Citizenship Education and Community Engagement

Citizenship education is an idea based on normative aspects. It promotes those skills that allow people to become active, responsible citizens in a society that respects the rights and the involvement of its individuals and fundamental democratic values. Active Citizenship Education facilitates the knowledge and competencies necessary to involve people in societal discussions and decision-making processes in a democratic way. Community engagement is "a dynamic relational process that facilitates communication, interaction, involvement, and exchange between an organization and a community for a range of social and organizational outcomes".

Course Objective

The overall objectives of this course are to:

• Teach students the importance and role of active citizenship in promoting a productive, harmonious and developed society and a better world
• Educate students about the importance of concepts, skills and philosophy of community linkages in developing a sustainable society
• Inculcate the importance of community involvement for ensuring an improved, tolerant and generative society and world
• Provide an opportunity to the students to develop their relationship with the community

Learning Outcomes

The primary outcome is inclusive development through active citizenship locally and globally. Moreover, following are the detailed outcomes of the course based on the three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy i.e. Affective, Psychomotor and Cognitive. The students will be able to:

• Understand  the overall organization of the society
• Recognize and exercise their rights, responsibilities and the significance of active citizenship in positive societal development
• Identify and critically evaluate social issues and implement practicable community based solutions
• Understand the concept of human rights and its significance
• Appreciate diverse viewpoints and inter-cultural harmony
• Contents
• Orientation (Course outline, learning outcomes etc.)
• Introduction to Active Citizenship: Overview of the Ideas, Concepts, Philosophy and Skills
• Approaches and Methodology for Active Citizenship
• Identity, Cultural and Social Harmony
• Concept and Development of Identity
• Components of Cultural and Social Harmony
• Cultural and Religious Diversity (Understanding and affirmation of similarities and differences)
• Social Structure and Social Hierarchy (stake holders: decision makers, implementers and others)

  Recommended Readings

• John J. Macionis, Linda Marie Gerber, Sociology (New York: Pearson Education, 2010).
• Kerry J. Kennedy, Andreas Brunold (ed.), Regional Contexts and Citizenship Education in Asia and Europe (New York: Routledge Falmer, 2016).
• Paul Clarke, Jenny Wales, Learning Citizenship: Practical Teaching and Strategies for Secondary Schools (New York: Routledge Falmer, 2005).

• Practicum

  (list and number of practical/activities/project/field visits etc): on field social action project

  Assessment 

  In order to pass the course and gain a certificate students should therefore:

• Individually complete a self-assessment exercise after the group work, showing the reflective and personal development aspects of the programme and their appreciation of the course learning; (20 marks).
• Participate in the design and planning of a social action project and provide evidence of this in the form of a group presentation, to a panel of peers, tutors and a community representative for feedback before implementing the project in the community; (50 marks).
• Compile a group report on the project process to a standard format at the end of the project commenting on: project outcomes, individual contributions and group learning; (30 marks).