Improving civics education in K–12 schools

The challenge

The most recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed average student scores in civics declined for the first time in 2022, while related subjects such as history also fell. A 2023 Rand Corp. study highlighted a similar trend, noting that school districts over the past few decades have increasingly “sidelined students’ civic development as one of their central priorities.” Such reports have brought renewed attention to the importance of social studies and civics instruction.  With the proliferation and availability of misinformation, the need for highly trained instructors who can effectively integrate media literacy skills into subjects such as civics and history is becoming paramount. 

The approach

Project ACCLaIM: Advancing Civics Curriculum Learning through Instructional Microcredentials focuses on professional development for K–12 teachers in the areas of American history, civics and media literacy via a comprehensive microcredential program. A microcredential is defined by the National Education Association as a “short, competency-based recognition that allows an educator to demonstrate mastery in a particular area.”

Project outcomes include:

• Developing a civics, history and media literacy specialization, with nine, one-credit, online professional learning courses.
• Creating microcredential competency assessments for each course.
• Providing professional development opportunities to teachers.
• Developing an online mentorship program called the Professional Learning Network, which will ensure teachers can connect readily with ASU faculty to bolster support, share resources and foster collaboration beyond completion of the specialization.

The project will impact 175 teachers who complete the program and who teach approximately 21,875 students. Up to 300 additional teachers (100 per year) will complete at least one microcredential, with the potential reach to an additional 10,500 students. 

• Year 1 will concentrate on teachers from the Mesa Unified School District, which is the largest district in Arizona state with more than 64,000 students and 79 schools. The majority of students in the district are considered “underserved” by the U.S. Department of Education definition. 
• Year 2 will expand Project ACCLaIM throughout Arizona, targeting teachers from rural parts of the state and schools with large populations of underserved student populations. 
• Year 3 will expand Project ACCLaIM nationwide, again targeting teachers who work with underserved students.

Principal Investigators are Lauren Harris, an associate professor of history education with a joint appointment in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies and Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, and Leanna Archambault, professor of learning and design technology at MLFTC. 

The team also includes Lindsie Spengler, clinical assistant professor from MLFTC, who will serve as project manager; James Dupey, clinical assistant professor of history, who will offer his expertise in online history education; Tara Bartlett, senior research analyst for ASU’s Participatory Governance Initiative at the School of Public Affairs and co-director of the Arizona Civic Coalition, who will serve as a content expert for civics education; and Kristy Roschke and Celeste Sepessy, teaching professors of journalism and mass communication, who will supply their expertise on media literacy through the News Co/Lab, an initiative housed within the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications that partners with news and community organizations to assist in providing media literacy resources. Roschke serves as director of the News Co/Lab and Sepessy as program manager.

For more information on microcredentials and courses available through Project ACCLaIM, please contact lindsie.spengler@asu.edu