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Improving Political Education in the Schools

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2020

Mary A. Hopburn
Mary A. Hopburn*
Affiliation:
University of Georgia
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Extract

National surveys of the political knowledge and attitudes of young Americans conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress document broad deficiencies in political education in the schools (NAEP, 1973; 1976). Political science professors who teach introductory college courses can attest to these shortcomings in the political knowledge and skills of many incoming freshmen. The main response of the political science profession has been to attempt to improve the quality of the content of civics, government, or citizenship courses by developing improved curriculum materials. Two major federally-supported, APSA-sponsored curriculum projects in the 1970s produced quality textbooks for high schools and instructional guides for middle schools (See APSA, DEA News Supplement, Spring 1974; and DEA News Supplement, Winter 1976).

Type
Research Article
Information
News for Teachers of Political Science , Volume 29 , Spring 1981 , pp. 2 - 3
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1981

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References

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