Choice Review

Although schools are responsible for teaching civics to emerging adult citizens, their efforts have been criticized for having little or no effect on students' political knowledge and attitudes. Political scientists Niemi (Univ. of Rochester) and Junn (Rutgers) questioned this "conventional wisdom," focussing research on what twelfth graders know about civics based on data from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Civics Assessment and on what factors contribute to how students acquire and retain this political knowledge. Civics curriculum, including instructional approaches, home environment, individual achievement, and demographics were identified as relevant variables and analyzed within the framework of their "exposure-selection model." The authors describe the relationship between the variables and the overall student knowledge of civics and conclude that the school and curriculum have positive impacts on the development of civic knowledge and political attitudes. These effects are statistically significant when compared to other strong factors such as home environment and individual achievement. To increase effective student learning outcomes, the authors recommend that educators incorporate aspects of real politics, emphasize local government, and speak more directly to the experiences of diverse student populations. Political scientists are encouraged to conduct research in school settings. Recommended for graduate students, faculty and researchers, and professionals. E. English; St. Bonaventure University