Page 42 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 42
šolsko polje, letnik xxx, številka 5–6
al political participation as articulated by Barnes and Kaase (1979).1 Con-
ventional political participation pertains to different possible modes of
participation embedded in legal institutional frameworks, or directly re-
ferring to the electoral process and representational system, such as voting
and contacting politicians (Barnes and Kaase, 1979). On the other hand,
unconventional political participation refers to all modes of political par-
ticipation not formally linked to the electoral process such as petitioning,
demonstrating or similar (Barnes and Kaase, 1979).2
The article firstly offers a broader reflection of the role of citizenship
education (especially within formal education) in contributing in various
ways to political literacy and knowledge of pupils about political partic-
ipation. To this end, we critically interrogate some of the key prevailing
available strategies and practices within citizenship education, especially
with regard to fostering a more participation-inclined youth. Next, the ar-
ticle briefly presents how citizenship education is systematized within the
Slovenian formal education system and reflects how political participa-
tion is addressed and presented in relevant documents, such as the White
paper on education in the Republic of Slovenia and, more concretely, in
the Patriotic and Citizenship Culture and Ethics subject curricula. In the
third part of the article, the NAK is presented as a framework for pupil as-
sessment, with an emphasis on its structure and methodology. The latter
is also important because it represents the methodological framework of
this article for analysing the knowledge of pupils, which is also explained
in more detail. The fourth, central part of the paper presents and inter-
prets the results of the pupils on selected questions that were part of the
NAK in the Patriotic and Citizenship Culture and Ethics subject. In the
conclusion, the article critically interrogates with and interprets the main
findings.
Citizenship education and political participation
As indicated in the introduction, practically all democracies, old and
new, are continuously searching for appropriate responses to challeng-
es to youth disenchantment and disengagement in democratic participa-
tion and, more broadly, political engagement in its various forms. Hard-
ly surprising, citizenship education is identified and targeted as a concrete
framework that makes possible ‘education through citizenship’, which in-
volves formal and informal learning opportunities that enable pupils to
1 Methodology of the analysis is explained in 4.2 section of this paper.
2 For additional discussion of Barnes and Kaase’s conventional/unconventional participa-
tion distinction and further updates of their definition see Pitti (2019).
40
al political participation as articulated by Barnes and Kaase (1979).1 Con-
ventional political participation pertains to different possible modes of
participation embedded in legal institutional frameworks, or directly re-
ferring to the electoral process and representational system, such as voting
and contacting politicians (Barnes and Kaase, 1979). On the other hand,
unconventional political participation refers to all modes of political par-
ticipation not formally linked to the electoral process such as petitioning,
demonstrating or similar (Barnes and Kaase, 1979).2
The article firstly offers a broader reflection of the role of citizenship
education (especially within formal education) in contributing in various
ways to political literacy and knowledge of pupils about political partic-
ipation. To this end, we critically interrogate some of the key prevailing
available strategies and practices within citizenship education, especially
with regard to fostering a more participation-inclined youth. Next, the ar-
ticle briefly presents how citizenship education is systematized within the
Slovenian formal education system and reflects how political participa-
tion is addressed and presented in relevant documents, such as the White
paper on education in the Republic of Slovenia and, more concretely, in
the Patriotic and Citizenship Culture and Ethics subject curricula. In the
third part of the article, the NAK is presented as a framework for pupil as-
sessment, with an emphasis on its structure and methodology. The latter
is also important because it represents the methodological framework of
this article for analysing the knowledge of pupils, which is also explained
in more detail. The fourth, central part of the paper presents and inter-
prets the results of the pupils on selected questions that were part of the
NAK in the Patriotic and Citizenship Culture and Ethics subject. In the
conclusion, the article critically interrogates with and interprets the main
findings.
Citizenship education and political participation
As indicated in the introduction, practically all democracies, old and
new, are continuously searching for appropriate responses to challeng-
es to youth disenchantment and disengagement in democratic participa-
tion and, more broadly, political engagement in its various forms. Hard-
ly surprising, citizenship education is identified and targeted as a concrete
framework that makes possible ‘education through citizenship’, which in-
volves formal and informal learning opportunities that enable pupils to
1 Methodology of the analysis is explained in 4.2 section of this paper.
2 For additional discussion of Barnes and Kaase’s conventional/unconventional participa-
tion distinction and further updates of their definition see Pitti (2019).
40
