Ten IEA member countries participated in the civics education portion. Extensive regression analysis was conducted, with a fairly consistent finding that stress on rote learning and on patriotic ritual within the classroom tended to be negatively related to civics education outcomes, while the opportunity to express an opinion in class had a positive relationship. Since 1971, many changes have taken place in schools and political systems, which raise new issues and intensify concern for old ones. In addition, there have been advances in the social sciences, educational measurement, and the methodologies and models used by IEA that provide a background for a second study.
Many differences exist around the world in the content and process of civics education.
In societies undergoing rapid social and political change and democratization attempts are being made to prepare young people for a political and economic order that does not yet exist. Civics education differs from many other school subjects in the relative lack of consensus even within societies with long democratic traditions about the knowledge and attitude base, but even more in countries where individuals are wary of pleas for national unity and of courses with titles such as civics or political education. An international coordinating center will be designated through competitive bidding for Phase II to begin operations in mid-1996. Until then, Phase I and planning for Phase II will take place through ad hoc planning groups as part of a special project involving IEA headquarters. There is high interest in a civics education study in countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Asia, and in countries that belong to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.