This document discusses issues with youth policy and strategies to improve civic engagement among youth. It outlines problems with constantly changing policy that excludes youth input. This disengages youth from learning and limits their democratic experiences. A case study examines a community service class that increased student engagement, agency, and critical thinking through experiential learning methods like the Socratic method. The conclusion advocates embedding philosophy in schools to focus on democratic skills.

1. ECN720 YOUTH CULTURES
Youth Policy
& Active
Citizenship
PROBLEMS. IMPACTS. SOLUTIONS

2. Today's
Presentation
TOPICS TO COVER
· Problematic policy
· Impacts on youth
· Community service: a case study
· Strategies for improvement
· Conclusion

3. Who creates
Policy
And why does it matter?

4. Problems with
policy
CONSTANTLY
CHANGING
Policy makers directly
tied to party politics
FUTURIST
DESIGN
Initiatives are geared
toward future worth.
YOUTH
EXCLUSION
Youth are rarely
consulted.

5. Active
citizenship
and democratic education

6. Impact on youth
LEARNING AND DISPOSITIONS

7. '"Learning about democracy
and citizenship when I was at
school was a bit like reading
holiday brochures in prison."
Hannam 2000
as cited in White, Wyn & Robards 2017

8. How does futurist policy
impact youth learning?
DISENGAGED
WITH LEARNING
LACK OF
DEMOCRATIC
EXPERIENCE
LOW STUDENT
AGENCY &
SELF-EFFICACY

9. A case study
MY OBSERVATION
Disengaged students - behaving
disrespectfully in public - low interest or
knowledge of issues
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
VICTORIAN PUBLIC SCHOOL
Medium to low SES
COMMUNITY SERVICE CLASS
Year 10 Students taking the 'easy class'

10. Community
Service
Class
ENGAGEMENT
Genuine interest and
curiosity about topics
AGENCY
Have voice heard, and
affect their world
CRITICAL
THINKING
Considering issues
and solutions from
different perspectives
VISIBLE
IMPACT
Efforts contributes to
confidence in ability to
contribute to society

11. EVIDENCE-BASED
STRATEGIES
SOCRATIC METHODYPAR CO-DESIGNED
LEARNING

12. Socratic
Method
EXPERIENCING DEMOCRATIC DISCOURCE
CLASSROOM STRATEGY FOR

13. “Education is
the kindling
of a flame, not
the filling of
a vessel.”
SOCRATES -

14. SOCRATIC
METHOD
YOUTUBE VIDEO URL
Begin at 48:20
TEACH MEET
Social Media PD
Network
CRITICAL
THINKING
Tools for Democratic
participation

15. Conclusion
Challenge schools to embed philosophy into the
school structure.
FOCUS ON DEMOCRATIC SKILLS

16. References
Grace Jennings-Edquist 2019, 'Young people care deeply about politics (even if they can't get excited about the election) - ABC Life', ABC Life, 2019/04/05/.
Australia, ES 2005, Civics | Discovering Democracy Curriculum Resources (1998-2004), retrieved 8 May 2020,
<https://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/discovering_democracy_curriculum_resources,9067.html>.
Carl, NM, Kuriloff, P, Ravitch, SM & Reichert, M 2018, 'Democratizing schools for improvement through youth participatory action research', Journal of Ethical Educational Leadership, pp. 28-
43.
Giroux, H & McLaren, P 1986, 'Teacher education and the politics of engagement: The case for democratic schooling', Harvard Educational Review, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 213-39.
Grace Jennings-Edquist 2019, 'Young people care deeply about politics (even if they can't get excited about the election) - ABC Life', ABC Life, 2019/04/05/.
Haigh, Y, Murcia, K & Norris, L 2014, 'Citizenship, civic education and politics: the education policy context for young Australian citizens', Journal of Education Policy, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 598-
616.
REFERENCES

17. Laughland-Booy, J, Ghazarian, Z & Skrbis, Z 2020, Young Australians are engaged in political issues, but unsure how democracy works, The Conversation Media Group, 2020/05/07/,
<https://theconversation.com/young-australians-are-engaged-in-political-issues-but-unsure-how-democracy-works-84360>.
MCEETYA 2008, Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians, Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, Melbourne.
Mitra, DL & Gross, SJ 2009, 'Increasing student voice in high school reform: Building partnerships, improving outcomes', Educational Management Administration & Leadership, vol. 37, no. 4,
pp. 522-43.
Murphy, K 2019, 'Morrison responds to Greta Thunberg by warning children against 'needless' climate anxiety', the Guardian, 2019/09/24/.
OECD 2019, Future of Education and Skills for 2030, retrieved 19 January 2020, <https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/student-agency/>.
Reichert, F 2016, 'Learning for active citizenship: Are Australian youths Discovering Democracy at school?', Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 130-44.
Varnham, S, Booth, T & Evers, M 2011, 'Let's Ask the Kids!-Practising Citizenship and Democracy in Australian Schools', International Journal of Law and Education.
White, RD, Wyn, J & Robards, B 2017, 'Youth policy and active citizenship', in RD White, J Wyn & B Robards (eds), Youth and Society, 4th ed edn, OUPANZ, Melbourne, pp. 265-92.
References con't
canva.com
IMAGES

18. Is a Master of Applied
Learning and Teaching
student and Pre-service
Teacher through Deakin
University.
LEXI KEETON
About the presenter...
June 2020

19. Social Links
TWITTERWORDPRESS LINKEDIN