This study uses interview and survey methods to describe the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme's (DP) development of students' "academic civic mindedness" and "model citizenship" at four public schools in California. Results indicate that the DP pedagogy enables students to develop many of the skills that are…

Scaffolding is widely referenced in educational literature and practice, in literacy education in particular, but often in reductive ways. Scaffolding is key for diverse youth in high-need settings, but few studies examine complexities and tensions of scaffolding in practice. This study asked how, if at all, teachers at a California high school…

When viewing the landscape of learning and literacy, politics and policy often intersect. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, literacy is one skill that progressives sought to expand and others historically used to restrict access to immigration, jobs, and civic participation. During the closing decades of the nineteenth century,…

This paper draws upon research and acquaints the reader with various aspects of the public self--the self interested in political and social issues. The document describes a study of how the public self was discovered. The data produced by this study resulted in the conclusion that to some degree all people have a public self. Most recognize there…

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the American government acted quickly to mobilize what it called "critical homeland defenders" to meet the threat faced by our nation and the world. Not surprisingly, 21 government agencies made the list, ranging from the State Department to the U.S. Border Patrol. That may be what…

This report examines the current state of citizenship instruction in U.S. schools, how we teach American citizenship, and what citizenship education looks like in California. The National Assessment of Educational Progress civics assessment determined that one-third of test-takers were below proficient and only one-fifth were at proficient level.…

California, the most populous and diverse state in the United States, must maintain its commitment to civic education. The curricular goal of democratic understanding and civic values is centered on an essential understanding of the nation's identity and constitutional heritage. This scope and sequence for civic education describes ways in which…

This California examination teacher guide provides essential information and preparation guidelines for teachers and serves as an instructional aid in the classroom. The guide deals with the disciplines of economics, government/civics, and United States history. Each discipline area is divided into five main sections: (1) "Test Content"…