Same words, different ideas: Why educators need to make explicit implicit notions of civic engagement

At the same time when civic engagement is gaining increased recognition as a key learning competency within many colleges and universities, numerous studies suggest declines in student involvement in communities and political affairs. These differences may be due, in part, to different understandings among students and scholars with regard to the goals and activities that comprise civic engagement. This review of pedagogical design uses two case studies to examine the importance of making implicit notions of civic engagement explicit in classroom discussions. The authors build upon Battistoni’s finding that distinct conceptual frameworks of civic engagement exist across academic disciplines and offer recommendations on how to apply Battistoni’s conceptual models to clarify pedagogical designs and communication with students.