On the Dimensionality of the Cognitive Test Used in the IEA Civic Education Study: Analyses and Implications

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 370-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roumiana Nikolova ◽  
Rainer H. Lehmann
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
International Association ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Economic Literacy ◽  
Test Analysis ◽  
Civic Knowledge ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Education Study

The second International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study was designed to measure dimensions of civic knowledge among 14 year-old and upper secondary students across diverse educational systems. One of the major aims of the study on upper secondary students was to attain sufficient commonality with the test instrument for the 14 year-olds in order to facilitate meaningful cross-population references. This requirement could be successfully achieved by including a substantial number of (anchor) items from the test for the younger group, yet leaving room for more difficult items. In addition, the test for the upper secondary students included the newly introduced domain of economic literacy. The quality of the test has been assured through confirmatory factor analysis; analysis of item-by-country interaction and Item Response Theory (IRT) based analyses of item fit within and across countries. Preceded by a short review of previous research on civic knowledge as well as a brief description of the IEA test for the 14 year-olds, this article then focuses more explicitly on some methodological aspects of the test of civic knowledge and economic literacy in the IEA Civic Education Study for upper secondary students. It describes the structure of the test, including three examples of items covering different levels of civic knowledge. Furthermore, the quality of the test is discussed in some detail, referring to the main test analysis procedures. Finally, the test analysis results are briefly discussed, followed by a note of caution, as well as some insights into the relationship of civic knowledge and gender among adolescents.

scholarly journals Participation Experiences and Civic Concepts, Attitudes and Engagement: Implications for Citizenship Education Projects

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Menezes
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Citizenship Education ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
International Association ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Age Variations ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Education Projects

This article considers participation experiences of 14 year-old and upper secondary students in six European countries that were involved in the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study: the Czech Republic, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland, countries that vary in their history of institution of democratic regimes. Participation has been considered as a crucial dimension of citizenship, and experiences within civil society are viewed as a relevant opportunity for developing personal and social resources essential for the survival and expansion of democracy. Additionally, participation experiences in adolescence seem to be a good predictor of political engagement during adult life. Results show that participation is most evident in organisations that provide enrichment activities (sports, music, computers), but both 14 year-old and upper secondary students are involved in voluntary activities, in some civic-related organisations (mainly Scouts, religious affiliated and environmental), and in experiences within the school (with student councils and school newspapers at the top). However, cross-national and cross-age variations are significant. Overall, there seems to be a positive impact of the frequency of students' involvement on civic concepts, attitudes and engagement, but results also reveal that more is not necessarily better. The most relevant implication for the development of citizenship education projects is that ‘action’ can be a powerful learning tool but only if it is intentionally designed and systematically supported: the quality of participation experiences, both in terms of meaningful involvement, of interaction with (different) others, and opportunities for personal integration, is therefore crucial if the goal is to promote the personal empowerment and social pluralism on which the essence of democracy relies.

scholarly journals Students' Concepts of Democracy

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 396-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Husfeldt ◽  
Roumiana Nikolova
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
International Association ◽  
School Students ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Education Study ◽  
Concepts Of Democracy

In addition to assessing the civic knowledge and skills of adolescents, examining students' concepts of democracy was an important aspect of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study. Based on theories and previous research with adults and youth in this area, a set of survey items was developed to cover several models of democracy. In the 1999 IEA Civic Education Study of 14 year olds, the confirmatory factor analysis showed one factor with items relating to the generic or rule of law model. A second factor, participatory democracy, did not meet IEA scaling standards. In contrast, confirmatory factor analysis of upper secondary school students' data revealed a three-factor solution for the democracy items, suggesting that they have more differentiated concepts of democracy than 14 year olds.

Italy's Participation in Three IEA Civic Education Studies (1971-2009)

CADMO ◽  
2009 ◽  
pp. 9-19
Author(s):  
Judith Torney-Purta
Keyword(s):  
Civic Education ◽  
Marked Improvement ◽  
Political Socialization ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Political Information ◽  
The Other ◽  
Knowledge Test ◽  
Civic Knowledge ◽  
Education Study ◽  
History Of

- Following a brief history of the three Civic Education Studies conducted by IEA over nearly 30 years, the focus is on results for Italian 14-15 year olds in the 1971 and 1999 studies. The first civic education study (1971) showed that Italian teachers had poor preparation to teach civic education (stressing good manners rather than civic or political information). Italian students performed poorly on the 1971 civic knowledge test (7th out of 8 countries). The second study, CIVED (1999) showed marked improvement for Italian students, who had an average knowledge score above the international mean for 28 countries. Italian students expressed interest in protest participation. They trusted political information from the mass media less than those in the other 27 countries. Students and teachers reported an absence of opportunities for students to learn to protect the environment (compared with other countries).Keywords civic knowledge, IEA civic education study, ICCS, trust in media, political socialization (Italy), adolescents (Italy).

Measurement Invariance in Comparing Attitudes Toward Immigrants Among Youth Across Europe in 1999 and 2009

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 687-728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Munck ◽  
Carolyn Barber ◽  
Judith Torney-Purta
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
International Association ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Education Study

This study applies the alignment method, a technique for assessing measurement equivalence across many groups, to the analysis of adolescents’ support for immigrants’ rights in a pooled data set from the 1999 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study and the 2009 IEA International Civics and Citizenship Education Study. We examined measurement invariance across 92 groups (country by cohort by gender), finding that a five-item scale was statistically well-grounded for unbiased group comparisons despite the presence of significant noninvariance in some groups. Using the resulting group mean scores, we compared European youth’s attitudes finding that female students had more positive attitudes than did male students across countries and cohorts. An analysis of countries participating in both studies revealed that students in most countries demonstrated more positive attitudes in 2009 than in 1999. The alignment methodology makes it feasible to comprehensively assess measurement invariance in large data sets and to compute aligned factor scores for the full sample that can update existing databases for more efficient further secondary analysis and with metainformation concerning measurement invariance.

scholarly journals Civic Education for Lower Secondary Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Pāvels Jurs ◽  
Alīda Samuseviča
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Systemic Approach ◽  
General Curriculum ◽  
Civic Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Research Methods ◽  
Civic Competence

<span lang="EN-US">Nowadays the question of the necessity for the civic upbringing in the general curriculum in the system of education of Latvia has been raised. At the same time students` knowledge as well as skills and attitude of civic education have not been fully analyzed. Before carrying out the particular reforms in the content of education, we must assess the situation and find a balanced, purposeful and theoretically reasonable holistic systemic approach for promotion of the citizenship. Through using theoretical and empirical research methods, the process of researching is characterized and the data that reflects students' civic knowledge, skills, attitude and values has been analyzed. This publication contains systematized conclusions that outline the possibilities for pedagogical activities that promote civic competence for students in the general education institutions.</span>

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document