Citizenship Education in Secondary School: Between Teachers Representations and Student Voices

This contribution illustrates a case study carried out at the IC Gobetti of Trezzano S/N (Milan) on the topic of citizenship education aims at enhance teacher professional development; the research investigate the representations and the teaching practices, through the voice of teachers and students, in relation to Citizenship and citizenship education social constructs. A mixed-method approach was chosen consistent with the need, on the one hand, to involve the entire educational team, and on the other hand, to make a qualitative in-depth geared towards understanding teaching/learning processes. A questionnaire survey for teacher and two focus groups with students of low secondary classes were conducted. Analysis of the questionnaires shows that the most frequently used terms (‘right’, ‘respect’ and ‘duty’) refer to an idea of citizenship ‘stricto sensu’ of a mainly political-legal nature. In defining citizenship education, the term ‘respect’ is the most recurrent, however, it presents a multiplicity of meaning, that refer to ethical and value dimensions and, in the case of respect for others and differences, to a cosmopolitan approach. The focus groups with students evidences engagement with socially vivid matters. The transcripts analysis identifies significant evidence: the connection between the local and global experiential dimensions and the shift from recognizing problems to proposing solutions, an attitude characteristic of an active citizenship and emblematic of the construction of an awareness of political dimensions. The comparison between teachers and student voices will provide input for evaluating, reflecting on and rethinking teacher practices.