Abstract

A subject called "civics and morality" is taught in junior high school in the Republic of China on Taiwan and includes objectives related to civic education as well as moral education. In order to explore the junior high students' perceptions of informal curriculum and formal curriculum within the subject of "civics and morality" and the effects of the curriculum on their civic attitudes, a self-report students' questionnaire was conducted. The values content addressed in the textbooks of "civics and morality" was also reviewed. The questionnaire survey was administered in six junior high schools, a total of 756 students completing the questionnaire. ;The textbooks emphasize the link between traditional personal morality and civic values. And the findings from the students' questionnaire survey show that the classroom climate experienced by junior high young adolescents deviates considerably from the Western views of "open" classroom climate that is often associated with democratic processes. The classroom climate perceived by students as respectful, guided, warm, and free included a unilateral respect for authority and power, a positive attitude toward hierarchy, and a constraint by and obedience to rules. The perception of good citizenship by junior high students was more likely to display a belief in traditional-morality values than in active, questioning civic-values. ;With regard to civic attitudes, the study found that these junior high students supported democratic values--the equality of women's rights and the civil liberty of freedom to criticize. Most students were confident that the government was responsive to citizens, and the extent of their cynicism was relatively moderate. However, junior high students did not often report interest in civic and political matters, rarely involved themselves in civic discussions with peers, classmates, and teachers, and were rarely participant in civic activities. ;Regarding the curriculum effects on students' civic attitudes, the study found that the "civics and morality" curriculum had a significant function in fostering students' positive attitudes toward government. However, the curriculum of civic education did not play a large role in promoting support for democratic values or promoting civic interest, involvement, and participation