Renewing Civic Capacity: Preparing College Students for Service and Citizenship. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report 8.

Overview & Synopsis

The history of higher education in America has a rich tradition of preparing students for civic roles and responsibilities, but with increased specialization, these goals have lost their emphasis in the curriculum. This monograph defines responsible citizenship in a democratic society and its requisite skills; reviews higher education's role in civic education; identifies ways colleges and universities can help develop the skills and requirements of citizenship and public life; and presents ways that campuses can create a new environment for learning about the civic life, through teaching, governance, extracurricular activities, campus life, and community relations. Six approaches to civic education are presented, including: (1) cultural traditions and classical education, (2) community and public service and experiential education, (3) studies of leadership, (4) general and liberal arts education, (5) civic or public leadership education, and (6) other education such as international studies and philanthropy. A list of 193 references is included. (JDD)