The political mindset of 14-year-olds: Results of the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016

The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016 (ICCS 2016) focuses on the extent to which young people are prepared in school for their role as citizens in democracies. In 2016, North Rhine-Westphalia was one of 24 school systems in Europe, Asia, and Latin America to participate in ICCS 2016. This is the first time since 1999 that internationally comparative findings on the state of civic and citizenship education are available for a German federal state.

The national report on ICCS 2016 addresses the following questions:
– How do students’ skills in analyzing political events compare internationally?
– What attitudes, identities, and intentions to participate are relevant to citizenship among 14-year-olds?
– What conditions are important for civic and citizenship education inside and outside of school?

The findings on these questions are discussed against the backdrop of previous research and theory formation and placed in an international context. The study offers students, educators, education system officials, and researchers an opportunity to reflect on their ideas about the political knowledge, identities, attitudes, willingness to participate, and future expectations of future citizens. By surveying the political mindsets of 14-year-olds in an international comparison, ICCS 2016 creates an empirical basis for the further development of civic and citizenship education in the participating countries.