The evolution of teachers' concerns and pedagogy while implementing a new innovation to increase civic proficiency in high school social studies courses
Educating students about their civic duties and fully preparing them to execute these responsibilities as engaged citizens upon leaving high school has been an increasing struggle throughout the world, including the United States. School leaders and educators have been pressed with implementing pedagogy that effectively increases civic proficiency and participation. Thus, some schools, such as Health Sciences High and Middle College (HSHMC) in San Diego, California, have opted to address the issue of civic disengagement through adopting an initiative in the social studies department to increase students’ civic proficiency. Four research questions, leveraging the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, guided this study. Through a full analysis of how three teachers’ concerns and pedagogy changed during the first year of an innovation adoption to increase civic proficiency, the findings include a heightened relative intensity of concerns about collaboration. With regards to increasing civic proficiency, specific practices of each of the teachers changed for the better. Because each of the teachers shared additional changes which were planned for the following year, recommendations include examining further pedagogical changes implemented in subsequent years as well as the long-term impact of similar department innovations.
