The Values of Immigrant Students on Citizenship as a Trait of Character Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the values of immigrant students on citizenship as a trait of character education in accordance to Texas Education Code 29.906 in a high school setting. The study examined the perception of immigrant students who are in their first three years in U.S. schools on what shaped their understanding on citizenship as responsible members of society. Citizenship is one of the nine traits of character education in accordance to Texas Education Code 29.906. Data for the study was gathered from immigrant students at Hurst-Euless-Bedford (HEB) Independent School District, Euless, Texas. Furthermore, the study examined how immigrant students defined character in relation with citizenship. The gathered data provided a cultural sensitivity lens for curricula design and implementation in character education. The analysis of data collected from 45 immigrant students at HEB ISD was restricted to the national framework, What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). The analysis was used to make connections between two or more variables to determine important relationships that were not predicted.

The national framework WWC provided a critical lens to analyze the data collected by categorizing outcome measures assessed in the study. Student responses ranged from cognitive, affective and behavioral categories. The cognitive category provided the understanding and ability to be able to reason about character concepts as well as academic content. The affective category provided the relation to attitudes, emotions, motives, and beliefs about what is important and the behavioral category provided the foundation of acting on understandings and beliefs.

The research findings for this study included:

1. Most students (91%) ? defined character and related it with citizenship based on their understandings.
2. A small minority (9%) of students defined character in relation to a character in a storybook.
3. Students? understanding of character as a trait of citizenship is influenced by the values and culture of their country of origin.
4. The values of honor, hierarchy, gender roles, patriarchal and form of greetings shape immigrant students? understanding of citizenship as responsible members of society.
5. The integrated approach adopted by Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District to character education is preparing immigrant students for citizenship.
6. Immigrant students have a broader understanding of being a responsible member of society than their non-immigrant peers.