Describes the development and assessment of evaluation instruments designed to test student political-citizenship knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The tests are a part of the Improving Citizenship Education Project in Fulton County, Georgia. (Author/CK)

Traditionally, civic education has been introduced at the eighth grade level. Research indicates that youngsters begin learning political information and attitudes much earlier. With that in mind, this publication is designed around concepts that can be developed throughout the primary and intermediate grades. Elementary students can begin to…

Although students are told about the principles of democracy, they get few chances to experience democratic participation. Analyzes five research efforts spanning 45 years which attempted to study democratic practices in schools and how such practices affect attitudes and behavior. Results indicate that democratic education is both possible and…

A broad survey of democratic political attitudes of United States and West German students was developed jointly by the Governmental Education Division of the Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia and the Bundeszentrale fur politische Bildung in Bonn. This survey sought to probe twelfth-year students' attitudes toward…

Effects of participation by 904 elementary and secondary school social studies students in a political education project are discussed. Objectives of the project, entitled Improving Citizenship Education (ICE), are to assess student political knowledge (factual information, generalizations, principles, thinking and participatory skills), before…

This paper examines four major research studies spanning approximately 45 years which provide solid evidence that democratic schooling is possible and is an extremely important factor in the education of young citizens for a democratic society. The objectives, methodology, limitations, and results of each study are examined. From the studies, the…

This paper describes and evaluates a citizenship education project for elementary and secondary schools. The specific purpose of the project was to develop and test a model to improve political knowledge and attitudes of students by systematically infusing political/citizenship education into existing elementary and secondary social studies…

The late 1970s can be characterized as an era of practical concerns in civic education. There is a trend toward useful applied learning which can be evaluated by the actions or skills it produces. Current civic education programs are similar to curriculum reform efforts of the 1930s in that they are committed to educating citizens to function…

Maintains that research on political socialization began in the late 1950s and died a premature death in the 1970s. Discusses the field's origins and downfall, and predicts a rebirth in a new and sustainable form. Outlines changes in secondary school political science education and political socialization research in other nations. (CFR)