ABSTRACT

Using a mixed-methods approach, this paper investigates current views within society about what civic knowledge is important for students leaving secondary education. We combined questionnaire data from a representative national sample with data from a multiple-case study among several focus groups of stakeholders with various roles in society. The results show that there is broad consensus in society about the civic knowledge that is important for students, consistent with civic knowledge conceptualisations as used in common standardised measurement instruments. The data also show a different appreciation of the different aspects of civics. In particular, themes related to solidarity, democracy and civic empowerment and their relevance were seen as a prerequisite for successful participation in society. Themes that are less prominent in the lives of adolescents or less important for understanding other civic topics were seen as relatively less important. Moreover, although equal civic knowledge for all students was considered desirable in principle, the stakeholder groups differentiated between groups of students in terms of interests, educational track and their expected future role in society. Social inequality between students was not problematised. This calls for further research into desired levels of civic knowledge for different educational groups.

摘要

本文采用混合方法，调查了当前社会对哪些公民知识对离开中学教育的学生很重要的看法。我们将来自具有代表性的国家样本的问卷数据与来自具有不同社会角色的几个利益相关者焦点小组的多案例研究数据相结合。结果表明，社会对公民知识对学生的重要性达成广泛共识，这与常用标准化测量工具中使用的公民知识概念化一致。数据还显示了对公民不同方面的不同评价。特别是与团结、民主和公民赋权相关的主题及其相关性被视为成功参与社会的先决条件。在青少年生活中不太突出或对理解其他公民主题不太重要的主题被认为相对不太重要。此外，虽然原则上认为所有学生享有平等的公民知识是可取的，但利益相关者群体在兴趣、教育轨道和他们预期的未来社会角色方面对学生群体进行了区分。学生之间的社会不平等没有问题。这需要进一步研究不同教育群体所需的公民知识水平。教育轨道及其在社会中的预期未来角色。学生之间的社会不平等没有问题。这需要进一步研究不同教育群体所需的公民知识水平。教育轨道及其在社会中的预期未来角色。学生之间的社会不平等没有问题。这需要进一步研究不同教育群体所需的公民知识水平。