It is commonly recognized that a healthy democracy requires an informed and engaged citizenry. Unfortunately, levels of civic and political participation among Americans appear to be lower than desirable and in many cases are declining. According to a panel of experts convened by the American Political Science Association:

Americans have turned away from politics and the public sphere in large numbers, leaving our civic life impoverished... "Citizens participate in public affairs less frequently, with less knowledge, and enthusiasm, in fewer venues, and less equitably than is healthy for a vibrant democratic polity" (Macedo, et al., 2005).

This is occurring at a time when we are most in need of an enlightened citizenry reinvigorating our democratic institutions, informing debate and guiding leadership as we face today's international and domestic challenges. We must also fully consider the role digital media plays in our civic lives and those of America's young people.

Not only are trends toward low levels of civic engagement particularly pronounced among youth in the United States, but young people's knowledge base is also less than desirable (Putnam 2000). On the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in civics, only a quarter of high school students were judged to be proficient and only 4 percent scored at the advanced level. A third of the students failed to demonstrate even a basic level understanding. We can point to rising youth voting rates as a sign of encouragement, but even these improved voting rates are still in most states well below 50%.

Unfortunately, as the civic knowledge and commitments of young people has declined, so has the emphasis on civic education in America's schools. Although, the federal No Child Left Behind Act mentions social studies as a core subject area, its current testing in reading and math has put pressure on school districts to give emphasis to these subjects often to the detriment of civics and history.

Schools are uniquely positioned to develop, promote, and support youth civic engagement. However, there is work to be done to determine the most effective ways to do so. While research suggests that civic education can be an effective strategy for promoting the development of civic and political commitments and capacities, the quality of these experiences matter greatly. Furthermore, little is currently known about how the explosion of available digital media technology and related online activity is influencing young people's engagement with politics and society.

We believe that quantitative and qualitative research focused on the nature of youth civic enragement, and the impact of civic learning opportunities and digital media participation is needed to frame the importance of youth civic education and identify productive strategies for furthering youth civic engagement in a way that ultimately contributes to developing informed, committed citizens.