Civic learning as the enabler for holistic education
A large body of research demonstrates the tangible benefits of civic learning. First and foremost, civic learning promotes civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions - research makes clear that students who received high-quality civic learning are more likely than their counterparts to understand public issues, view political engagement as a means of addressing communal challenges, and participate in civic activities.
Civic learning has similarly been shown to promote civic equality. Poor, minority, urban, or rural students who do receive high-quality civic learning perform considerably higher than their counterparts, demonstrating the possibility of civic learning to fulfill the ideal of civic equality. Research also demonstrates non-civic benefits of civic learning. Civic learning has been shown to instill young people with the “twenty-first century competencies” that employers value in the new economy. Schools that implement high-quality civic learning are more likely to have a better school climate and are more likely to have lower dropout rates.
Civic learning done right also helps teach children skills they need for the 21st century workplace, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, initiative and innovation.
