|
Young people from communities with strong religious/cultural identities have sometimes found it hard to engage with or be welcomed into an inclusive British citizenship (McGhee, 2005); some feel there is little sense of one national identity or of a citizenship which comfortably embraces Europe, and that an inclusive citizenship and more participatory democracy is needed (Ofsted, 2006).These concerns and anxiety about political engagement with the state have prompted changes in education policy; Concern about youth alienation from democratic processes has led, at least in part, to the introduction of citizenship education in schools. This has stemmed, in part, from angst about the low levels of voter participation by young citizens in the 18-24 age bracket, in particular. (MacFarlane, 2005).This move to promote a sense of British citizenship has had limited success. The intentions for citizenship education are contested and unclear; its delivery often makes little reference to significant local and national issues and in many schools provision is inadequate. Teachers find it problematic to teach; attainment is generally poor; and its curriculum is ambiguous, incoherent and unmanageable (Ofsted, 2006). There has been criticism that citizenship education is the worst taught subject in secondary schools (Independent, 2006) and it remains fragile in many (Chief Inspectors Report, 2008).The legacy of colonialism, the growth of a multicultural UK and the emergence of trans-national political structures have increased concerns about entitlement to and the nature of British citizenship. International tensions are increasingly reflected in local communities. Particular anxieties have been raised about the disengagement and marginalisation of groups such as Muslims (Osler & Starkey, 2003), heightened by economic globalisation, international terrorism and high-profile extremist events. Media reports can compound concerns, as with young Muslims' reported views on the desirability of Sharia law (Daily Mail, 2007), but fears of the radicalisation and disengagement of some minorities are not reflected in public opinion surveys (Gallup, 2009). There is a growing view that citizenship education needs to be more about empowerment and 'performativity' (Braidotti, 1994) and less about academic content, duties, government institutions, 'the rule of law' (Ofsted, 2006) or the coercion of social compliance seen elsewhere (Martin & Feng, 2006). This project allows young people to explore, develop and practice citizenship in a safe environment reflecting real-world contexts dealing with issues relevant to them in a pluralistic democracy through novel use of an immersive virtual technology they find appealing (Second Life). Evidence suggests that ICT can change long-held, deep-rooted views (Martin & Vallance, 2008) and that immersive environments can be effective in developing self-perception and identity (Bers, 2001).This research uses an imaginative, practical, engaging solution to develop and study citizenship identity. It will identify what motivates individuals to engage with citizenship education; promote more engagement with public and political life; encourage debate and understanding of the concerns and values of others; and promote greater social inclusion.Educational institutions will use the project's work to benefit teaching of citizenship, politics and general studies and increase young people's engagement with political concepts and issues. The research will promote social cohesion by promoting cultural understanding and more empathy for others and more engagement with democratic processes. It will contribute knowledge of how young people understand citizenship and how more engagement with citizenship education may be developed. Research in education, psychology, sociology and computing will benefit from learning how innovative technology can be used to study values, identity and citizenship.
|