Civic Education vs Service Learning

Civic education is a complex process through which the members of our society come to understand and practice active citizenship. This process is affected by a person’s gender, family, and racial, ethnic, and economic background in addition to experiences with institutions, government and, of course, the media.

Civic education is how people come to understand and act on their values and concerns for America, on an individual, community, state, regional, and national level. As the world becomes more accessible, civic engagement also can encompass global and international concerns about the practice of democracy and national interests.

Civic education represents the contribution of all these elements on an individual’s development and on one’s political identity, values, and behaviors toward democracy, citizenship, and being involved in civic matters.

NMCE believes schools, community organizations, adults, and youth, in particular, are involved in the life long process of learning for more active and responsible citizenship.

Service learning is a teaching approach in which students learn through engaged service in a place or area tied to study, reflection, and projects that demonstrate what was learned from a student’s perspective. The projects described in this web site often apply service learning as a cornerstone to their civic activities.

Service learning is not just community service. It is how “young people learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences…that meet actual community needs and are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community.” Alliance for Service-Learning in Education Reform, 1993

Civic Engagement embraces service learning as one of its primary teaching and learning methods and sees the practice of citizenship being enhanced and deepened through this instructional approach.