A Research-Practice Partnership for Civic Education, with Kei Kawashima-Ginsburg (Tufts & CIRCLE) and Mary Ellen Daneels (Illinois Civics Hub)

How can state laws improve civic education, and how can research-practice partnerships support the enactment of these state laws?  This episode explores how an ambitious Illinois civic education law, passed in 2015, is being enacted with the help of a research-practice partnership.  I speak with Kei Kawashima-Ginsburg and Mary Ellen Daneels, who are leading this partnership, which has helped tens of thousands of educators strengthen their civics-oriented teaching. Kei is the Director of CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, and Mary Ellen is the Director of the Illinois Civics Hub and the Illinois Democracy Schools Network. In our conversation, we discuss how their work is helping teachers enact best practices in civic education, including service learning, simulations, and discussions of controversial issues.

Episode Resources

Illinois Civics Hub

Online Civic Ed Professional Development

CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement)

Research-Practice Partnership Network


ESD Podcast Resources

Brett Levy's Open-Access Research Articles (Free Downloads)

Education for Sustainable Democracy Facebook Page (Please Like!)

YouTube Channel for Education for Sustainable Democracy (Please Subscribe!)

Brett Levy's Twitter Page: Handle @brettlmlevy

Education for Sustainable Democracy Homepage


Related Episodes of ESD

Building a Movement for Civic Education, with Michael Rebell (Teachers College, Columbia University)

The Civically Engaged Districts Project, with Beth Rubin (Rutgers) and NJ District Administrators (New Brunswick Public Schools)

Youth Exploring Public Issues & Taking Action, with Jill Bass (Mikva Challenge)

Students Addressing Public Issues through Action Civics, with Scott Warren (Generation Citizen)