Participatory Literacy and Taking Informed Action in the Social Studies

Social Studies Education And Civic Efficacy

In order to truly prepare students for democratic citizenship, a key, though often overlooked, component of social studies education is supporting students as they take civic action or engage in participatory civic experiences (Levinson & Levine, 2013; Parker, 2003). Research on civic education suggests that the most effective approach to supporting students in developing their civic capacities and competencies is by providing active learning experiences focused on relevant issues, both inside and outside of the classroom (Croddy & Levine, 2014). For example, James Youniss (2012) argues that “democratic citizenship is best acquired by taking, rather than reading about, action” (p. 116). Taking action often emerges from posing and solving authentic problems that are posed through inquiry-based education, and the C3 Framework provides one pathway towards inquiry-driven studies.