Three levels of educational influence for civic learning in the university: formal, informal, and non-formal¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 4 claims (4 for) · 2 studies (1 associational, 1 theoretical), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article proposes that universities can foster civic competence through three levels of action: formal (subjects and curricular themes), informal (mentoring, role models, service-learning, student associations, volunteering), and non-formal (student representation and participation structures). The authors state that "where citizenship education is most effective is in the non-formal and informal areas and this is where the most valuable, experiential, and long-lasting learning has been achieved". The framework organizes their recommendations for leaders and professors.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Recognition of the informal dimension in the university's statement of core values; specific training of management teams and professors involved

Constraints¶

• Traditional means of student participation in Spain have been shown to be an inefficient mechanism to promote greater civic commitment from students

Target Learners¶

• university students
• university leaders
• professors

Target Learning Objectives¶

• civic and citizenship competence

Claims¶

• A specific civic education subject provides valuable knowledge but is insufficient on its own to develop civic competence [+M]
• Service-learning within integrated projects is associated with improvements in students' self-efficacy, self-esteem, social responsibility, and community participation [+M]
• Traditional student participation mechanisms in Spain have been shown to be inefficient for promoting civic commitment [+M]
• Service-learning students with a SLAM peer mentor scored higher on posttest civic action than non-mentored students, in a non-randomised comparison [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Integrated Learning (IL): a philosophy linking subject contents to real-world issues to promote civic competence transversally
• Three-component framework of global citizenship: social responsibility, global competence, and global civic engagement

Examples¶

• Recommendations for university leaders, professors, staff, and students to foster civic learning across the three levels
• Methodological orientations and strategies for professors to promote integrated learning of civic competence
• Promote civic competence at the formal level through a character education approach grounded in virtue development
• Teachers foster citizenship through everyday practices: modeling, feedback, and social referencing

Key Sources¶

• Naval, C.; Villacís, J.L.; Ibarrola-García, S. (2022). The Transversality of Civic Learning as the Basis for Development in the University. Educ. Sci. 2022, 12, 240. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12040240