Teachers’ Perceptions of Citizenship and Citizenship Education

This study examines citizenship education perceived by teachers in three countries — USA, England, and Hong Kong. By analyzing teacher data in Civics Study (CIVED), conducted by (IEA), it identifies similarities and differences in teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of citizenship education. The findings reveal strong consensus among teachers suggesting that civics education matters a great deal for students’ political development and for their countries. Teachers, also, do not demonstrate a great deal of differentiation among the citizenship models prescribed in the literature. For the teaching practices, teacher-centered methods dominate civics education classrooms, and that political socialization in the form of knowledge transmission is the most emphasized objective. Finally, it recommends that cross- national studies need to theorize as much about similarities among educational systems as they currently do for the differences. Also, it suggests a need to develop a more inclusive theoretical framework of citizenship.