Citizenship education is not about trying to fit everyone into the same mould, or creating the 'model', or 'good', citizen. It is about enabling citizens to make their own decisions and to take responsibility for their own lives and their communities.

What is the aim of citizenship education?

Wherever it occurs, citizenship education has the same basic aims and purposes. It is education for citizenship – that is, education which aims to help people learn how to become active, informed and responsible citizens. More specifically, it aims to prepare them for life as citizens of a democracy.

Different characteristics are required by citizens in different types of political system. The characteristics required of people living as free and equal citizens in a democratic society differ significantly from those of people living under, say, a totalitarian regime.

Democracies depend upon citizens who, among other things, are:

• aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizens
• informed about the social and political world
• concerned about the welfare of others
• articulate in their opinions and arguments
• capable of having an influence on the world
• active in their communities
• responsible in how they act as citizens.

What are its essential elements?

Citizenship education involves a wide range of different elements of learning, including:

• knowledge and understanding: e.g. about topics such as laws and rules, the democratic process, the media, human rights, diversity, money and the economy, sustainable development and world as a global community; and about concepts, such as democracy, justice, equality, freedom, authority and the rule of law;
• skills and aptitudes: e.g. critical thinking, analysing information, expressing opinions, taking part in discussions and debates, negotiating, conflict resolution and participating in community action;
• values and dispositions: e.g. respect for justice, democracy and the rule of law, openness, tolerance, courage to defend a point of view, and a willingness to listen to, work with and stand up for others.

It is artificial to try to separate out the learning of skills from knowledge, knowledge from values and so on. In practice, they are generally learned simultaneously rather than in isolation. For example, in presenting and explaining the findings of a survey to local council officials, young people will be building up their knowledge of local government and its functions at the same time as honing their skills of presentation.

The most effective form of learning in citizenship education is:

• active: emphasises learning by doing;
• interactive: uses discussion and debate;
• relevant: focuses on real-life issues facing young people and society;
• critical: encourages young people to think for themselves;
• collaborative: employs group work and co-operative learning;
• participative: gives young people a say in their own learning.

Many of the themes explored in citizenship education occur in other areas of education, for example, drug/alcohol education in personal, social and health education (PSHE), communication in key skills, and employment issues in careers education.

There is also considerable overlap between the forms of learning used in citizenship and in other subjects, for example active learning, group work and discussion are common throughout the curriculum in both the formal and informal sector.

Why is it important to distinguish between them?

It is important to be aware that just because a certain theme or form of learning occurs elsewhere doesn't necessarily make that activity a citizenship activity. Unless you are able to distinguish between citizenship education and other subjects:

• there is a danger that citizenship will be subsumed in other activities and young people won't receive their entitlement to citizenship learning;
• you will be unable to make citizenship learning explicit, which is essential if young people are to develop a broad and balanced view of what being a citizen involves and a pre-requisite for inspection;

you will make little progress in your understanding of citizenship issues or how they may be made accessible to young people.

What is distinctive about citizenship education?

Citizenship education is distinguished by its content, focus and approach to learning.

• criminal and civil law;
• government and politics;
• electoral systems;
• taxation and the economy;
• role of the EU, the Commonwealth and the UN;
• concepts such as democracy, justice and the rule of law.
  

There is a central core of learning – factual and conceptual – not addressed in other school subjects, including:

Distinctive focus

Citizenship education focuses on topical everyday issues that concern young people as citizens – that is, as members of society with legal rights and responsibilities, e.g. education, health care, welfare benefits, public transport, policing, immigration, international relations and the environment.

These are to be distinguished from issues that concern young people as private individuals – that is, issues which are personal or relate only to family or friends – e.g. applying for a job is a personal issue, the minimum wage is a citizenship one; drinking is a personal issue, the law on alcohol use is a citizenship one; what you look for in a friend is a personal issue, their political opinion is a citizenship one.

Distinctive approach to learning

Citizenship learning develops through active involvement. Young people learn what it means to be a citizen through discussions and debates in the classroom, and participation in the life of the school or college and in the wider community. They are given opportunities both to develop their learning and to put it into practice in 'real life' situations.

This article is based on Chapter One of the CPD handbook Making Sense of Citizenship (with thanks to the Citizenship Foundation)