1. Citizenship education at school in Europe 2017
Eurydice report
Isabelle De Coster
EACEA A7: Education and Youth Policy Analysis
23 November 2017 – Lithuania

2. The Eurydice network 38 countries 42 national Units
(under ministry's responsibility)

3. Citizenship education in European and international context
Promoting social and civic competences (EU recommendation)
Paris Declaration (role of education in promoting citizenship and the values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination)
ET2020 Working group on citizenship and the common values
Reference framework of the Council of Europe on competences for democratic culture
2016 IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS)
Comission Staff Working document accompanying the Rethinking education – communication in 2012: policy guidance on assessment of key competences in initial education and training
2013 European year of Citizens
Report on participatory citizenship in the EU – May 2012 David Kerr, Bryony Hoskins submitted to the Commission
Political Participation and EU Citizenship: Perceptions and Behaviours of Young People. Evidence from Eurobarometer surveys (Eurydice)

4. About the report
Primary, general secondary and school-based IVET in 42 European education systems
Official regulations and recommendations on aspects that can affect citizenship education
Differences between countries
Official picture shows room for improvement

5. Main issues for discussion
1. Citizenship competences to be developed at school
Teaching approaches
Student assessment
4. Preparing and supporting teachers and school heads

6. 1. Citizenship competences to be developed at school

7. National curricula for citizenship education competences: broad in scope
Frequency with which citizenship education competences occur in national curricula, 2016/17
ISCED 1
ISCED 2 general
ISCED 3 general
IVET school- based
Source: Eurydice.
Interacting effectively and constructively with others
e.g. personal responsibility, self-confidence, cooperation, empathy
e.g. respect for human rights, knowing about/respecting other cultures/religions
e.g. respect for democracy, participation, knowledge of political institutions
e.g. thinking critically, exercising judgement, media literacy 
Acting in a socially responsible manner 
Acting democratically 
Thinking critically 

8. Frequencies of citizenship competences related to ACTING DEMOCRATICALLY, 2016/17
ISCED 1
ISCED 2 general
ISCED 3 general 
Participating ▬
Knowledge of political institutions
Respect for democracy
Respect for rules
Knowledge of political processes (e.g. elections)
Knowledge of fundamental political and social concepts
Knowledge of international organisations, treaties and declarations
Knowledge of or participation in civil society
Acting democratically
Interacting with political authorities
Lithuanian curricula
 More frequently covered competences (in national curricula of at least 30 education systems)
▬ Less frequently covered competences

9. 2. Teaching approaches

10. Curriculum approaches to CE: often integrated and cross-curricular
Approaches to citizenship education at ISCED 1, 2016/17
Cross-curricular theme
Integrated into other compulsory subjects
Compulsory separate subject
All three approaches
None of these approaches
Source: Eurydice.

11. Compulsory separate subjects occur mostly at secondary levels of education, 2016/17
ISCED 1
ISCED 2 general
ISCED 3 general
Figure 1.1 Evaluation des écoles en Europe 2014
Source: Eurydice.
Grades

12. 3. Student assessment

13. Student assessment in citizenship education: a challenging task
Learning outcomes include knowledge, skills, attitudes and values
Assessment methods that go beyond measuring knowledge
Close to real-life assessment methods (project-based, individual investigation, portfolios)
Provision through various learning contexts (subject teaching, cross-curricular theme, participation in school life)
Assessment methods that gathers evidence across a variety of subjects
Tools to assess student participation
Formative versus summative assessment: a debate

14. National tests are more often organised for certification purposes
National tests in citizenship education: main purposes and levels of education involved, ISCED 1-3, 2016/17
Certification tests at secondary level
Monitoring/evaluation tests at primary and/or secondary level
No national tests
Source: Eurydice.

15. 4. Preparing and supporting teachers and school heads

16. Top level policies on initial education of citizenship education teachers still present gaps, 2016/17
Opportunities to be trained as a (semi-)specialist teacher
Specific competences for all prospective teachers
No top level regulations or recommendations
Source: Eurydice.

17. Five competence dimensions for ITE of all teachers
Knowledge and understanding of what needs to be taught
Pedagogical skills to plan relevant activities
Active and collaborative learning
Understanding how to assess students
Social competences
Classroom debates on controversial topics
Promoting student engagement in school life and community
More often covered
Less often covered
Ability to evaluate and improve teaching and learning practice
at class and shool level
Awareness of the values core to citizenship education

18. CPD for teachers CPD for school heads
More CPD activities for teachers than for school heads, 2016/17
CPD for teachers
CPD for school heads
CPD activities organised or supported by top level authorities exist
No CPD activities organised or supported by top level authorities
Source: Eurydice.

19. Upgrading citizenship education: insights of case studies
Citizenship Education Curriculum Reform in Austria
Given that citizenship education was taught together with history as an integrated subject and that it was taught mostly by history teachers, it was easy for teachers and students to treat it as a second-order subject
There is empirical evidence suggesting that compared to history, citizenship education topics are under-represented in the final exams. Students anticipate this and they can adjust their revision process accordingly
Teachers pointed at the main difficulty the one year time lag between the implementation of the new curriculum and the availability of the new textbooks and handbooks

20. Developing Assessment Tools for Citizenship Competences in Estonia
The main reason for teachers' difficulties to integrate citizenship competences within other subjects is because national curricula only provide a short description of the main aims and learning objectives to be achieved with respect to the citizenship competences
Furthermore, there is no indication as to how teachers should break these down in order to construct a coherent and progressive curriculum appropriate for children across the years
Reforming Teacher Education and Training in France
Transversal civic and moral competences require teachers to accept a new dynamic, in which they are no longer at the centre of the classroom and 'in control', but rather guides who accompany their students and facilitate their learning and development
Effective CPD activities on civic and moral education involves learning through practical situations and experiences, such as debating on controversial issues, discussing moral dilemmas or performing role plays

21. Read the full report: Citizenship Education at School in Europe – 2017