OVp152 Civics in English

Faculty of Education
autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Taught partially online.
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Lukáš Siegel (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Slavomír Lesňák, PhD.
Department of Civics – Faculty of Education
Supplier department: Department of Civics – Faculty of Education
Prerequisites
English language, (Lessons will be on the following days: October 14, November 11, November 25)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives (in Czech)
In civics class, we are going to analyze some of the chosen problems with education, work and social deprivations. These topics are crucial because they reflect the necessity to develop proper civics in educational systems throughout the world that reflects the current unsatisfactory practices (discrimination, prejudices and stigma). At the beginning of the course, we are going to analyze several books and articles that will enable us to establish a proper understanding of the civics and their purpose in our society and lives. We will start by reading by analyzing an introduction and chosen passages from the first chapter from the book Global Civics: Responsibilities and Rights in an Interdependent World by Hakan Altinay 2011. Then we will go through other books, texts and articles that are written in the literature. All the text will be available for the students to use during the course. During the course, students will have to prepare comments and notes that they have to present during classes. In the last part of the course, we are going to discuss particular aspects of inclusive education for students with specific needs. For this purpose, we will focus on two books Disability Studies and the Inclusive. Classroom: Critical Practices for Embracing Diversity in Education (2017) and Family, School, and Community Partnerships for Students with Disabilities (2019). We will focus on the practical problems of students with specific needs and how to create an environment that would enable them to be integrated into the educational process. In the civics course, the students will learn what civic education is and why it is significant for their lives and future. Civics helps people to understand their role as active citizens who are responsible for the shaping of society. It will also help students to understand their moral responsibility for the shaping of the world and how their decisions impact various spheres in society. In our text analysis, accompanied by practical examples - for instance, focus on students with specific needs, we will demonstrate some of the real situations where students can use their knowledge to influence society and improve the lives of others.
Learning outcomes
The course will focus on practical knowledge and how students should use some of the theoretical knowledge and apply it to reality. For instance, active citizenship is crucial in the modern world where every vote counts and where every citizen can influence the society around him. Civics can help students to decide how to understand politics and how society functions to make well-informed decisions. Also, students will learn that civics can help them in their chosen professions because many of the contemporary workplace problems are analyzed within the subject of civics (discrimination, sexual harassment, prejudices, and conflicts).
Syllabus
  • Introduction to Civics: Civics in the global world. 2. Civics and the multicultural society: the phenomenon of diversity and tolerance. 3. Democracy, responsibility and citizenship in the 21st century. 4. Human rights in the global world: the responsibility of civic education. 5. Civic education and the impact on the vulnerable groups: special focus on people with disabilities. 6. Civics as a recipe for educating active citizens: schools, education and values. 7. Final lecture: open debate on the topic of COVID-19 crisis and its impacts on the future shaping of the European Union citizenship.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Contemporary perspectives in philosophy : Contemporary perspectives in philosophy series (Variant.). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. info
  • LEŠKO, Vladimír. Philosophy of the history of philosophy : strong and weak models. vydanie: prvé. Košice: Univerzita Pavla Jozefa Šafárika v Košiciach. 407 stran. ISBN 9788070978726. 2011. info
  • TAYLOR, Charles. Philosophy in an age of pluralism : the philosophy of Charles Taylor in question. Edited by James Tully - Daniel M. Weinstock. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 273 s. ISBN 0521437423. 1994. info
Teaching methods
We are going to use text analysis and case studies. Firstly, we are going to establish the theoretical framework of what is civics, why it is important, and what abilities and skills can students learn. Secondly, we are going to use case studies and allow students to demonstrate gained knowledge to solve various social and political dilemmas. This approach will help students to understand how theoretical knowledge can be used in real-life situations and that civic education has an impact on our existence.
Assessment methods
Students have to send short reflections of the texts that we are going to read during the course. Each has to be two pages minimum – three pages maximum (most likely there will be three reflections overall). To pass the course, students are expected to actively participate in seminars and to send all given tasks by the end of the semester. Active participation means reacting to questions and comments (passive listening does not count). In case that student cannot participate in the class, he will be expected to send additional reflection/s
Language of instruction
English
Teacher's information
1. Global Civics: Responsibilities and Rights in an Interdependent World, Hakan Altinay, Brookings institution press, 2011. 2. Valuing Civics: Political Commitment and the New Citizenship Education in Australia, Cosmo Howard and Steve PattenSource, Canadian Journal of Education, Vol. 29, No. 2, Democracy and Education (2006). 3. Civics education and human rights, Megan Davis, Australian Journal of Human Rights, 9:1, 236-255 (2003). 4. Siegel-Stechler, K. Is civics enough? Highschool civics education and young adult voter turnout. The Journal of Social Studies Research (2018). 5. Family, School, and Community Partnerships for Students with Disabilities, Lusa Lo and Yaoying Xu (eds.), Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019. 6. Disability Studies and the Inclusive Classroom: Critical Practices for Embracing Diversity in Education (Second Edition), Susan Baglieri with Arthur Shapiro, Routledge (2017). 7. Civic and Uncivic Values in Macedonia: Value Transformation, Education, and Media. Edited by Sabrina P. Ramet, Ola Listhaug, and Albert Simkus, Palgrave Macmillan (2013). 8. Civic Pedagogies in Higher Education: Teaching for Democracy in Europe, Canada and the USA. Edited by Jason Laker, Concepción Naval, Kornelija Mrnjaus. Palgrave Macmillan (2014). 9. Diversity and Distrust: CIVIC EDUCATION IN A MULTICULTURAL DEMOCRACY. STEPHEN MACEDO. HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS (2000). 10. Basic information about civic education can be found at: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/civic-education/
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2018, Spring 2019, Autumn 2019, Spring 2020.
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