America in Context. Establishing Participatory Behavior in Young Adults 12+

📒 Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2013 in the subject Politics - Didactics, Political Education, grade: 100%, Northwest University, language: English, abstract: Hemmings (2000) has defined educational praxis as a "process of synthesizing theory and practice in school contexts in a manner that improves the lives of students and their communities" (p. 68). This paper aims to contribute in the robust discussion of educational reform and its impact upon youth participation and civic engagement. I will discuss briefly the current trends in the political economy and the influence that business practices have had upon education by discussing the impacts of No Child Left Behind, the intense focus on scientific measurement, and the transactional approach of learning. I will show that current practices in educational measurement do not address the issue of civic engagement; present the best-practice solutions offered by several of education and social transformation theory's experts; and will illustrate adjustments that can be made to improve the lives of and empower students to be active and contributory within their local communities.