This study engages in a critical literature review that offers insights into systemic and structural problems that immigrants face. Being forced, in many cases, to flee from their countries of origin, migrants face many challenges due to a lack of clear educational pathways, cultural integration and social lifts within the world's most advanced countries. For instance, migrants often experience labour-market resistance, as evidenced by consistent, stagnant rates of advancement into higher positions in their host countries and by their limited integration into communities and society. An additional problem is that segregation by country of origin matters significantly, as migrants face significant barriers to integrating into classrooms and educational systems that do not encourage building social connections and integration with nationals. In this regard, socialisation is identified as essential, as it can provide access to relevant job networks, innovative technologies, and host-country ‘know-how’, and boost proficiency in the host language. As a result, migrants receive less support than their native counterparts from the same class background and can be excluded from networks. As shown by the extant literature, xenophobia and prejudice against migrants and ethnic minorities vary considerably across European societies. Labelling non-nationals as competitors for scarce resources in labour markets leads to their unequal treatment and worsening already complicated situations. For migrants, these attitudes are expressed in unfavourable treatment by employers and institutions, leading to ethnic disparities across generations. The challenges associated with migration cannot be neglected, and appropriate policies and regulations are needed, within a context that acknowledges the importance of migrants in supporting economic development and progress. Therefore, educational systems that enable an understanding of labour mobility and the role of migrants can support the integration of migration into countries’ socio-economic systems. In addition, social policies that value reducing inequalities and supporting cultural integration can also aid in the creation of appropriate supports that minimise internal clashes. understanding, through a broader social dimension embedded in every society, can help overcome the negative connotations associated with migrants and contribute to building more equal and balanced relationships between migrants and their host countries.
This article elaborates on findings made in a special issue collection of research in Citizenship, Social and Economics Education , in terms of how History curricula in different countries frame the development of democratic and historical consciousness. Collectively, these contributions provided analyses across nine countries. The function of this present contribution is to weave together several threads introduced in this special issue and to foreshadow a potential trajectory for further research, guided by the inquiry question: What is the role of historical consciousness in facilitating democratic consciousness? First, an overview is provided of how historical consciousness influences the ways democracy is characterised and engaged with across the nine nations examined in the special issue. Second, the workings of a comparative methodology is explored that sketches out how protective, developmental, and disruptive types of democracy occur in various curriculum documents. It is followed by a discussion about the convergences and divergences between the curriculum texts, in terms of how forms of democracy are articulated in the curriculum. These considerations suggest how the History curriculum in each country influences how understandings of democratic consciousness are developed in tandem with moral and historical consciousness. The conclusion makes the case for how each country might cross-pollinate forms of democracy that are aligned with providing educational equity and producing active and informed citizens.
The improvement of learning quality in schools depends not only on subject-matter mastery but also on educators’ ability to integrate pedagogical competencies with interpersonal and professional skills during instruction. This study investigates how the integration of soft and hard skills, implemented by Economics Education student-teachers through the Kampus Mengajar (Teaching Campus) Program, influences the effectiveness and relevance of economics learning in partner schools. A mixed-methods design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed to capture both measurable learning outcomes and contextual teaching processes. Participants included university student-teachers, secondary school students, mentor teachers, school principals, and academic supervisors from schools in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, Indonesia. Data were collected through learning assessments, perception questionnaires, reflective interviews, classroom observations, and performance evaluations. The findings demonstrate that participation in field-based teaching experiences fostered substantial development of student-teachers’ interpersonal competencies, professional attitudes, and instructional skills. The integration of these competencies enabled student-teachers to deliver contextualized economics instruction that connected academic concepts with students’ everyday experiences, resulting in higher student engagement, improved conceptual understanding, and stronger perceived relevance of learning materials. Beyond technical teaching competence, the program also supported the emergence of more empathetic and socially responsive teaching practices. The study concludes that integrating soft and hard skills within experiential teacher education programs enhances pedagogical quality and promotes meaningful, contextually relevant economics learning. These findings highlight the importance of service-learning–based teacher preparation in developing adaptive and humanistic educators capable of responding to diverse educational contexts.
Financial literacy plays a critical role in making informed financial decisions and ensuring long-term financial well-being. However, the behavioural processes through which it develops, particularly social learning mechanisms among university students in emerging economies, remain unclear. This study examines the determinants of financial literacy among university students in northern India using Social Learning Theory to distinguish between observational learning, reinforcement, and social normative influences. Drawing on survey data from 363 students enrolled in public universities across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab, this study assessed financial knowledge, behaviour, attitudes, and numeracy skills. The results show that nearly two-thirds of students exhibit low levels of financial literacy, with systematic differences across gender, fields of study, work experience, and participation in money management courses. Female students displayed stronger financial behaviours and attitudes, and business and management students demonstrated greater financial knowledge. Parental guidance and peer interactions are more strongly associated with financial behaviours and attitudes than with knowledge, highlighting social reinforcement's importance. By empirically differentiating social learning mechanisms across financial literacy dimensions, this study highlights the persistence of the knowledge–behaviour gap and provides context-sensitive insights for designing experiential and socially embedded financial education initiatives in higher education.
This study investigates the conceptions of citizenship embedded in the K to 6 Social Studies Curriculum of the Philippines through a content analysis of Social Studies learning competencies ( n = 119). Employing Westheimer and Kahne's typology of personally responsible, participatory, and justice-oriented citizenship, the study reveals a developmental sequence in citizenship education: Kindergarten centers on character and obedience; Grades 1–3 foreground community participation; and Grades 4–6 emphasize systemic critique and critical analysis. Justice-oriented competencies constitute 56% of the total, followed by participatory (34%) and personally responsible (10%). These findings suggest that the curriculum aspires to scaffold democratic citizenship through developmental sequencing. The study refines existing Philippine literature by offering an empirically grounded map of civic intent within the intended curriculum. However, it cautions that curriculum design alone cannot ensure civic outcomes and recommends embedding all three citizenship orientations across grade levels, enhancing teacher preparation, and supporting implementation with practical and low-cost pedagogical tools. These hold implications for curriculum planners, teacher educators, and future research on the lived enactment of citizenship education in Philippine classrooms.
Social Studies (IPS) education in Indonesia is often dominated by textbook-centered instruction that fails to engage students or reflect their lived experiences. This study introduces ethnopedagogy as an innovative framework for revitalizing IPS by integrating local wisdom, with river tourism in Banjarmasin as a cultural theme. The study is significant in positioning Social Studies not only as knowledge transmission but also as a medium for cultural preservation, ethical reasoning, and civic responsibility. Its novelty lies in synthesizing literature to conceptualize a structured ethnopedagogical model emphasizing meaningful, value-based, active, and challenging learning. The study aims to develop strategies for embedding ethnopedagogy into junior high school IPS, guided by the hypothesis that culturally responsive pedagogy improves cognitive, ethical, and social outcomes. A structured literature review was conducted, analyzing peer-reviewed journals, academic books, curriculum documents, and research reports, with thematic synthesis applied to identify pedagogical dimensions. Findings indicate that ethnopedagogy enhances curriculum relevance by linking content to local contexts. Value-based and active learning dominated, fostering ethical reasoning, identity, collaboration, and motivation, while integrative learning across disciplines remained difficult. The study offers a scalable framework for policymakers, curriculum developers, and educators, highlighting ethnopedagogy as both a cultural preservation strategy and a pedagogical innovation.
The rapid diffusion of generative artificial intelligence in higher education is reshaping not only assessment practices but the epistemic and normative foundations of disciplinary knowledge. In economics education, where the distinction between positive analysis and normative judgment has long structured curricula, algorithmic systems risk amplifying theoretical monocultures, obscuring value assumptions, and privileging procedural fluency over critical reflection. This article argues that AI is not a neutral pedagogical tool but a sociotechnical infrastructure embedded in corporate power, data regimes, and the broader political economy of AI. The paper addresses three questions: How does algorithmic power reconfigure the moral architecture of economics education? Can AI strengthen rather than narrow pluralist inquiry? What institutional conditions are required for coherent and sustainable integration? Drawing on pluralist and heterodox economics, philosophy of economics, critical scholarship on the political economy of AI, and empirical research in economics education and assessment, the article develops a Moral-AI Pedagogy Framework embedding normative transparency, structured pluralism, critical AI literacy, and assessment reform centred on justificatory reasoning. Extending beyond classroom design, the analysis examines curriculum governance, faculty incentives, and digital procurement. When calculation accelerates, the cultivation of moral judgment becomes more, not less, essential.
In a time where democracy is threatened, and authoritarianism spreading into different sectors of society, we find there to be an urgent need to disentangle education about society from a narrow discourse of democracy. Departing from research on Finnish social studies textbooks, we argue in this conceptual article that hegemonic representations of democracy restrict citizenship education and hinder social and political imagination – and thereby learning about society – by naturalising a narrow view of democracy. Having studied textbooks from the perspective of the construction of agency as a democratic citizen, our aim in this article is to further discuss how the meanings given to the concept of democracy restrain education about society. We approach this topic through an examination of four interconnected nodes that embody the hegemonic way of talking about democracy: detaching the labour market sphere from the democratic sphere; seeing democracy as a constellation of particular institutions; the idea that passivity is the main threat to democracy, and portraying democracy as a Western value. We argue that this analysis has consequences for democracy education, encouraging teachers to allow for challenging common conceptions of democracy.
This study examines how simulation based learning in higher education can help students enhance their understanding of global risks amid rising political tensions and uncertainty. It presents a model for a simulation exercise on political discourses regarding nuclear weapons within the EU Parliament. Despite the legal limitations that existing EU parliament nuclear politics entail, the simulations aimed to raise students’ awareness of the existential risks associated with nuclear weapons and to help them understand the nuances, complexities, and evolving dynamics of EU political stances on nuclear deterrence. The final goal of the simulations was to enhance critical thinking while fostering peace values and global citizenship. To achieve this, research and learning components were combined to replicate EU parliamentary debates, engaging students in relevant discussions and encouraging debate on arms reduction and non-proliferation trends in a context marked by geopolitical tensions and rearmament rhetoric. Disarmament and non-proliferation education are highlighted as key tools for reducing the likelihood of global conflict, strengthening governability, reducing political friction, and supporting human development. The simulations were conducted twice, in March and April 2024, with undergraduate and graduate students at two universities in Barcelona, Spain. Findings from students’ speeches and post-simulation debriefings indicate that simulation-based learning is effective in addressing the multifaceted nature of political decision-making in nuclear politics and international risk management, contributing to the broader debate on political education and experiential learning for global security.
This systematic review examines pedagogical approaches in global youth financial education. Eligibility followed five criteria: population (youth in formal education), intervention (explicit pedagogical methods or teaching activities), design (empirical research or case studies), language (French/English), and source (peer-reviewed articles, proceedings, or reports). Data were sourced from Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC (last consulted in August 2025). Quality was assessed by two reviewers, with thematic synthesis presented in a summary table. Cohen's Kappa Coefficient (0.71) was applied to ensure inter-rater reliability. The selection process, illustrated in a PRISMA flowchart, yielded 44 studies. Each is characterized by author(s), year, country, population (kindergarten through university), sample size, program name, and intervention duration (15 min–3 years). Experiential learning appears to be the most common pedagogical approach. A key limitation is insufficient reporting of pedagogies, often requiring deduction from activity descriptions and limiting effectiveness analysis. This review calls for embedding metacognitive strategies and creative collaboration into financial education,and for future research to operationalize and assess creative competencies within specific pedagogical frameworks.
This study assesses the current citizenship education practices in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia. Questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and classroom observations were used to gather data from teachers and students. The data collected through qualitative data were organized based on themes whereas; descriptive statistics was employed to analyze the survey data. One-sample T-test was also applied to analyze the difference between hypothetical and observed means. Contrary, the activities which would create fertile condition for citizenship education implementation have not been accomplished. The findings revealed that teacher-centered methods have still perceived as the sole learning-teaching approaches and lecture delivery of teachers had not been supported by teaching materials. The conventional assessment methods are the major performance evaluation methods. The passive participation of the students in the instructional practices suggested that Freire's pedagogy of the oppressed seem to apply. It was noted that creating conducive environment for effective classroom instruction has gained little attention. Besides, development of teachers’ profession through continuous in-service training was overlooked. Our findings generally indicated that the goals of citizenship education could not be attained with existing curriculum practices. Therefore, interventions of education sector stakeholders are needed to practice citizenship education curriculum following learning-teaching principles.
Many school systems integrate the teaching of economic and civic issues in one subject. This raises the question, whether economic and civic literacy should be considered unified or distinct domains. This paper examines the relationship between these two domains using data from two large-scale assessments using the same representative sample of 2848 Grade 8 students in Germany: Economic Literacy – Assessing the Status Quo in Grade 8 and the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2022 . In these large-scale assessments, standardised tests measured economic and civic literacy and the respective self-efficacies. Exploratory factor analyses and structural equation modelling support a two-domain structure of economic and civic literacy observed in large-scale assessment data. The analysis reveals distinct results regarding the influence of literacy levels on self-efficacy in both civic and economic literacy. Moreover, the correlations between economic and civic literacy are specific to school types in the tracked school system in Germany. The analysis is based on a cross-sectional study, limiting the possibility for causal inferences. Despite its limitations, the study underscores the need for educational strategies that treat economic and civic education as distinct domains to enhance specific literacies and self-efficacy in both domains.
The aim of the theme issue is to provide analysis of intersections of historical and democratic consciousness expressed in official curriculum documents such as syllabuses that focus on history in eleven countries. Each of the nation states were selected for their diverse trajectories of democratic developments and political cultures. Drawing on comparative education, policy enactment, and critical discourse analysis the content in the official curriculum documents is approached as texts that are informed by historical ideas of the purposes of education that influence present and future orientations and actions. The articles in this theme issue address the following key questions: 1. How is the intersection between historical consciousness and democratic consciousness described in curriculum and/or syllabus documents regarding the history subject in the selected countries?; 2. What kind of consequences for history education do the descriptions in the curriculum and/or syllabus entail?; and 3. How are the democracy traditions of each selected country reflected in the official knowledge of the various curriculum documents?
This research investigates the incorporation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into civic education (CE) from the viewpoints of Turkish social studies teacher candidates. The relationship between national identity and global citizenship, in light of concerns like as globalization, migration, and environmental catastrophes, requires a redefining of CE. This research employs Q technique to investigate teacher candidates’ objectives and attitudes about the alignment of CE with SDGs, uncovering three diverse perspectives: National Identity, Kemalism, and Ecological-Critical Citizenship. Results underscore the necessity for educational reforms that harmonize national and international frameworks, promote environmental consciousness, and improve teaching methodologies to tackle global issues. Integrating CE with SDGs is crucial for cultivating critical, inclusive, and globally competent educators, which is vital for enhancing Turkey's sustainable development efforts and encouraging global citizenship.
The article discusses the results of an empirical study that indicated commercial and social media use correlates with lower civic values and lower support for citizenship education fundamental to democratic citizenship. The research is based on original quantitative and qualitative research, conducted in 2024, that included 10 focus groups of 65 participants, and surveyed 2046 Australians, on their media habits, and civic attitudes. Our data revealed that those who use non-commercial media, such as public broadcasting (as opposed to commercial and social media) as their primary source of information are more likely to support teaching citizenship education in schools (41% to 32%) and are more committed to civic values. We argue for further commitment to citizenship education that would include the development of abilities to critically navigate news, as the main commercial platforms are structured in ways that are directly antithetical to civic values: they promote hyper-individualism and self-branding, engagement is privileged over accuracy; and the format is too short and fast for meaningful, civic deliberation.
Financial literacy is essential for preparing youth to navigate today's complex financial landscape, yet evidence from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains scarce. This study provides the first empirically grounded, mixed-methods benchmark of financial education in UAE schools, establishing a baseline against which future national initiatives can be evaluated. Quantitative data from a student survey (n = 139, Grades 6–12) yielded a mean financial literacy score of 9.2/18 with acceptable reliability (Cronbach's α > .70). A two-way ANOVA showed significant effects of grade and gender, with older students and males performing better. Qualitative insights from 120 teachers revealed key challenges, including limited curricular integration, resource constraints, and insufficient training. Only one-third of students reported receiving formal instruction, relying primarily on parents or self-directed learning. While the 2020 data reflect a unique historical snapshot shaped by COVID-19 and accelerated digital finance adoption, the triangulation of student and teacher perspectives provides a critical foundation for policy and practice, offering comparative value for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations undertaking similar reforms. The study concludes with recommendations for mandatory spiral curriculum integration, teacher professional development, and strategic public–private partnerships to strengthen financial capability among UAE youth.
This paper explores the influence of cultural hegemony on educational content by examining how global economic narratives are framed in textbooks from Singapore and South Africa. By comparing two distinct educational systems—Singapore's state-controlled, market-driven approach and South Africa's equity-focused, post-apartheid framework—this study investigates the extent to which textbooks perpetuate dominant economic ideologies such as neoliberalism and globalization. Using content analysis, the research identifies recurring themes, discourses, and omissions that shape students’ understanding of global economics. The findings underscore the role of educational materials in reinforcing or challenging socio-economic hierarchies, with implications for pedagogy, curriculum design, and global education reform.
An open classroom climate (OCC) is considered an effective tool for schools to fulfil their task of providing young people the necessary prerequisites to participate in the political life of their society. However, little is known about the factors that support or hinder the development of OCC. In particular, while comprehensive education in modern societies brings together students from diverse backgrounds and thus offers possibilities for cross-cutting discussions, diversity may increase the risk of unpleasant conflicts. We therefore examine the relationship between political value diversity among classmates and OCC among 15–16-year-old Finnish- and Swedish-speaking pupils in comprehensive education in Finland (N = 5220). We examine this connection both directly and indirectly through students’ sense of class community. In addition, we investigate the moderating effect of language minority status on these relationships. Utilising a generalised structural equation modelling framework, we find a direct and positive relationship between diversity in sociocultural political values and OCC. However, value diversity is negatively linked to class community, thereby creating an indirect and negative connection to OCC. In majority-language classrooms, the total effect of diversity in political values on OCC is positive. Conversely, in minority-language classrooms, greater diversity in political values yields a negative total effect.
This study investigates the convergence and divergence of democratic school culture and open classroom climate in mitigating the influence of students’ family backgrounds on their civic outcomes. Utilizing data from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016, the research first analyzes how students’ family backgrounds affect their civic aspirations and civic efficacy in Finland and South Korea, highlighting key similarities and differences between the two nations. This study also explores the impact of schooling on the relationship between students’ family backgrounds and their civic outcomes. I conceptualize schooling with a focus on school culture and classroom climate, as these factors provide relatively equitable access to learning opportunities for students, regardless of their voluntary participation. Ultimately, the results highlight the compensating role of schooling in mitigating students’ civic gap from their family background. This research offers implications on the intersectionality among students’ family, schooling and their development of civic outcomes as well as the roles of schooling in mitigating civic gaps in students’ civic outcomes.
This article describes a method to introduce authentic group projects in upper-level economics courses. Such projects allow students to reflect and solidify their learning of the key economics concepts developed in a course and to experience the benefits inherent to authentic assessment, such as increased autonomy and depth of learning and development of the abilities needed in the workplace. Also, authentic group projects demonstrate to students that economics is a highly practical social science. These projects invite students to act as representatives with the goal of convincing a government official that their chosen issue warrants government intervention. These term projects require students to follow a scaffolded process designed to separate the more objective from the more subjective steps, both of which are essential to the project's quality. Instructors can use such projects in many upper-level courses.
