This project, led by Lee Jerome (Associate Professor of Education, CERS), has been supported by the 5 Nations Network for Citizenship Education (supported by the Gordon Cook Foundation) and includes primary and secondary schools in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast. The researchers are collecting data from 10, 14, 16 and 18 year-olds to investigate the ways in which children’s conceptual understanding develops as they mature. Students complete tasks in lesson time that elicit their responses to case studies concerning each concept (rights and power). These responses are then analysed to identify the various ways in which the children are able to use these concepts. The model of conceptual progression developed sheds light on some of the ways in which children are able to engage with these core concepts and the results will be disseminated to teachers to help them plan for deeper conceptual learning.

The final project report can be downloaded here.