Institution Commitment to Civic Learning at George Mason University
Date
2014-10-21
Authors
McQuiston, Kathryn S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This thesis is a case study of George Mason University. This study examined the university commitment to civic learning and democratic engagement by conducting a content analysis on two sets of documents and then comparing those analyses. The first set of documents consisted of documents from the university. They included the vision statement, mission statement, the Mason IDEA, and the 2014-2024 strategic plan and are considered guiding documents of the university. The second set of documents came from campus initiatives that were purposefully selected because of how they relate to civic learning and democratic engagement. Through the content analysis I identified four categories that were present in each set of documents. The categories I identified are values, behaviors, experiences, and outcomes. Within each of those categories there were similar and unique concepts. The comparison analysis helps educators understand how the university and those working within the university discuss and address civic learning and democratic engagement.
Description
Keywords
Civic learning, Democratic engagement, University Mission Statement, Strategic planning, George Mason University