Citizenship and Education in Twenty-eight Countries. Civic Knowledge and Engagement at Age Fourteen

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Researchers surveyed nearly 90,000 14-year-old students in 28 countries during the second phase of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's Civic Education Study. Questionnaires were also administered to teachers and school principals. The survey consisted of five types of items measuring the students' (1) knowledge of democratic principles; (2) skills in interpreting political communication; (3) concepts of democracy and citizenship; (4) attitudes related to trust in institutions, the nation, opportunities for immigrants, and women's political rights; and (5) expected participation in civic-related activities. A final part of the survey assessed students' perceptions of classroom climate and their participation in youth organizations, as well as other background variables. The findings provide cross-national analyses giving educators, policy-makers, and the general public information about what 14-year-old students know and believe about democratic institutions and processes. They also give a snapshot of the civic activities young people engage in, and what their intentions are for future participation