The research reported here is an attempt to explore the attitudes of students in high schools and to take a look at the hidden curriculum and its political dimensions. The analysis is divided into an exploration and categorization of different types of schools, a definition of different kinds of attitudes and behavior on the part of students, and…

The relationship between student attitudes and the school as a political system is analyzed in this research report. Four types of school systems are hypothesized: elite, bureaucratic, coalitional, and participant. After testing this conceptualization, student attitudes of trust, integration, confidence, and interest toward both school and society…

Four interrelated questions in this paper provide a framework for examining the rationale of a model for developing a political laboratory which would fulfill meaningful objectives for civics and government instruction. The first question, why make the school the focus of the laboratory, offers reasons for preferring the school over the classroom…

A theoretical framework for mapping school political life is developed which distinguishes elite, bureaucratic, coalitional, and participant types of school political organizations. The framework provides tools for analyzing and comparing patterns of political behavior within and across school political behavior settings. Definitions and…

This paper focuses on a comparative analysis of the normative and empirical elements of four approaches to political education. The analysis is conducted by identifying the central assumptions, value commitments and the empirical theoretical structure of each approach and by making comparisons across alternatives. The findings of the analysis…

The means and advantages of incorporating participation experiences into an instructional program to promote the development of effective student participant roles are presented in this paper. Several alternative approaches are reviewed historically and three types--observer, action, and competency--are discussed. A rationale for a…