Characteristics And Its Influencing Factors Of The British Schools Of Civic Education Research

In 1990s, there arose the wave of citizenship education for cultivating responsible and qualified young generation around the world, facing the phenomenon that more citizens (especially young citizens) are indifferent and even antipathic to politics, and actions against the society are increasing. Citizenship education is included as a statutory subject of the national curriculum in UK's primary and secondary schools in 2000 conforming with this trend. This thesis looked back upon the history and studied the present conditions of citizenship education in UK's primary and secondary schools; analyses those factors which influnced and influencing the formation of the characteristics (gradual and contradictory development) of citizenship education in UK; proposes some advice for the development of citizenship education in China. There are five parts in it:Part I Introduction. This part summarizes the reason why I choose this topic and the research aims, defines the three concepts of "citizenship", "citizenship education", "characteristic", and states the researching methods.Part II History of citizenship education in UK's primary and secondary schools. This part divides the history of citizenship education into three periods according to the changes of citizenship education's importance in UK's primary and secondary schools, and describes the condition of citizenship education in different periods.Part III Analysis of the factors which affected the formation of the characteristics of gradual development of citizenship education in UK's primary and secondary schools. Firstly this part points outthe characteristic of gradual development, and then analyses those social historical and cultural factors which affected it, including liberalism, democratization and the thought of the party in power.Part IV Analysis of the factors which affecting the formation of the characteristics of contradictory development of citizenship education in UK's primary and secondary schools. Firstly this part points out the characteristic of contradictory development, and then briefly analyses the social and cultural factors which affected its formation, such as aristocratic society and constitutional monarchy.Part V The ending. This part firstly summarizes the two conclusions drawn by this study and some problems in this thesis. Then proposes some advice for the development of citizenship education in China, by using UK's experience and lessons for reference.