What Schools Can Do to Promote Young Peoples Civic Learning and Development Youth-Nex 2011 Ariel Hernandez, Ben Kirshner, DeVante Moss, Adam York The rest of the Critical Civic Inquiry Team: Co-PIs Carlos Hipolito-Delgado & Shelley Zion RAs: Carrie Bemis & Elizabeth Mendoza 1

CCI works to create sustained and systemic opportunities for students to ask critical questions about their schools and participate in efforts to improve them It is a… – Learning experience for high school youth – Seminar for teachers – Research study Research supported by the Spencer Foundation

Summer Institute What makes an excellent learning environment? Original research and meetings with teachers

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What schools can do Teach civics in engaging ways Invite students to be at the table Take students seriously 8

Teach civics in engaging ways Learning sciences & sociocultural theory – Shared goal – Distributed roles – Saturated with tools and expertise – Trajectories of participation are visible and accessible 9

Teach civics in engaging ways Learning how, not just learning about Connecting coursework with opportunities outside of school Creating a supportive context for critical questions 10 Examples from our research

Invite students to be at the table Classroom invitations – Build interest through presentations in classes School invitations – Student Council – Field trips to CU-Boulder (not allowed) Outside of school – Internship (academic credit) for participation 11

Take students seriously Why include student perspectives? The experience of being excluded What sharing power can look like 12 Teacher: It was shocking to hear how even students are aware of the flaws in our school systems. If the students care so much, the teachers should also!

Conclusion 13

14 Thank you