Adult Civic Education

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Adult Civic Education

Since democracy is the context and the condition for everything else that is valued—work, family life, religion, politics, recreation, and leisure—preserving its vitality and integrity must be a central objective of adult education. (Boggs 1991b, p. 54).

In a democratic society, adults are frequently confronted with situations and events that require them to make decisions, not only about their own lives as citizens but also about their role as a citizen in a larger community. The answers to dilemmas facing adults in today's world are not clear cut and require the ability to struggle with understanding ideas that are subtle and multifaceted, to engage in serious talk with others, and to take action (Colby et al. 2003; C. Seaquist 2003, p. 11). Since September 11, for example, individuals have had to decide what it means when the "government announces 'specific and credible' clues of a possible terrorist attack" within the United States (L. Seaquist 2003, p. 11). Should they cancel plans for a vacation? Should they stay home and cover their windows with plastic using duct tape? Should they carry on as usual? Furthermore, they also have had to decide if the information itself is credible since being able to interpret intelligence is now a part of being a citizen (ibid.). How can adult education support adults as they struggle with what it means to be a citizen in an increasingly complex world? This Brief examines the role of adult civic education in contemporary society and provides recommendations for its practice.

Adult Civic Education: What

Adult civic education, sometimes called adult education for democracy or citizenship education, has a number of purposes and helps individuals carry out both vertical (between the individual and the state) and horizontal (between individuals and groups and communities) aspects of citizenship (Keogh 2003). It involves not only learning about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship (e.g., voting), but also about how one participates in building a society by making informed decisions through dialogue, reflection, and deliberation (Boggs 1991a; Democracy and Peace 1999; Nash 1999). It moves beyond helping learners acquire information and knowledge to fostering the development of action designed to seek solutions to situations (Klaassen 2000). Equipped for the Future, a project of the National Institute for Literacy, for example, organizes content standards for the role of citizen/community member around four broad areas of responsibility as follows: "become and stay informed, form and express opinions and ideas, work together, and take action to strengthen communities" (http://novel.

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