Deliberative Learning: An Evaluative Approach to Interactive Civic Education

Abstract

This study incorporates the perspective of deliberative democracy in proposing a framework for evaluating relationships between civic education and political development. Findings support a conception of deliberative learning as a process in which interactive curricula result in the diffusion of discursive inclinations to families and peer groups. These orientations, in turn, foster receptivity to future opportunities for learning through news attention and primary-group discussion. Data were derived from an evaluation of high school curricula taught in conjunction with the 2002 election. Participation in deliberative instruction predicted the following behaviors one year later: news attention, issue salience, political discussion with parents and friends, size of discussion network, willingness to disagree and to listen to opponents, and testing out opinions in conversation.

Keywords:

• Political Socialization
• Civic Education
• Deliberative Democracy
• Civic Learning
• Political Discussion

A previous version of this manuscript was presented in 2005 to the Instructional and Developmental Communication Division for the annual meeting of the International Communication Association.

A previous version of this manuscript was presented in 2005 to the Instructional and Developmental Communication Division for the annual meeting of the International Communication Association.

Acknowledgments

This paper is derived from research made possible with support from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement and from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Notes

A previous version of this manuscript was presented in 2005 to the Instructional and Developmental Communication Division for the annual meeting of the International Communication Association.

1. Four questions were used to measure political knowledge at T1: “Which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives?” “Which party controls the U.S. Senate?” “What is the party affiliation of Matt Salmon/Bill Owens/Jeb Bush?” (These were the Republican candidates for governor in Arizona, Colorado, and Florida.) “What is the party affiliation of Janet Napolitano/Rollie Heath/Bill McBride?” (These were the Democratic candidates for governor in Arizona, Colorado, and Florida.) Answers were coded 0 (incorrect), 1 (don't know), or 2 (correct). Alpha reliability was estimated at .60. Seven questions were used to create a measure of political knowledge at T2: “Which party do you consider more liberal?” “Which party is more in favor of tax cuts to help stimulate the economy?” “Which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives?” “Which party controls the U.S. Senate?” “What is the party affiliation of General Wesley Clark?” “What is the party affiliation of Richard Cheney?” “What is the party affiliation of Howard Dean?” Alpha reliability was estimated at .60.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael McDevitt

Michael McDevitt (Ph.D., 1998, Stanford University) is an Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Colorado at Boulder

Spiro Kiousis

Spiro Kiousis (Ph.D., 2000, University of Texas at Austin) is an Assistant Professor in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida