IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016 : Assessment Framework

Abstract

The purpose of the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) is to investigate the ways in which young people are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens in a range of countries in the second decade of the 21th century. ICCS 2016 is a continuation of this study, which was initiated in 2009. The first ICCS survey reported on student achievement using a test of conceptual knowledge and understandings of aspects of civics and citizenship. It also collected and analyzed data about student value beliefs, attitudes, behaviors and behavioral intentions relating to aspects of civics and citizenship. In recognition of the need for continuing research on civic and citizenship education and the widespread interest in the establishment of regular international assessments of civic and citizenship education, the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement) decided to undertake a second study cycle of ICCS with a data collection in 2016. The second ICCS survey is intended to respond to enduring and emerging challenges of educating young people in a world where contexts of democracy and civic participation continue to change. New developments of this kind include the increase in the use of social media by young people as a tool for civic engagement, the growing concerns about global threats and sustainable development, as well as spreading recognition about the role of schools in fostering peaceful ways of interaction between young people. Furthermore, civic competencies can also be viewed as an essential part of a broader skill set required in workplaces, and thus these competencies are not only of interest to political and community leaders, but are also valued by a growing number of employers (Gould, 2011). There is an increased recognition by leaders of the business community that technical skills are important, but that these skills are not sufficient for prospering in today’s global economy. Consequently, it is to be expected that employers in the 21st century will be seeking to hire and promote individuals with ample knowledge about significant changes in society, intercultural literacy, ethical judgment, humanitarian values, social responsibility, and civic engagement (OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development], 2015). ICCS 2016 will allow both the measurement of changes over seven years (from 2009 to 2016) and the assessment of additional aspects of civic and citizenship education, including those related to recent developments in a number of countries. The ICCS instruments include a large range of test and questionnaire material from the previous study, which permits the comparison of changes in civic knowledge, attitudes and engagement over time. In addition, new item material was developed to measure aspects that were not included in ICCS 2009. It is expected that future ICCS cycles will take a similar approach, where instruments include both old and new material to permit comparisons over time at national and international levels, as well as the measurement of additional cognitive or affective-behavioral aspects.