DIVERGENT PERSPECTIVES ON CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION - A Q-METHOD STUDY AND SURVEY OF SOCIAL-STUDIES TEACHERS

This study explored the views of contemporary social studies teachers on citizenship education. Q-technique was used to discern the principa l conceptions held by teachers in two small samples. Minnesota teacher s held three perspectives (cultural pluralism, communitarianism, and l egalism) and teachers nationally held four perspectives (critical thin king, legalism, cultural pluralism, and assimilationism). Analysis of a large national sample survey of social studies teachers allows us to ascertain the popularity of each perspective generally and the charac teristics of teachers who hold each perspective. Implications for citi zenship education in a multicultural society are discussed.