Should We Be Testing Civics? Examining the Implications of the Civic Education Initiative

Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This article examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute, the Civic Education Initiative (CEI). Since the CEI was announced, 18 states have passed legislation that includes a civics test component embedded in the CEI. This conceptual article examines the CEI against research-based practices for teaching civics. It then introduces the policy design framework as a tool for analyzing civic policies like CEI. This political science theory recognizes that policies themselves send important signals that have implications for students’ civic development. We utilize the policy design framework to analyze CEI and, in particular, how CEI is likely to shape students’ civic and political engagement. We conclude with a proposal for future research on civic education using the policy design framework.     

Imagining what education can be post-COVID-19

PROSPECTS - This Viewpoint argues that the COVID-19 crisis offers a unique chance to imagine more equitable societies and education systems. It is also a call to action, to take meaningful action...     

An analysis of assignment completion and accuracy across time under fixed, variable, and extended token exchange periods in a classroom token economy

This research investigated the effects of employing fixed, variable, and extended token exchange periods for backups on the completion and quality of daily assignments of a total fifth- and sixth-grade class. The results indicated a higher percentage of assignments was completed when the number of days between point exchanges was variable, and that performance was maintained when the number of school days between point exchanges was gradually increased. The overall accuracy on assignments was high, but varying, and did not appear to be under the systematic control of the experimental procedures. Data for all pupils indicated that there were individual differences as to the effects of the various token (point) exchange procedures. Pupils with inconsistent assignment completion during Fixed Exchange Conditions (Fixed Period (FP-I, -II, -III) increased their assignment completion during the Variable Token Exchange Procedures (Variable Period (VP)-I, -II, -III). Thus, the variable sequencing of the number of days should be an important consideration in any effort to maintain the positive effects of token-reinforcement systems within classroom settings.     

Anticipatory contrast as a function of access time and spatial location

Intake of a 0.15% saccharin solution was suppressed when it was followed by a 32% sucrose solution in brief daily pairings. With equal access durations to the two solutions, intervals of intermediate duration (2 or 3 min) produced a larger contrast than more extreme intervals (1 or 10 min). There was no evidence of inhibition of delay with the 10-min interval (Experiments 1A and 1B). When access times were asymmetrical, longer access time to the first solution reduced contrast, whereas longer access time to the second solution enhanced contrast (Experiment 2). Contrast was greater when the two solutions were presented at consistent and separate spatial locations than when location was changed randomly or when both solutions were presented in sequence at the same location. However, a degree of contrast occurred in all conditions (Experiment 3). Experiment 4, conducted with the solutions in opposite arms of a T-maze, showed that anticipatory approach to the location correlated with the 32% sucrose solution developed prior to lick suppression on the saccharin solution. However, within daily sessions, there was a reliable increase in contrast without correlated changes in anticipatory-approach behavior. Access-time effects were attributed to altered reward values, whereas spatial-separation effects suggest that goal-directed responses contribute to, but do not cause, anticipatory contrast.     

The effects of Florida's university admission policies on black and white entering freshmen, 1975–76

This study examined differential enrollment, survival, progress, and academic success of both black and white first-time-in-college students according to three admission categories (unrestrictive, restrictive, and special) in predominantly white universities in the Florida State University System. Data were extracted from the Board of Regents' student data course files and analyzed. White students were enrolled almost exclusively in the traditional (unrestrictive) category, while black students were almost equally enrolled in all three categories. Although the overall survival rate of white students was higher than that of black students, within each admission category, the survival rate of black students was higher than that of white students.This paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, April 1980.