Contrasting perspective on democracy?

Journal of Social Studies Research, Spring 2001 by Van Hover, Stephanie, Ross, Dorene D, Yeager, Elizabeth Anne

ABSTRACT

This study examines conceptions of democracy held by undergraduate college students majoring in elementary education, history, and political science. The study extends a study by Ross and Yeager (1999) that examined preservice elementary teacher education students' conceptions of democracy. Ross and Yeager (1999) found students expressed a procedural, process-oriented view of democracy that emphasized key political features of democratic governance. This study examines whether these views of democracy were unique to education students or whether they were reflected in other majors as well. The perspectives of Dewey (1916, 1927), Barber (1992, 1998), Parker (1996), and Goodman (1992) provide the analytical framework for the study. Interviews with eighteen undergraduate students revealed procedural, processoriented views of democracy and citizenship and interesting perspectives on diversity and equity across majors. Implications for teacher education are discussed

Theoretical Framework

The perspectives of Dewey (1916; 1927), Barber (1992;1998), Parker (1996a; 1996b; 1996c), and Goodman (1992) provide the analytical framework for this study of teachers' conceptions of democracy. Dewey (1927) argued that democracy is a word of many meanings, and that one of the meanings is distinctly political, denoting a mode of government, a way of selecting and regulating officials. He emphasized the importance of extending the meaning of democracy to include a conception of democracy as a way of life, as "a name for a life of free and enriching communion" (1927, p. 148). Dewey felt citizens should be involved in all aspects of community life, and should demonstrate practical judgment, deliberation skills, reflection, and a shared fund of civic knowledge. Dewey lamented the fact that Americans play a passive role in our society and view democracy as a holy, reified concept, as a political system requiring only minor changes. He argued that democracy extended beyond a form of government and is a mode of associated living, a journey, a creative constructive process involving continuous change.

Barber (1984, 1992, 1998) agrees with Dewey, labeling political democracy as "weak democracy" and democracy involving an educated citizenry as "strong democracy". Barber argues that our representative, liberal government "tends to instruct women and men in their rights and offers them tools for selecting and controlling the elites who govern them" (1998, p. 129) and uses a language of rights, interest, power, privacy, contract, and representation. In contrast, Barber contends that strong democracy instructs citizens in their obligations and rights, teaches them how to govern themselves, and uses a language of citizenship, community, fraternity, responsibility, obligation, and self realization and fair elections and universal suffrage, protection of the rule of law, constitutionalism, accountability of elected officials, extensive provisions for political and civic pluralism and for individual and group freedoms, constitutional checks and balances in the branches of government, and political equality under the law and through an independent judiciary. Although Diamond emphasizes these political and procedural aspects of democracy he, like Dewey, argued that democracy is developmental and has a continued capacity for reform.

Dewey (1916; 1927), Barber (1992;1998), Parker (1996a; 1996b; 1996c), and Goodman (1989, 1992) emphasize the vital role of schools in educating our citizens who embrace democracy as a way of being and living with others. Dewey (1916; 1927) argued schools should be democracy in microcosm, a place where pupils learn particular processes, values, and attitudes to live effectively as citizens in a democratic society. Barber (1984, 1992, 1998) contends that people are born without knowing how to be citizens and the role of education in a democracy is to teach people how to be citizens in a strong democracy. Parker (1996b) argues that many obstacles for democratic education exist: segregation, tracking and ability grouping, sexism, and a focus on the political aspects of democracy. Parker (1997) emphasizes the vital role the social studies teacher plays in teaching creative democratic citizenship which he defines as "people coming together to forge a future together, conjoining to identify and address the myriad problem of public life" (p. 221). Goodman (1989) argues that our schools teach children about individualism and competition, not democracy and community. Goodman asserts that the key to creating a more democratic society lies in democratic education of children (1989, p. 107).

Thus, from the perspective of Dewey (1916; 1927), Barber (1992;1998), Parker 1996a; 1996b; 1996c, 1997), and Goodman (1992), the education of citizens of democracy depends on teachers who possess sophisticated conceptions of democracy and who can communicate these ideas to students. Previous ethnographic research conducted with social studies teachers demonstrates the importance of the learning environment created by the teacher in socializing young people into the values of democratic citizenship (Lortie, 1975; McNeil, 1986; McPherson, 1972; Peshkin, 1978; Stake and Easley, 1978). A previous study by Ross and Yeager (1999) examined a fundamental question: What does democracy as a concept mean to teachers? They found that eighteen out of a sample of 29 elementary pre-service teacher education students expressed a procedural, process oriented view of democracy that emphasized many of Diamond's key political features without recognizing democracy as developmental or mentioning the importance of an active, involved citizenry. Very few students addressed the issue of respect for diversity and equity. Additionally, Ross and Yeager found no relationship between social science course work and the students! understanding of democracy. This raised the question of whether it was "possible that the understandings they acquired (or did not acquire) in K12 schooling shaped them in powerful ways so what they learned in college had little impact on their understandings. It is also possible that university courses perpetuated the misconception" (p. 265). This study extends Ross and Yeager's study by comparing a sample of elementary education majors with samples of history and political science majors. The middle school social studies education program at our large state university includes students from elementary education, history, and political science majors. We wanted to examine whether procedural, process-oriented views of democracy were unique to education students or whether they were reflected in other majors as well.