CIVIC EDUCATION

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INTRODUCTION

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The second module of this project, civic education, was conceived by Manisa Social Sciences High school, Turkey.
In its broadest definition, “civic education” means all the processes that affect people's beliefs, commitments, capabilities, and actions as members or prospective members of communities. Civic education need not be intentional or deliberate; institutions and communities transmit values and norms without meaning to. It may not be beneficial: sometimes people are civically educated in ways that disempower them or impart harmful values and goals. It is certainly not limited to schooling and the education of children and youth. Families, governments, religions, and mass media are just some of the institutions involved in civic education, understood as a lifelong process. It is a process of awareness-raising and enlightenment, aiming at helping students to acquire a new culture focusing on strong civic and citizenship values, based on a system of rights, civic duties, respect of human rights, democracy, justice and the rule of law.
In order to create the kind of citizenry which we would wish for the twenty-first century, one needs to establish a system of civic education. Citizens should not only be made aware of their rights, duties and responsibilities; they should also be prepared, so that they are able to exercise those rights, become aware of their duties and to undertake their responsibilities willingly. Spreading the message of good citizenship can be done in many ways. One example could be by documenting information about those citizens whose attainments ought to be emulated; and honouring those who have demonstrated consistent good citizenship. There can be no better way to promote good citizenship than to recognize it wherever it exists.
Civic education is an important avenue through which citizens could be educated about the important role that they are expected to play in the development of their country. This will serve to widen the relationships among individuals and groups. It should also bring about a sense of duty and responsibility in each individual towards the family, the community and the nation at large, through a shared understanding of the value of rights, duties and responsibilities.
If we focus our civic education activities on young people especially on our students, there is the added advantage that they will be caught at an age where they could be more easily taught to develop the necessary skills and attitudes to appreciate the values and moral judgement which are necessary to create social consciousness. In fact the use of the school or college could prove to be the most effective means of bringing positive transformation in the attitude, nature and character of our students by instilling in them the spirit of mutual understanding, and co-operation, friendship, love and respect which should be shown towards others.
It is perhaps only through civic education that we could succeed in creating the kinder and gentler society which continues to elude us. We would also be able to give life to that part of our National Pledge in which we promise to give our love, our loyalty and skills, in the service of our country; and to work diligently to help build a prosperous and peaceful nation.
Civic education, therefore, is, or should be, a prime concern both in schools and in societies. There is no more important task than the development of an informed, effective, and responsible citizen. So it is compulsory to have this education in most of the countries and it should have its own curriculum. 
As it is understood Civic Education serves as a way to bring about the desired and deserving change in society, to develop a new generation of admirable individuals and thus cause the growth of good people and efficient people. 
The four main themes of civic education are : 

Culture of Democracy, Rights and Freedoms, Our Duties and Responsibilities and A good Citizenship. 

Each theme is chosen deliberately to explain how a person can be a good citizen and also how important to have such people for the communities.

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1)  Culture of Democracy: Having a democratic attitude is one of the best ways of living happily and peacefully in a modern society for individuals. Democracy is one of the most accepted ways of governing a system in our modern world. In this case democracy education and establishing a democratic environment at schools and in societies are significant for the students, teachers and administrators.

Under the name of democracy culture, democracy and democratic attitudes are emphasized. In addition to emphasizing democracy's "human" emphasis, democratic citizenship needs to recognize all forms of discrimination and combat discrimination, the need for dialogue and effective communication for coexistence, the diversity of social wealth, negative prejudice and the role of gender equality.Thus, it is aimed  to create awareness for democracy  and to embrace democracy as a life style.

2)  Rights and Freedoms: A citizen is a person who lives as an inhabitant in any village or city of the state and country. We all are citizens of our country and have various rights and responsibilities towards our village, city, society, state and country. Rights and duties of each citizen are very valuable and inter-related. Every state or country provides its citizens some fundamental civil rights such as personal rights, religious rights, social rights, moral rights, economic rights and political rights.
Human rights and freedoms are emphasized within this theme. It is aimed to protect and develop the rights and freedoms, to comprehend the role of non-governmental organizations in this issue, to recognize the relation between democracy and the use of rights and freedoms, to use democratic means of seeking rights, and to propose democratic solutions in violation of rights and freedoms.

3)    Our Duties and Responsibilities: The duties and responsibilities of the individuals in the democratization of their daily life have been featured. It is aimed to protect and develop the unity and integrity of the country and to respect  human life and dignity.

4)    A good Citizenship: Good citizenship is when one properly fulfils his or her role as  a citizen. Good citizens are actively involved in their community and in the betterment of their fellow citizens. They take pride in where they live and strive to make it a better place. So with the assistance of these themes our students will learn to respect others and their property, respect the environment and not damage it in anyway. Also they will be aware of listening to the views of others and think about what they have to say.

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The values we need to encompass are :
•    Empathy
•    Cooperation
•    Tolerance and responsibility
•    Love and respect
•    Respecting differences
•    Patriotism
•    Sensitivity to cultural heritage
•    Be sensitive to national, spiritual and universal values,
•    Freedom and equality
•    Sharing
•    Settlement
•    Understanding, Tolerance and Inclusion

•    Respect and responsibility

•    Fair play

•    Care and Compassion

•    Honesty and Trustworthiness

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The aims of our module are :

• To contribute to forming a democratic and just society by being free, independent, tolerant, peace-loving and self-confident individuals.

•  To adopt the importance of protecting and improving shared common values

• To fulfil their responsibilities as a conscious citizen by using basic rights and freedoms

• To take part in the development and strengthening of social life, as an effective, responsible and democratic citizen

• To contribute to the resolution of social and individual problems understanding the importance of democratic participation and democratic life

• To adopt democracy as a way of life by developing democratic attitudes and behaviours as an individual with a democratic consciousness

• To understand that their behaviour can affect others and has consequences

• To show sensitivity to the issues that concern the country and the world with the conscious that it is part of human kind

• To promote to act with integrity, sharing with others, caring for others, promoting sound values, and guiding the next generation

• To participate actively in affairs that affect them by joining with others to create resources and

• facilities in their communities,

• To build leaders in their communities by identifying and nurturing people who can take responsibility for themselves and for other people

•  To create a good society by educating people in issues relating to active citizenship

• To play a central role in making citizens aware of their rights and responsibilities, and prepare them to undertake those rights and responsibilities

• To promote students to play an effective role in promoting a strong, capable and responsible civil society which is able to work in partnership with an active and equally responsible state.

• To provide students to be in realisation of human rights including the economic, cultural, environmental, and social rights of all citizens with particular attention to disadvantaged groups such as children and the physically challenged

• To be aware of sharing information, encouraging debate on matters of national concern, so that citizens may be in a position to hold public leaders and officials accountable for their actions

• To teach to show tolerance of dissent. In this regard it is imperative that whether or not the voices are appreciative or critical, informed or ignorant, narrow or holistic, precise or vague, they have a right to be heard. Disagreement must not be treated as either a sin or a crime.

 

As a conclusion, it is aimed to give awareness, sensitivity, consciousness, thoughts, attitudes to some basic concepts related to citizenship, democracy and human rights as well as the protection and application of human rights.

Imagine a world in which our children learn to be aware of their duties and responsibilities. Where they value themselves and promote self-esteem. Also imagine that they are all ready to protect and develop rights and freedoms and willingly to improve their democracy culture and democratic attitudes.

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All our participants will develop their transversal skills :

1)    Digital skills :
The ability to search, collect and process (create, organize, distinguish relevant from irrelevant, subjective from objective, real from virtual) electronic information, data and concepts and their systematic use.

• The ability to use appropriate aids (presentations, graphs, charts, maps) to produce, present and understand complex information

• The ability to access and search a website and use Internet services such as discussion forums and email

• The ability to use information and computer technology to support critical thinking; creativity and innovation in different contexts at home, leisure and work

• Understand and apply ethical principles in the interactive use of information and computer technology

2)    Civic skills :

• Ability to detect change and continuity

• Awareness of concepts of individual, group, society, culture and historical evolution of these concepts

• Sensitivity to discrimination

• Understanding of the intercultural dimension in European and other societies

• Participating in activities and behaviours that involve democratic decision-making

• The ability to communicate constructively in different social situations (tolerating the views and behaviour of others, awareness of individual and collective responsibility)

• Ability to create confidence and empathy in other individuals

• Social and cultural participation skills

• Being aware of democratic culture and democratic behaviours

• The ability to negotiate

• Need to respect and adhere to rules for socially responsible and desirable behaviour

• Showing interest in others and respecting them

• Promoting harmony and inclusiveness

• Be ready to live in cohabitation

• The awareness of belonging to a community, country, EU and Europe in general and (your part of) the world

• Interacting positively with adults and other children

• Being prepared to participate in democratic decision-making at all levels

• The tendency of taking responsibilities as a conscious citizen

• An appreciation of the importance of protecting and improving shared common values

• Resolving issues in peaceful and non-threatening ways

• A willingness to participate actively and make a positive contribution to the community.

• An appreciation and understanding of the discrepancy and value systems of different religious or ethnic groups.

• Critical reception of information from mass media

• Willingness to be a conscious citizen

• Being a volunteer and taking part in social activities and civic organisations

• Being consious about the issues of the community

3)    Entrepreneurship

• Skills for planning, organising, analysing, communicating, doing, de-briefing, evaluating and recording

• Skills for project development and implementation

• The ability to work co-operatively and be flexible as part of a team

• The ability to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses

• Ability to act proactively and respond positively to changes

• Ability to assess and take risks as and when warranted

• Self-initiative

• Positive attitude to change and innovation

During  several weeks, all the participants will have  a chance to develop the above mentioned skills and understand  civic  education. Civic education is a lifelong  process, so  with the help of various workshops and activities our students will be aware of how to be a consious citizen, to respect the rights of others and to know democratic  culture and attidutes.
 

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