ABOUT OUR COURTS: WHAT IS 21ST CENTURY CIVICS?

Civics education is the study of government, politics, and citizenship, with the goal of informed participation. Our Courts believes that meeting this goal requires updated civics curricula and instructional techniques for 21st Century students.

“21st Century learning” has become a buzzword that often lacks defined content. Who are 21st Century students and how does their learning style differ from any other generation? We believe that these students: prefer non-linear discovery over linear presentation of issues; often gather information quickly from multiple sources; benefit from problem-solving in a collaborative environment; learn best through case-studies; seek immediate feedback; and have an appetite for challenges and competition in learning.

Through engagement in real and hypothetical civics problems, 21st Century Civics asks students not just to learn about civics but to learn by doing civics. To this end, the Our Courts project seeks to:

• excite students through competition and self-directed learning;
• engage students in critical thinking, problem solving, respectful debate, and context-based learning;
• blend civics education and civics participation by asking students to be life-long civics learners and civics participants.