Students' Constructions of Citizenship in the United States: A Study of 11th-Grade Students

Data were collected in Fall 2003 using interview, observation, and focused group discussion methods. Data analysis involved processing, condensing, presenting, and making sense of findings (isolation, discussion, and critical analysis of emerging themes). Results show that participants understood the concept of citizenship in concrete terms; they did not differentiate between citizenship on one hand and the responsibilities of citizens on the other; and that the participants knew about and interacted with nationals of other countries mostly through the mass media although they did not understand the essence of multiple citizenship. I concluded that the social studies curriculum helped the students to acquire knowledge about the practical responsibilities of citizens but did little to enhance understanding how these practices relate to the theory of social studies; the participants demonstrated that they had the capacity to participate in deciding and planning the learning experiences of their choice but were never given a chance to do so; and the participants embraced a reasonable level of knowledge about people and activities taking place in other countries. Finally, I suggested that in order to enhance citizenship education, there is need to for teachers, parents, and the education policy makers to work with students---the consumers of education---in developing the desired learning experiences in presently cosmopolitan space.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Akala, Winston Jumba

Contributors dc:contributor

• Noffke, Susan E.

• Education, Secondary

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3153232

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/79795