Page 26 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 26
šolsko polje, letnik xxx, številka 5–6
Previous research on civic knowledge and attitudes
In general, most of the recent research, both with school students and
the youth in Croatia, showed a lack of in depth knowledge of civic and
citizenship content and engaging attitudes. At the same time, students
showed interest towards this subject area and willingness to participate in
more interactive and open lessons (Spajić-Vrkaš, 2015).13
One of the first national pieces of comprehensive research in this
area was conducted in 1997 with 37 principals and members of expert
staff, 288 teachers, 705 students of grade 3 and 4, and their parents, in el-
ementary schools – one per administrative centre in 21 counties through-
out the whole of Croatia. The aim of the research was to provide empirical
feedback for developing a program of HRE within the project “Peace and
Human Rights in Croatian Elementary Schools” (Spajić-Vrkaš, 2000).
This research has shown that teachers, principals and parents have posi-
tive attitudes towards the implementation of content regarding children’s
rights and human rights in general, peaceful conflict resolution and envi-
ronmental protection in all subjects. At the same time less than 5% of par-
ticipants thought that elementary schools should develop students’ politi-
cal literacy. The popular thesis was that “Children should not be bothered
with politics.” Many teachers have stated that the content of HRE are al-
ready represented in homeroom classes and more than half of them con-
firmed that they feel prepared to teach this content, out of which every
other acquired their competences in this area through self-education.
Among other interesting findings gathered from students was the ques-
tion of the most important rules that they need to obey in schools. For
half of them these were “to sit quietly in their place”, “to listen to their
teacher carefully” and “to know the answer when teacher asks a question”
which are all oriented to school discipline. Only 6% of students chose the
rule “to respect one another”.
The Research and Education Centre for Human Rights and Demo-
cratic Citizenship (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University
of Zagreb) has conducted research on knowledge and attitudes of human
rights, democracy and citizenship with 1300 students of final years of their
tertiary education in Zagreb and Rijeka in 2005. This study was launched
to gather empirical data for starting a university program in HRE and
13 Following description of previous research (until year 2015) is adapted from the publication:
(Ne)moć građanskog odgoja i obrazovanja – Objedinjeni izvještaj o učincima eksperimentalne provedbe
kurikuluma građanskog odgoja i obrazovanja u 12 osnovnih i srednjih škola (šk. god. 2012./2013), pp. 26-
28, after obtained permission from the author and principal researcher Vedrana Spajić-Vrkaš.
Available at: https://www.ncvvo.hr/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOO_e_publikaci-
ja.pdf
24
Previous research on civic knowledge and attitudes
In general, most of the recent research, both with school students and
the youth in Croatia, showed a lack of in depth knowledge of civic and
citizenship content and engaging attitudes. At the same time, students
showed interest towards this subject area and willingness to participate in
more interactive and open lessons (Spajić-Vrkaš, 2015).13
One of the first national pieces of comprehensive research in this
area was conducted in 1997 with 37 principals and members of expert
staff, 288 teachers, 705 students of grade 3 and 4, and their parents, in el-
ementary schools – one per administrative centre in 21 counties through-
out the whole of Croatia. The aim of the research was to provide empirical
feedback for developing a program of HRE within the project “Peace and
Human Rights in Croatian Elementary Schools” (Spajić-Vrkaš, 2000).
This research has shown that teachers, principals and parents have posi-
tive attitudes towards the implementation of content regarding children’s
rights and human rights in general, peaceful conflict resolution and envi-
ronmental protection in all subjects. At the same time less than 5% of par-
ticipants thought that elementary schools should develop students’ politi-
cal literacy. The popular thesis was that “Children should not be bothered
with politics.” Many teachers have stated that the content of HRE are al-
ready represented in homeroom classes and more than half of them con-
firmed that they feel prepared to teach this content, out of which every
other acquired their competences in this area through self-education.
Among other interesting findings gathered from students was the ques-
tion of the most important rules that they need to obey in schools. For
half of them these were “to sit quietly in their place”, “to listen to their
teacher carefully” and “to know the answer when teacher asks a question”
which are all oriented to school discipline. Only 6% of students chose the
rule “to respect one another”.
The Research and Education Centre for Human Rights and Demo-
cratic Citizenship (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University
of Zagreb) has conducted research on knowledge and attitudes of human
rights, democracy and citizenship with 1300 students of final years of their
tertiary education in Zagreb and Rijeka in 2005. This study was launched
to gather empirical data for starting a university program in HRE and
13 Following description of previous research (until year 2015) is adapted from the publication:
(Ne)moć građanskog odgoja i obrazovanja – Objedinjeni izvještaj o učincima eksperimentalne provedbe
kurikuluma građanskog odgoja i obrazovanja u 12 osnovnih i srednjih škola (šk. god. 2012./2013), pp. 26-
28, after obtained permission from the author and principal researcher Vedrana Spajić-Vrkaš.
Available at: https://www.ncvvo.hr/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOO_e_publikaci-
ja.pdf
24
