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1
Project Citizen
A program of the
Center for Civic EducationPowerpoint adapted from Bill Wilson from James Madison Uni
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What is Project Citizen?
Education for democratic citizenship
Teaches students to monitor and influence public policy
Interdisciplinary instructional program for adolescents• Focuses on state and local government• Applies learning to real world issues• Uses cooperative learning• Serves as a model performance assessment
What are the Educational Outcomes of Project Citizen?
Civic Knowledge Civic Skills
• Intellectual• Participatory
Civic Dispositions• Democratic values
and principles• Reasoned
commitment
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What are the Advantages of Project Citizen?
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Students connect with real world problems and events
Students integrate a variety of related ideas and skills
Students use many disciplines Students relate assessment activities to instructional
activities Students cooperate with peers in group settings Students work with clear, attainable goals Students evaluate their own progress through self-
assessment Students benefit from the involvement of parents and
other community members
What Does the Project Citizen Program Achieve?
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The instructional program help students to learn how to monitor and influence public policy learn policy making processes develop concrete skills and the foundation
needed to become responsible participating citizens
develop effective, creative communication skills develop more positive self-images and
confidence in exercising their rights and responsibilities
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What is Public Policy?
Public policies are contained in laws, rules, regulations, decisions, and practices created by executive, legislative, and judicial branches
government bureaucracies regulatory agencies
other public decision-making bodies
What Criteria is Used to Select an Issue or Problem?
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1. Does government have the responsibility and authority to act on this issue/problem?
2. Can the issue/problem be addressed with a single policy?
3. Is it reasonable to believe that a policy can or should be written that will resolve the issue/ problem?
4. Is the issue/problem important to young people?Does it have a direct or indirect impact on them?
5. Will the class be able to find enough information to tackle the problem?
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What is the Sequence of Steps in Project Citizen?
As a class project, students work together to identify and study a problem in their community.
They propose a solution in the form of a public policy recommendation.
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What is the Sequence of Steps in Project Citizen?
They develop an action plan for getting their policy proposal adopted and implemented.
Students display their work in a portfolio and documentation binder and present it in a simulated public hearing.
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Project Citizen- Step IIdentifying Public Policy Problems
Students identify public policy problems in their communities by discussing
them with each other
interviewing family members and other adults
reading newspapers and other print sources
listening to news reports on radio and TV
Project Citizen - Step II
Selecting a problem for class studyStudents present and
discuss the problemsthey have identifiedand then select oneproblem for theirclass project
Problems in our community
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1. Drugs
2. Violence
3. Pollution
4.
Project Citizen - Step III Gathering Information on the Problem Selected
Students gather information on the chosen public policy problem from a variety of sources
Interviews and surveys, Printed sources Radio and television, Libraries, Internet Scholars and professors, Lawyers and judges Community
organizations and interest groups, Legislative offices Administrative offices
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Project Citizen - Step IV Developing a Class Portfolio
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Group 1 - Develops an explanation of the problem
Group 2 - Evaluates alternative policies Group 3 - Develops a proposed policyconsistent with constitutional principles Group 4 - Develops an action plan
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Portfolio and Documentation Binder
Explanation of the problem Evaluation of alternative policies Presentation of
proposed policy Presentation of
an action planthe
problem
alternative policies
documentation section
our classpolicy
our action plan
Project Citizen - Step V Presenting the Portfolio Public hearing before a panel of
evaluators chosen from the community
Presentations by each of the groups
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What are the Assessment Advantages of Presenting the Portfolio?
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Students connect with real world problems and events
Students integrate a variety of related ideas and skills
Students use many disciplines
Students relate assessment activities to instructional activities
What are the Assessment Advantages of Presenting the Portfolio?
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Students cooperate with peers in group settings
Students work with clear, attainable goals Students evaluate their own progress
through self-assessment
Students benefit from the involvement of parents and other community members
Step VI - Reflecting onthe Learning Experience
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Exercising the rights of citizens
Fulfilling the responsibilities of citizens
Learning the responsibilities of public officials
Learning the purposes of democratic government
Learning the organization & procedures of government
Learning the role of civil society
Acquiring Civic Knowledge
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Step VI -ReflectingDeveloping Civic Skills
Intellectual skills• Identify, describe, explain, evaluate a position, take a position
and defend a position Participatory skills Values
• Individual rights, Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, Diversity, Truth and Common good
Principles Popular sovereignty, Constitutional government, Rule of law,
Separation of powers, Checks and balances, Minority rights and Judicial review
Fostering traits of character• Individual responsibility, Open mindedness,
Negotiation and compromise and Patriotism
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Key Findings
Students believe they can make a difference in their communities
Students do make a difference in their communities
Students develop greater understanding of public policy
Students develop greater understanding of challenges facing policy makers
Students learn how their government works
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Key Findings
Students develop a commitment to active citizenship
Students become involved in their communities
Students learn about specific community problems
Students learn to work in groups
Students develop important research and communication skills
Reasons to Incorporate Project Citizen into the Classroom:A Teacher’s Prospective
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Free materials Easy read for low level readers Student activities:
Allows for active student involvement and student opinions/positions are emphasized,
Gives the teacher instant feedback on students’ understanding of content,
Offers students a variety of activities:interviews, surveys, recognition of community problems, use of internet, attendance at public meetings, etc.
Presentations by students, builds self- confidence, improves speaking skills, etc.
Reasons to Incorporate Project Citizen into the Classroom:A Teacher’s Prospective
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Student interest will be high because the students choose the project and they know they will make a public presentation on it (has a stake in the project).
Public policy emphasizing citizen involvement in the community is a Virginia SOL for Government.
Parents, principals and the School Board will support the program: illustrates school involvement and gets school recognition.
Versatile program; can be used: Throughout the year, April-May (when Seniors are losing interest in
school), After We the People competition.