiency. The review includes primary investigations related to CBL together with studies about social learning and civic engagement for developing theoretical and empirical foundations of this project.
Critique of Traditional Civic Education Models
Westheimer and Kahne (2004) argue critically about limitations of conventional civic education, such that conventional methods of teaching do not invariably involve students in real democratic change. The authors specify that authentic civic education integrates fact-based knowledge with both analytical thinking and participatory engagement and social equality dedication. Research shows that educational institutions need to adopt Community Based Learning program because, with these programs, students can learn practically while they combine classroom knowledge with community service activities.
International Insights on Civic Engagement
Torney-Purta et al. (2001) conducted research project involving the assessment of civic understanding and political participation among fourteen-year-old students in 28 nations in the world. The research found substantial differences in citizen participation because of how schools teach and the surrounding social customs in each nation. When academic instruction joins forces with community service programs in educational institutions, the result is higher civic engagement throughout national communities. CBL programs link education to community service due to their core academic value structure. These findings suggest that culturally appropriate civic education aimed at community problems has vital educational functions for multicultural student populations. CBL programs improve civic knowledge among students and increase the active participation in social issue by students so that students become educated citizens which are engaged with civic matters.
The Role of Technology in Civic Engagement
Two aspects of technology enabling youth engagement are explored through websites and electronic instruments for civic development in Bachen et al, (2008). The authors show that interactive websites, that is, test tests with group discussion plus multimedia feed work well in boosting the participation of young people in civic activities. Educational resources specifically through inspectable technology increase student civic participation by providing educational resources that educators use to teach in their classrooms. CBL program should adopt technology-based engagement strategies to foster genuine participation of young citizens while research indicates that young citizens rely heavily on digital media in performing such roles. Participants receive better learning atmospheres from CBL programs because these programs unite conventional classroom communication methods with internet resources as students connect with the community. Electronic education when combined with physical practice teaches civic education principles which create direct paths that show how online behavior relates to practical civic engagement.
Factors Influencing Civic Commitment
Kahne and Sporte (2007) investigated student civic engagement factors which led to critical elements in advancing civic participation. The authors validate through their research that student-parent interaction combined with extracurricular participation coupled with civic community engagement establish fundamental variables for student civic commitment development. Self-efficacy psychology combined with socioeconomic status implementations leads to improved effectiveness of educational programs that use community-based learning to develop effective citizenry in students. The study establishes that people require environments to engage in school civic activities together with public engagement, according to this research. By letting the students actively participate with practical experiences and a community service, along with discussions on civic duties, students can bridge their learned academic knowledge with the real-world problems. Kahne and Sporte (2007) discovered that developing students' civic engagement needs a complete model centered on their growth in family and school and community systems showing CBL programs must extend outside classroom learning into the general civic environments of their students.
Service Learning: Bridging the Gap
A breakdown of service learning provided by Abu Zahra (2002) is applied as one very important token for the blending of education with community engagement. Community based learning (CBL) is one of the main elements that includes service learning where students can reflectively apply classroom knowledge for resolution of a community issue. Based on a service-learning student acquisition of technical skills as well as social abilities and problem-solving competencies, this investigation proposes particular advantages of service learning for civic responsibility. The urban communities are uplifted with a community centered approach of dealing with neighborhood issues directly and this leads to continuous advancement between the students and communities. Abu-Zahra (2002)’s study also proved service learning is an important aspect of CBL programs which involve students directly with their communities to gain skills more materialized than what is taught in the classroom.
Developing Civic Engagement Across the Lifespan
To fully grasp the civic engagement progression through life, Zaff et al. (2010) have developed a very elaborate version that includes how social environments determine the civic attitudes. An effort for the combination of academic institutions as well as domestic units and societal organizations is made during young people’s first developmental phase to develop civic responsibility. According to the authors civic engagement exceeds formal education since it requires community backing and active neighborhood involvement. Zaff et al. (2010) demonstrate that sustained civic engagement requires educational interaction together with community support that fuels positive development for civic engagement. Academic achievement depends on educational frameworks which integrate service learning with academic curriculum for assisting students in their achievement (Zaff et al., 2010). The skills developed from CBL experiences create sustaining civic engagement so students become more likely to stay committed community members after finishing their academic studies (Zaff et al., 2010).
Conclusion
The available academic studies demonstrate substantial backing for expanding CBL programs because they produce improvements in civic engagement among high school students. Research by traditional civic instruction researchers together with social learning theory of Bandura demonstrates how students attain positive civic outcomes through experience-based community-based learning. The research about technology usage alongside service learning and lifespan developments of civic engagement helps guide the creation and execution of powerful CBL programs. Educational systems attempt to develop active citizens through CBL implementation which demonstrates promising results for achieving these educational objectives.
References
Abu-Zahra, N. H. (2002). Service Learning: Bridging Theory with Practice, Knowledge with Action, Campus with Community. [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228560383_Service_Learning_Bridging_Theory_with_Practice_Knowledge_with_action_campus_with_community
Bachen, C., Raphael, C., Lynn, K.-M., McKee, K., & Philippi, J. (2008). Civic engagement, pedagogy, and information technology on web sites for youth. Political Communication, 25(3), 290–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600802197525
Kahne, J. E., & Sporte, S. E. (2007). Developing Citizens: The Impact of Civic Learning Opportunities on Students’ Commitment to Civic Participation. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED499374.pdf
Torney-Purta, J., Lehmann, R., Oswald, H., & Schulz, W. (2001). Citizenship and education in twenty-eight countries: Civic knowledge and engagement at age fourteen. International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
Westheimer, J., & Kahne, J. (2004). What kind of citizen? The politics of educating for democracy. American Educational Research Journal, 41(2), 237–269. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312041002237
Zaff, J. F., Hart, D., Flanagan, C. A., Youniss, J., & Levine, P. (2010). Developing civic engagement within a civic context. In R. M. Lerner, M. E. Lamb, & A. M. Freund (Eds.), The Handbook of Life-Span Development, Volume 2: Social and Emotional Development (pp. 590–630). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470880166.hlsd002015