Civic knowledge among students declined: study

An international study on civic and citizenship education revealed a significant decrease in students’ civic knowledge between 2016 and 2022.

The 2022 International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) report collected data from 82,000 Grade 8 students and 40,000 teachers across 24 European education systems.

In 13 countries participating in both ICCS 2016 and ICCS 2022, the proportion of students at or above Level B in civic knowledge decreased from 70 percent to 64 percent. Among these, six countries showed a significant decrease in average student civic knowledge, with none recording an increase between 2016 and 2022.

The Australian Council for Educational Research served as the center for this study, which already marks the third cycle, following studies in 2009 and 2016. The 2022 study was released by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement this November. 

Enhanced focus areas

Over the past two decades, globalization, migration, digital media growth, and environmental sustainability have influenced civic and citizenship education. In ICCS 2022, five additional or enhanced focus areas were addressed compared to the previous cycle:

• Sustainability – ICCS 2022 revealed that students with higher civic knowledge expressed greater concern about global environmental threats compared to those with lower levels of civic knowledge. Additionally, these students were more inclined to support environmental protection and engage in related activities. This underscores the significant role of civic and citizenship education in fostering awareness of environmental issues and encouraging proactive attitudes among students.NAFSA, the leading association for international education, has recently signed the Climate Action Network for International Education Accord, reaffirming its commitment to sustainability. As an official signatory, the association is taking proactive steps to promote environmentally sustainable practices within the international education sector.

Demonstrating its dedication to this commitment, NAFSA made sustainability a top priority at its 75th-anniversary conference. “Sustainability is a year-round pursuit, and NAFSA is committed to proactively developing, supporting, and integrating sustainable practices into our work as international educators,” the organization said.

• Engagement through digital technologies – While civic engagement through digital platforms was less common than in-person discussions about political and social issues, higher levels of digital engagement correlated with increased interest in political and social matters, as well as higher expectations of active political participation. The report underscores the importance of adapting civic education to the changing landscape of digital communication and addressing challenges related to information credibility. The annual UN High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, with the theme “Promoting Culture of Peace in the Digital Era,” became the avenue for member states and other stakeholders to discuss the impact of digital transformation, as well as the latest strategies for using digital tools to promote peace.
• Diversity – ICCS 2022 delved into students’ perspectives on gender equality and equal rights for immigrants and ethnic groups. Higher levels of civic knowledge were linked to stronger support for diversity. The report underscores the role of civic and citizenship education in cultivating inclusive attitudes and promoting social cohesion. The US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division have jointly released resources that aim to provide colleges and universities with clarity on navigating the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action.

In a press release, the government said that the Supreme Court’s ruling in June found that the consideration of race in admissions practices at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

• Views of political systems – Although students generally endorsed democracy as the preferred form of government, they were dissatisfied with the functioning of their political systems. Trust in civic institutions decreased in many countries, and in nations where the political system was perceived as more dysfunctional, students with higher civic knowledge exhibited lower trust in its institutions.

The results indicate that civic education may not only impact future voting behavior but also have implications for more active forms of citizenship. In a strong display of solidarity, 68 regional and international organizations, along with 38 individuals encompassing journalists, activists, professors, and human rights advocates, have joined forces to call for the release of Afghan women human rights defenders Neda Parwani, Zholia Parsi, and Manizha Sediqi, who were forcibly taken by the Taliban in the last month.

All of the women, who are human rights defenders, have been held against their will by the Taliban for over a month now. They have been staunch advocates for women’s rights in Afghanistan, a nation that remains the only one worldwide where women are denied access to secondary and higher education.

• Global citizenship – Students with higher civic knowledge were more inclined to support globally oriented citizenship behaviors, including an interest in diverse cultures and endorsing initiatives that promote opportunities worldwide. While most education systems in ICCS 2022 incorporated global issues into their civic education goals, variations existed in teacher preparation and activities related to global topics.

Emphasizing the importance of civic and citizenship education

The report underscores the continued importance of civic and citizenship education in equipping young people to the demands of global citizenship. The authors anticipate that the extensive data from ICCS 2022 will be widely utilized by secondary researchers, potentially resulting in thematic reports and country-specific insights.

ACER, the Australian Council for Educational Research, played a crucial role as the international study center for ICCS 2022. The study was led by Dr. Wolfram Schulz, international study director and principal research fellow at ACER, with support from associate research centers, the Laboratorio di Pedagogia Sperimentale (LPS) at Roma Tre University and LUMSA University in Rome.