Civic Education and Political Empowerment in Mexico

1. Introduction.2. Progression of interests on this topic3. Purpose of the study 4. Context for Civic Education in Mexico5. Development of instruments and pretest

results6. Curriculum of Civic Education. 7. Our Intervention 8. Some of the projects Students are developing 9. Preliminary observations and findings. 10. Discussion

2

Introduction

• Miguel Basanez• Mariali Cardenas• Armando Estrada• Emanuel Garza

• Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Fletcher School• VIA Educacion• Universidad

Iberoamericana• Data Opinion Publica• State Ministry of Education

Nuevo Leon• State Ministry of Education

Guerrero3

Progression of interests on this topic

• 2004 Paper for Inter American Development Bank, regional meeting of Deputy Secretaries

• 2005 Paper for Ministers of Education. • 2006 Creation of Observatory in Colombia.

Participation of six latin American countries in third civic education study. Development of regional module.

• 2004 Participation in the Culture Matters Project at the Fletcher School. Paper on the role of civic education as a driver of cultural views and competencies backdrop for this study

4

Purpose and Design of the Study

• Assess the relative effectiveness of two approaches to civic education among pre-teens. Students in eight grade.

• Deliberative Education• Service Learning• 120 Schools. Two States. Three groups.• Pre-Post with observations and follow on

120 Profesores (60 en Nuevo León y 60 en Guerrero)

4,800 Alumnos

60 Asistentes de investigación

13 Diseñadores y Formación docente

5

Context for Civic Education in Mexico

• Reform of 1993 expands basic education from six to 9 grades.

• Traditional civic education emphasizes patriotism.• Political Transition 2000. • Role of Federal Electoral Institute• New Civic Education Curriculum since 2006.

Curriculum of Culture of rule of law in a few states.• What do we know about how the subject is taught?• No specialization in teacher professional development.

6

Development of instruments and pretest results

• Cultural Values• Attitudes towards gender equity• Trust in Public institutions • Trust in people• Perception of Basic rights protected in

Mexico for most people• Civic Efficacy of the School• Teaching Civics• Have the following topics been addressed in

civics?

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Development of instruments and pretest results

• Cultural Values– I make plans for my life– Studying is important– Folllowing the law is silly when most people

don’t– It is good to associate with other people to

solve problems– Public officials should be accountable to the

public

8

I make plans for my life

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

9

Studying Matters to Me

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

10

It is silly to follow the law when most people don't

05

101520253035404550

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

11

It is good to associate with others to find solutions to common problems

05

1015202530354045

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

12

Public officials should be accountable to the public

05

1015202530354045

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

13

Development of instruments and pretest results

• Attitudes towards gender equity

14

Home chores are women's work

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

15

Women should be part of Government

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

16

Women should have the same rights as men

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

17

Men and Women should have equal pay for equal work

010203040506070

Tot

alm

ente

de a

cuer

do 2 3 4 5

Tot

alm

ente

ende

sacu

erdo

18

Development of instruments and pretest results

• Trust in Public institutions and people• Federal Government, Municipal Government, Courts, Police,• Political parties, Congress, Teachers, Parents, Classmates,• Friends

• Trust and Tolerance in • Politically active people• Ethnic minorities• Poor people• Rich people• Gays and lesbians• Foreigners• People who live with HIV• People of other religion

19

Would you agree to having neighbors of a different ethnicity

0

5

10

15

20

25

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

20

Would you agree to having neighbors of a different religion

05

1015202530354045

TotallyAgree

2 3 4 5 TotallyDisagree

21

• Perception of Basic rights protected in Mexico for most people– Health, – Freedom of speech, – Fair trial, – Education, – Non violence, – Food

22

• Civic Efficacy of the School• To what extent has the school prepared you to? Work in

teams, adapt to new situations, solve problems, continuous learning, analize and understand reality, respect others with different views, value cultural and racial differences, value gender equity, develop a sense of purpose, help solve community problems, understand the importance of voting, negotiate and solve conflicts peacefully, recognize and communicate my interests, represent others in a group, challenge discrimination when I witness it, analyze conflicts in the community, analyze conflicts described in newspapers, study community problems, study human rights, cultural practices of diverse groups,

23

Has your education prepared to solve community problems

0

5

10

1520

25

30

35

40

Nothing Very little A little Much

24

Has your education helped you understand the importance of voting

0

5

10

1520

25

30

35

40

Nothing Very little A little Much

25

Has your education prepared you to negotiate and solve conflicts peacefully

0

5

10

1520

25

30

35

40

Nothing Very little A little Much

26

• Teaching Civics

• How frequently does the teacher select the topics of discussion in class, students do research projects, students work in teams, students participate in role playing and simulations, teachers include discussion of conflictive topics, students engage in community activities

27

In class do you discuss community issues?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Nothing Very little A little Much

28

In classes, do you discuss the news?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Nothing Very little A little Much

29

Teachers discuss controversial topics in class

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never

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• Have the following topics been addressed in civics?

• Discrimination against women, discrimination against indigenous people, discriination against foreigners, racial discrimination, religious discrimination, poverty, street children, violence, citizen participation, gender equity

• Civic practices in the school • Student government, student participation in

school governance, student participation in academic work, student participation in classroom norms, consistency in the application of norms towards all students, mistreatment of students who break norms

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• Violence in school• Physical violence, bullying, teachers hitting

students, teachers ridiculing students, violence in the community, violence towards girls, violence towards ethnic minority students, violence towards religious minorities, violence towards gay or lesbian students

• Attitudes towards rule of law• Attitudes towards democracy and

democratic practices• Dictatorships in crisis, concentration of

power, freedom of the press, independence of congress 32

Who should govern in a democracy

Moral or religiousleaders

A small group ofeducated people

Representativeselected by thepeopleExperts in politicsand Government

Don't know

33

Which of these situations could be considered not democratic

People cannotcriticize thegovernmentPolitical partiescriticize each other

People must payhigh taxes

Every citizen hasthe right to work

Don't know34

Curriculum of Civic Education• Civics is taught in grades 8th and 9th, the last two grades of

compulsory education (is it also taught at the elementary level?)

• Three subjects form the block of social studies in secondary: History, Geography and Civics. The purpose of this block is that students:

– Understand the main characteristics of the world in which they live– Know the social problems in the various ambits in which they live– Develop the necessary competencies to process information– Adopt democratic attitudes and values, in particular those that involve

respect for other cultures and solidarity towards other people

• The program of study describes:• The normative and pedagogical foundations of the

subject• The purposes of civic education and ethics • The approach to the teaching of civics. This includes

principles and guidelines for classroom work on this subject.

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Official Program of Study

The program of study describes:• The normative and pedagogical foundations

of the subject• The purposes of civic education and ethics • The approach to the teaching of civics. This

includes principles and guidelines for classroom work on this subject.

• The structure and organization of the contents that are part of the subjects of civic education and ethics in grades 8 and 9.

36

General purpose of the Program

• Understand the main characteristics of the world in which students live

• Know the social problems in the various settings in which they live

• Develop the necessary competencies to process information

• Adopt democratic attitudes and values, in particular those that involve respect for other cultures and solidarity towards other people

37

Focus of the official Program of study of the 8th grade

• In the second year (8th grade) the program includes the general aspects of ethics and civic education and democratic citizenships skills.

• Part I. Civic and ethical education in social and personal development

• Part II. Adolescents and their contexts.• Part III. The civic and ethical dimension of living with

others.• Part IV. Principles and values of democracy.• Part V. Identification of ethical commitments

38

Competencies emphasized by the Official Program

1. Taking care of oneself2. Self regulation and responsible exercise of freedom3. Respect and value of diversity4. Sense of belonging to a community, a nation and

humanity5. Management and resolution of conflicts6. Social and political participation7. Legality and sense of justice8. Understanding and appreciation of democracy

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Example of Program Unit:

Part I

Purposes

Topics

Expected learning Notes and

suggestions

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Details of Intervention

Procedure• Implementation in two states of

Mexico:– 60 teachers in Guerrero

(South)– 60 teachers in Nuevo León

(North)

• Design of pedagogical materials for teachers

• Three experimental groups:Group A. Classroom activities

that use a variety of educational resources

Group B. Service learning that follows a participatory methodology

Group C. Combination of both A and B strategies

Challenges• Changes in Acapulco

• Challenges in socio-economic conditions: low income, social disintegration, violence, drugs, presence of gangs, poor infrastructure.

• Challenges participation of principals and interruption of classes

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Group A: Teachers working with deliberative methodologies

implement a variety of pedagogies to foster the development of civic and ethical competencies such as:

– Participatory Theater– Conceptual Maps– Discussion of Dilemmas– Deliberation– Analysis of examples– Discussion of controversial issues– Research projects with information technologies– Role Playing

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Group B:Teachers use a participatory

methodology to design projects to improve their contexts.

– The aim is that students develop and practice:

• Democratic deliberation• Critical reflection• Search of common good and justice• Solidarity, respect and emphathy• Tolerance and valuing difference• Communicative skills• Peaceful resolution of conflicts• Dialogue in establishing agreements• Democratic participation 43

Group C:• Teachers work with both components:

Classroom strategies and Service-Learning

• Teachers implement different pedagogies in addition to implementing a participatory methodology in the design of projects where students can contribute in the improvement of their own contexts.

44

Teacher Professional Development• Teachers were selected in coordination with the

Ministry of Education in both States

• Creation of treatment groups, the 120 teachers were assigned randomly to one of the three conditions.

• Teacher education:

• Intensive initial education and 10 sessions of 5 hours each between July 2008 to June 2009 Initial training 3 days, once a month 5 hours, every two weeks visits.

• The training includes the understanding of pedagogical foundations related to the teaching and learning of civic education, discussion of the materials, feedback and exchange of experiences among teachers.

45

SOME OF THE PROJECTS STUDENTS ARE DEVELOPING

46

Student projects• The objective is to create participatory projects based on

the initiatives of the students so they develop a sense of agency and self-efficacy.

• The participatory methodology includes establishing class rules, mapping their environment, identifying a problem through research and democratic means, design an action plan, implement it and evaluate it with the teacher as facilitator.

• The results of the projects are important, but the process is the space where civic competencies can be developed.

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48

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS

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Preliminary observations

• The implementation of projects and well thought pedagogical strategies strengthens the development of citizenship competencies.

• In general, we perceive teachers that are very committed and motivated.• We identify a change of paradigm in the teachers: from a traditional

conception about teaching to playing a role as a facilitator of a process where the students are the main actors of their own development.

• The dimension of the projects is connected to the support that they may receive from the school’s principal, who can either foster the development of more ambitious efforts or limit the creative capacity of the students.

• It has been found that the course of Civics and Ethics has the potential to develop many more civic skills and knowledge.

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Preliminary Findings

• Change of professors’ teaching paradigms: from traditional teaching to facilitators.

• Teachers’ increased mastery in innovative pedagogic strategies• Incorporation of teaching practices aligned to XXIth century

demands considering lack of socio-economic opportunities.• Positive impact on school climate • Positive impact on academic performance• Development of citizenship competencies in teachers and students• Opportunity for teachers to develop teaching competencies• Development of spaces and opportunities for teachers to receive

feedback about their teaching strategies , focusing on the development of competencies

• Crescent engagement of school principals in school projects initiated by students

• Partnerships, systemic and collaborative efforts facilitate the improvement of educational processess.

51

Teacher perspective

Teachers are using the following pedagogical strategies:

• Promote self-knowledge and self-regulation. • Offer more spaces for the engagement of students. • Value and take seriously the engagement of students. • Use of resources that promote research: field research, survey elaboration,

data analysis, literature review, etc. • In-depth analysis of newspapers and multimedia files. • Dialogues and debates. • Teamwork. • Observation and analysis of the environment. • Use of synoptic charts, conceptual maps, schemes, etc.• Preparation and presentation of works. • Theater.• Foster critical thinking, reflection and metacognition. • Group decision making.

52

Development of Citizenship Competencies in students and teachers

Comments from the teachers:

• “If students practice the content of the curriculum, they are more able to engage with the subject and they learn better”

• “Students are really figuring out what are the issues of their own environment, and they are trying to solve them”

• “Students understand that they are an important piece of society; and when they perform actions to improve society, they know they are improving themselves”

• “Students have focused their knowledge, attitudes and capabilities in supporting their environment and community”

22%

78%

¿The program increases the capabilities of students to participate and develop

citizenship competencies?

Strongly aggree

Agree

53

Relevance of the intervention for the development of teaching competencies

according to the teachers.

Teacher’s comments:

• It helps me to succeed in new challenges.

• I have learned to discover the hidden issues in the young.

• I discovered that students are capable and wish to live in peace.

• It has helped me to grow and learn more.

• I saw a change in the students in order to become more conscious.

• I learned that in the activities I can improve my teaching strategies..

• I have learned to do more research, to involve the students in their research, in their presentations and in the use of technology.

• I observed that the students like to be included.

• They [researchers] give me new tools to improve my performance

• I realized that students can be involved in the solution of a problem that they identified in the first place.

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Discussion

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