Abstract:
Civics and citizenship education at the national level and in New South Wales has received considerable interest since the publication of the Civics Expert Group's report 'Whereas the people' (1994). 'Developments' in the area of civics since then have ranged from resource development, curriculum development, professional development, and the creation of benchmarks. The literature base, in an Australian context, has developed considerably, mirroring the equal development of discussion, and in some cases disagreement, among academics and practitioners. This paper explores the nature of civics and citizenship education, curriculum, and the associated pedagogical possibilities. These inter-related components are informed by the works of Basil Bernstein, Henry Giroux, and Michael Apple. The theory surrounding pedagogy and civics and citizenship education will be examined, focusing on such models as active participation, issues-based teaching, constructivism, and transmission - the current 'buzz' words in the literature. Currently, the challenge for civics and citizenship education appears to present itself as how to construct a thoughtful pedagogy that can both affirm and extend the possibility for self and social empowerment so as to create conditions for meaningful and effective democracy in Australia. By making civics and citizenship education a 'polyvocal' conversation between teachers, students, parents, theorists, policy makers, and academics, the possibility exists to create confidence that the entire community has a stake in the democratic arrangements of Australian society. An aim of the paper is to prompt further discussion and debate, in the hope of furthering the much needed conversation on pedagogy and civics and citizenship education.