Syllabus
Course title
Active Citizenship
Author/
Instructor
Tamar Shinjiashvili, Rusudan Pipia
Course status/
level
Graduate/ Undergraduate
compulsory / optional
Course code
Teaching
Autumn, 2013
Semester
Information
Tamar Shinjiashvili – Associated Professor at SSU
about the
Rusudan Pipia – Associated Professor at SSU
instructor of the
course
ECTS
We live in an interconnected and interdependent world in which our lives are shaped by events that take place around us.
The social, economic, political, and physical aspects of our lives are shaped by multicultural environment. In order to help
students to understand the environment in which they live, schools must teach about the interconnectedness of the culturally
diverse ethnic groups living together.
An educator needs to foster in students a sense of belonging to multicultural environment and aims to build a culture of
Rationale of the peace and social justice through the promotion of values, attitudes, and behaviours which enable the realization of democratic
course
ideals, development and human rights for all. An educator needs to uphold basic democratic principles such as tolerance and
civic responsibility.
Active citizenship helps to prepare students for living in a multicultural society. An educator provides students with the
knowledge, skills, and opportunities to exercise their democratic rights and responsibilities in order to act to make their living
community a better place. In short, this means educating students to promote peaceful conflict resolution, respect for human
rights, and responsible stewardship of the environment.
Students must come to understand how their actions affect the lives of people around them and how they can change
people’s lives, for better or worse. They are obliged to respect people with diverse beliefs and experiences.
Forming of democratic civil society requires a free, independent person's upbringing, which will be competitive and
successful in rapidly variable world. Teaching the values for active citizenship in school can help students become productive
members of their communities.
D
The course “Active Citizenship” aims to help every student”:
Course
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Be aware of one’s self and his familiar environment.
Acquire knowledge and skills in order to actively participate in social, economic and political process.
Develop skills necessary for active citizenship.
Demonstrate necessity of active citizenship and positive results.
Assess critically social and political issues.
Be aware of one’s rights and obligations to society.
Foster moral and social values.
How children can contribute to society.
Learn how to analyze and think critically about multicultural issues and responsibilities towards our ethnic minorities.
Be able to identify and develop the necessary skills and competences which will help them to “participate in an
effective and constructive way in social and working life in an increasingly diverse society”.
11. Able to correctly understand how to identify problems in specific ethnic groups.
12. Discuss about the ways of conflict resolution and problem solving strategies in multicultural society.
13. Think about the problems of ethnic minorities and the need for their integration into society.
The course also aims
creating and obtaining a relation between teachers and pupils based on dialogue, which can contribute to intercultural
education. The several perspectives of education and life at school of pupils and teachers will be taken as the starting point to
to appreciate the value of others and other cultures; particular focus will be put on the diversity and the complementarity of
cultures and values through open and enriching dialogue.
Pre-requisites
for attending
Does not require a pre-condition
Field Competences:
Studenst will:
Learning
outcomes /
sectoral and
general
competencies
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Acquire knowledge in order to actively participate in social, economic and political process.
Demonstrate necessity of active citizenship and positive results in multicultural environment.
Assess critically social and political issues.
Be aware of one’s rights and obligations to society.
Have interest and involvement in public affairs.
Learn how children can contribute to society.
understand the connections between him/herself and representatives of other nationalities.
understand that they are connected socially, culturally, politically, economically.
be aware of the issues such as human rights, peace, development, and democracy.
respect and values diversity.
desire to take action in the interests of others.
understand her/his rights and responsibilities as a citizen.
take responsibility for important issues and acts to make the country a better place.
make a positive contribution to society.
-
Learn how to analyze and think critically about multicultural issues and responsibilities towards our ethnic minorities.
Be able to identify and develop the necessary skills and competences which will help them to participate in an effective
and constructive way in social and working life in an increasingly diverse society.
Able to correctly understand how to identify problems in specific ethnic groups.
Discuss about the ways of conflict resolution and problem solving strategies in multicultural society.
Think about the problems of ethnic minorities and the need for their integration into society.
-
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Have understanding of human cultures so that they can respect people with diverse beliefs and experiences.
Treat others with consideration and regard; respect another person's point of view.
Be accountable for one's own actions, resolve differences in constructive, non-violent and peaceful ways;
contribute to society and to civic life; take care of the environment.
can apply decision-making to real-life school situations
can identify and name majority and minority opinions
can explain rights and duties in a concrete situation
can consider different interests at short notice and in the long run
make efforts to respect the interests, viewpoints and arguments of others
make efforts to approach proposals or arguments in a differentiated way.
feel encouraged to take up responsibility and to participate to different kinds of initiatives inside and outside school.
General Competencies
Students will be able to develop/advance skills of:
- individual and group work, classifying and analyzing information;
- independent work;
- presentation;
- discussion, argumentation, active listening and critical evaluation;
- multifold, non-stereotype, critical thinking and listening;
- peaceful and effective communication/working in a diverse environment;
- maintaining and supporting positive and safe environment.
Teaching and
studying
methods
Assessment
Criteria for
evaluation of
student's
knowledge
Evaluation
methods
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Discussion / Debate
Collaborative work
Heuristic method
Brainstorming
Induction, deduction, analysis and synthesis.
Teaching oriented on action.
Learning oriented on Action
As per each university requirements
- Discussion about the importance of effective and positive communication;
- Description of factors influencing effective and positive communication;
- Using the skills of effective communication in real life situations.
Participation in classroom activities/discussions, self and peer-evaluation, communication skills demonstrated in interactions,
record keeping
Week №
The main topics of the course
Form of classes and
contact time (hour)
Activities & Exercises
Topic
Lecture,
brainstorming
Group discussion
1.
Objectives of active citizenship.
Definition of citizenship.
Types of Citizenship: Political citizenship,
Cultural citizenship, Intercultural
citizenship, Social citizenship, Ecological
citizenship, etc.
 Hold a discussion on what citizenship means -- including rights
and responsibilities of citizens of culturally diverse background.
 teach them how they can become active citizens. But firstly, ask
what they think being a ‘citizen’ means.
 Have them read, analyze and debate newspaper articles on
various topics concerning civic life.
 Ask the students to search for local citizens who generously
contribute to the good of the community. Thank or honor them
in some way.



Explain to students that they will identify problems that
sometimes occur outside the school. Using an interactive
whiteboard or a data projector.
Ask students to make a list of problems that sometimes
occur outside their own school. Students can share their list
of problems with a partner and then share the problems
with a small group to make a combined list. As a class,
categorise the problems under major headings; share
possible solutions to problems.
Ask for volunteers. Discuss the importance of volunteering.
Group discussion,
collaborative work
2.

Civic participation in social and cultural life.
Equality and cultural diversity

Develop Activities that foster citizenship in
children


Have the children write a poem, story, play or song about
citizenship. Have them perform their creation for others.
Read or have the students read stories about extraordinary
representatives of ethnic minorities and then act out the stories.
Visit historical museums, monuments, and/or national parks.
Encourage students to participate in community service projects
such as recycling, picking up litter, and volunteering for other
worthwhile projects.
 Involve them in making classroom rules, which promote
inter- cultural-ethnic understandings in the classroom.
Discuss why rules are important and have them define the
consequences if they are broken.
- Students must name a vulnerable and minority groups and their
problems of neighborhood, community, or school.
- Hold discussion about how to solve the problem and how to
participate in Community affairs;
- discuss about conflict resolution and problem solving strategies
ways.
Students should be able to understand that the best way of
solving the problem is an agreement between the parties.
With involvement of different activities students should think
about the problems of minorities and the necessity for their
integration into society. Students should realize how important is
the citizen’s involvement in public life.
Compulsory literature
1. Active Citizenship, manual, Tbilisi, 2005, in Georgian language
2. Transition period into democracy an active citizenship, Tbilisi, 2007. Prepared and published with the financial
support of the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association.
3. Natia Giorgadze, School civic club guide. Guide for Civic Initiatives, 2011.
4.Civic Education. Methodological guide for teachers. Tbilisi. 2010.
5. Nino Beselia, Nino Bokeria, Maka kordzadze, How to become an active citizen. Teacher’s Book. 2011.
6. ACT! (Active Citizens Today): Global Citizenship for Local Schools/ www.tvdsb.on.ca/act/KIT_PDF_files/BIntroduction.pdf
7. Manual to promote EUROPEAN ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP, European Association of Teachers, Programme SOCRATES n°
2001-0928/001-001 SO2 81COMP
8. Véronique Jochum, Belinda Pratten and Karl Wilding.Civil renewal and active citizenship - a guide to the debate.
3. Active learning and interactive, user-oriented teaching methods for active Citizenship,/
Teacher_Module_3_Active_learning_and_interactive_user-oriented_teaching_methods_Prototype
Supporting Literature
1. Civics and Citizenship: where to find advice for Teaching
///Civics_and_Citizenship_Education_Advice_for_teaching_web_pdf
2. Mimi Urbanc, Jerneja Fridl,EDUCATION FOR ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP IN SPATIAL-PLANNING PROCESSES: FROM
TEACHER TO STUDENT, Ljubljana, Geografski vestnik 84-1, 2012, 227–235
3. Alexandra Couloubaritsis, Active citizenship education and sustainable development / SECOND SOUTH- EUROPEAN
AND MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE ON CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY AND CULTURE:THE CHALLENGE FOR EDUCATION
4. Oxfam (2006) Education for Global Citizenship: A Guide for Schools. Available at
http://www.globaldimension.org.uk/docs/gcguide06.pdf
Academic Honesty / plagiarism:
Writing or other academic work, which will be passed by the student, must be the result of his own thought, research or self-expression. If issue
of plagiarism is not clear for you, please consult with me before handing the work.
Good Luck!