Defining and Measuring Responsible Citizenship in the U.S. and Argentina

The development of responsible citizens is central to the mission of public education in the U.S. and Argentina. Curiously, however, little research exists on how responsible citizenship is defined and measured in higher education settings. In this thesis, a mixed-methods research design was implemented to address these issues. In Study 1, responsible citizenship was operationally defined using a newly developed rubric consisting of 19 dimensions. After establishing the interrater reliability of the rubric, it was used to compare curriculum-based definitions of responsible citizenship in the U.S and Argentina. The Argentine document focused only on collectivist values while the U.S. document emphasized both collectivist and individualistic values. In Study 2, student-based definitions of responsible citizenship were examined using the rubric from Study 1. The results showed that Argentine students were significantly more likely than U.S. students to endorse several behavioral themes whereas U.S. students were significantly more likely to endorse several attitudinal themes. In Study 3, a survey measuring civic behaviors and civic attitudes was administered to Argentine (n = 68) and U.S. (n = 67) university students. The relationships between civic behaviors, civic attitudes, secondary civics education and campus climate were examined. Argentine students reported having participated in significantly more civic behaviors, yet there was no significant difference between groups with regard to civic attitudes. Aspects of campus climate significantly predicted civic behaviors and civic attitudes whereas aspects of civics education did not. Implications for how universities can better foster civic engagement are discussed. RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP IN THE U.S. AND ARGENTINA 3 Acknowledgements Conducting the research for this thesis could not have been completed without the generous effort and support of many people across the Americas! The past year and a half has not only been an immersion in an in-depth research project, but also a major endeavor in learning how to be understood in multiple cultures, multiple academic settings, and multiple languages. This multi-layered process has generated many connections and friendships for which I am eternally grateful. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Steven Stemler who patiently and meticulously guided me through countless analyses, gave me generous constructive feedback, and encouraged me to aim big (with cautions not to get too ambitious or overwhelmed! ). Working on this project and the HOT Schools evaluation project with Professor Stemler has added invaluable depth, rigor and realworld application to my Wesleyan education. Secondly, I turn to mentors in Buenos Aires. I would like to thank Profesora Dalia Szulik who guided me through the very beginning stages of my research project while studying abroad. Her astute guidance in social science research and her constant support through the ups and downs of data collection in a foreign place were instrumental in executing this project. Thank you to Sol Sañudo and the other team members at Sumando Argentina who gave me the immersive opportunity to see what secondary school is like in Buenos Aires and how civics education can be conducted in interactive and engaging ways. Additionally, I am so thankful for having had the opportunity to collaborate with peers at Wesleyan to realize this project. Thank you to Alanah and Mary for being my willing and ready coders. Your efforts, encouragement and feedback were invaluable! Thank you to Siri for being my cheerful sounding board a few carrels down from me. And, of course, a million thanks to my parents for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout this long journey and the many more to come. RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP IN THE U.S. AND ARGENTINA 4 Table of