Democratic Knowledge Project

Resource Summary

The Democratic Knowledge Project (DKP) and Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) collaboratively created a full-year eighth grade civics curriculum, Civic Engagement in Our Democracy, to support civic agency in alignment with the new Massachusetts standards for history and social studies that emphasize civic education. The state standards are comprehensive, reflecting the consensus within the research community that civic
education must address civic dispositions and skills, as well as civic knowledge, to support deep civic learning (Levine & Kawashima-Ginsberg, 2007; ). For the promise of this more holistic approach to be realized, it is critical that assessments address each key element. A well-balanced assessment strategy will encourage and reward well-balanced pedagogy, giving educators the encouragement and validation they need to deliver on the promise of the new state standards.

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