Chile



**The Teaching of Civics in Chile** flat = =

=Country Overview=

**Historical Background **

Rule by the Inca and native Mapuche people came to an end as Spain colonized the region during the 16th Century. Chile eventually won its independence in the early 19th Century and expanded its territory northward after defeating neighboring Peru and Bolivia. Democratically elected governments came to an end when a military coup brought General Augosto Pinochet to power. His dictatorship has been charged with the killing of over 3,000 dissidents during his 17-year rule. Pinochet’s rule came to an end as a democratically elected president took charge in 1990, whose sound policies has lead to decades of steady economic growth. The nation has also strengthened its commitment to representative government characterized by free and fair elections. Chile has emerged into a leading role in South America as one of the region’s most stable, democratic nations. Despite being one of Latin-America’s fastest growing economies, it must still address a lingering issue of its lop-sided wealth distribution amongst its population.

**Population ** Total: Approximately 16.9 Million (59th most in world) Life Expectancy: 77.7 (56th in world) Ethnic Groups: White and White-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche and other indigenous 0.6% Languages: Spanish (official), Mapundungun, German, English Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write): 95.7% Years of Schooling (Average, Primary to Education): 15 Education Expenditures: 4% of GDP (U.S. = 5.5%) GNI per Capita: US $9,420 (World Bank, 2009)

**Government ** Type: Republic <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Capital: Santiago <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Legal System: Civil Law System, Judicial Review of Legislature <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Suffrage: 18 years of Age, universal / compulsory <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Chief of State / Head of Government: President Sebastian PINERA Echenique

=Context=

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Civic education is a considered an integral part of the Chilean education system. It has recently expanded across grade levels and subject areas during a recent revamping and expansion of the educational system in general. In the past, civic education was relegated to the last years of schooling. However, recent reforms have incorporated citizenship education into the curriculum from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Although civic education is not taught as its own course until the high school level, the concepts of citizenship (knowledge, skills, values, etc.) have been incorporated into various subjects at the younger grade levels.

=Subject Content Standards=

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The National Commission on Citizenship Education (NCEE) was established in 2004 to develop a more comprehensive civic education curriculum that focused on particularly on youth participation. The Commission was made up of members from various backgrounds, including teachers, judges, students, union leaders, and human rights groups. The group has created a curriculum framework for the teaching of civic education that focuses on the idea of democratic citizenship, individual rights, and the democratic process. These are, however, recommendations and not specific content standards that all educators must incorporate into their curriculum. It is therefore difficult to say whether the NCCE framework has been implemented nation-wide its overall impact upon student learning.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Below is an example of a recommended framework for civic educators in Chile: (From Reimers, 2008) // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.1. Peaceful Living Together // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is peaceful coexistence? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is violence? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is peace? //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.2. Democratic Participation // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is democracy as a way of life? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are the characteristics of democratic governments? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is a State? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a Democratic State? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What freedoms are guaranteed in a democracy? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are economic freedoms? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are the risks for democracy of authoritarianism, populism, nepotism, monopoly of the press, corruption of justice, administrative corruption? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is freedom of speech? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is accountability? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is representation? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are the formal mechanisms of representation in a democracy? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is the purpose of free elections in a democracy? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is the rule of law? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Historical experience in the region with the consequences to individual freedoms and human rights under authoritarian rule. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are the differences between dictatorship and democracy? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">When did the last dictatorship in this country end? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Knowledge of the impact of organized crime in democratic and political institutions and <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">in individual rights. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Knowledge of indigenous people and culture <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Institutions of indigenous people <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Concept of Gender <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are stereotypes and prejudices?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Knowledge **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.3. Plurality and Diversity **

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.1. Peaceful Living Together // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards other Latin American Countries and to other countries and regions <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards the use of violent means to achieve peace <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitude towards regional economic integration <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Acceptance of regional governmental institutions and economic agreements (regional economic markets) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards shared responsibility with the State <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards different means to influence a government decision <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trust in other people <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trust in social organizations <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Solidarity with others, altruism and orientation to cooperate with others <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards consensus, disagreement, majority rule, respect to minority rights <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards actions to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards the tension of balancing justice and peace in societies that have experienced recent military-civilian conflicts. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.2. Democratic Participation // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards democratic forms of government <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards political activities <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards democratic institutions <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards social and political organizations <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards government accountability to citizens <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards voting <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards the use of force or violence to achieve individual or group objectives <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pluralism and Diversity <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Attitudes towards equality and diversity <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tolerance towards all people and their rights
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Attitudes and Beliefs **

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.1. Living Together in Peace // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to resolve interpersonal conflicts peacefully <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aggression experienced <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills for peaceful conflict resolution (interpersonally and group) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Assertiveness <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Communicative skills <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Perspective Taking <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to manage emotions <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Empathy //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.2. Democratic Participation // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to participate in group decisión making processes <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to communicate ideas to groups <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to recognize and communicate self-interests <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to influence and lead groups <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to represent others in groups <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Skills to advocate for the interests of others //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.3. Plurality and Diversity // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Confront discrimination and exclusión with democratic means…
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. Skills **

=Materials=

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although there is no readily available national civic education curriculum, there are organizations that provide them for teachers in Chile. Some curricular frameworks are available from groups such as those cited above (NCEE), while other are available from national and international <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> organizations that provide such materials. One such program is run by the Center for Civic Education called //Civitas//, which will be discussed in further detail below.

= = =Nature of the Curriculum=

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The overall nature of the education system in Chile is based upon the liberal model of civic education. The recent reforms have increase the focus upon preparing youth to become active and engaged citizens. Citizenship skills involving political debate, critical thinking, and others involving participation are at the core of the Chilean curriculum. The NCEE (referenced above) has pushed for reforms that emphasize “concepts of the liberal tradition, including state respect for individual rights, democratic processes, community self-government, and republicanism.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">There are also aspects of the curriculum that could fall under the republican model of civic education. For example, there is an emphasis upon the learning of a national history and social cohesion in society. There are also, however, aspects of the critical model, such as the analysis of social issues, economic inequalities, and human rights abuses.

=Main Issues and Challenges=

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">A 2004 Organization of the American States study highlighted some troubling findings in regards to Chilean students’ civic knowledge and skills. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">For instance, many students “failed to grasp some threats to democracy, such as corruption, nepotism, and control of the media.” This problem was traced to the curriculum, or lack thereof. The study also concluded that civic education must be part of the curriculum for younger students, not just those over the age of 14. Another disturbing finding was that, compared to other nations in the survey such as the United States, students displayed a distrust in national institutions compared to local organizations such as the church or school. In response to these issues, the NCEE was developed (see above) to revamp the civic education curriculum and develop more competent, skillful, and civically engaged youth.

=Miscellaneous=

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">**// Civitas / Project Citizen //** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">For several years, the Center for Civic Education (the program we studied during the Liberal Civic Education Unit) has been collaborating with educators in Chile through the Civitas program. An example of this collaboration was <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> between Connecticut’s CCLCE (now “Civics First) and Chile through the //Project Citizen// curriculum. Further description of the partnership can be found at the links below from both the American and Chilean perspective.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">[] [] [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">The partnership also worked on a collaborative wiki that can be found at the following link. [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">**// Professor Ibanez //** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">The information below has been provided by Professor Nolfa Ibanez from Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación in Chile. He has done extensive work in the field of civic education. His preffered form of communication is, naturally, in Spanish, so the information provided below is in that particular language. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Esto es lo que se publicó a fines de 2010, así que al parecer Chile no está mal en esta área. []

<span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">29 de junio de 2010 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">* Los resultados, dados a conocer por el Ministro Lavín, indican que esta es la mejor prueba que rinde nuestro país en estándares internacionales, situándose casi en el promedio internacional.** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> El ministro Joaquín Lavín presentó el informe de la ICCS 2009 acerca de Educación Cívica y Formación Ciudadana que ubicó a nuestro país como el mejor país latinoamericano de los que rindieron el test, y casi en el promedio internacional. Al respecto el titular de Educación comentó que “en términos internacionales estamos mejor en formación cívica que en matemáticas y lenguaje… En general a Chile le va mal en las evaluaciones internacionales, por eso es bueno destacar una en la que estamos prácticamente en el promedio internacional”. El estudio evaluó a estudiantes de 8º Básico con el objetivo de investigar las formas en que los jóvenes están preparados para asumir sus roles como ciudadanos en el siglo XXI en un conjunto de países. El secretario de Estado dijo que formación cívica es “clave para el ejercicio de los derechos democráticos y para el ejercicio de la ciudadanía por parte de los jóvenes, después en el futuro”, agregando además que “reclamamos que los jóvenes no se inscriben, que no participan, que no votan. Eso parte en los colegios y como Ministerio de Educación debemos fomentar las actitudes ciudadanas, el conocimiento cívico y la participación política en el futuro”. Chile fue parte de los 6 países latinoamericanos que participaron de la evaluación junto a Colombia, Paraguay, Guatemala, México y República Dominicana, obteniendo mejor resultados que todos ellos. Las principales conclusiones de este estudio son que las mujeres obtienen mejores resultados que los hombres, en la escala de conocimientos cívicos; los estudiantes chilenos obtienen resultados sobre el promedio internacional, en la escala de participación en la escuela y según la percepción de profesores y directores, los principales problemas sociales dentro de los establecimientos están relacionados con la violencia y el maltrato.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">De acuerdo al estudio internacional ICCS 2009:Chile muestra los mejores niveles en Educación Cívica y Formación Ciudadana de Latinoamérica **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">En el currículo nacional ya no existe Educación Cívica como tal. A partir de 5° año de educación básica (primaria) hay 4 horas semanales de Historia y Ciencias Sociales (como una sola asignatura), más 1 hora semanal de Orientación o Jefatura de curso. Estas serían las asignaturas donde se aprendería educación cívica <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">En la página web del Ministerio de Educación, en currículum nacional, puedes encontrar todos los programas, con el detalle de los contenidos [] =Resources=

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">BBC News Country Profile: Chile ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">)

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carrerras, Lucas. "Case Study: Civic Education in Chile" in National Model United Nations Background Guide 2009. National Collegiate Conference Asociation. p. 15. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">CIA World Factbook: Chile ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ci.html#] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Civics First: CT / Chile Partnership <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">([])

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Organization of American States//. Strengthening Democracy in the Americans through Civic Education: An Empirical Analysis Highliting the Views of Students and Teachers.// Washington D.C., 2004. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reimers, Fernbando M. “Assessing Citizenship Skills in Latin America: The Development of a Regional Module as part of the International Civic and Citizenship Study. Harvard University. //Paper Prepared for the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association in New York, 2008.// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">*** Information and commentary on civic education in Chile was provided by Professor Nolfa Ibanez from Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación. (July 25th, 2011)