EDUCATION FOR THE CITIZENSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Education for the Citizenship has been, for a long time, an object of concern to teachers, the society and the educative systems. The name to refer to it has not always been the same: (in Portugal, expressions like "civic education" and "personal and social formation" have been used to designate areas related to education for the citizenship). This article underlines the relevance and the necessity of reflecting and promoting education for the citizenship nowadays in several different contexts (especially schools) and in several different ways (disciplinarily, inter-disciplinarily, trans-disciplinarily). With this purpose we highlight and discuss a set of eight subjects that should be connected to citizenry development as a constructivist methodology that includes strategies that move cognitive domains; motivational and affective; social and behavioral. All these domains should be considered according to the different stages in the development of children, adolescents and adults. Therefore, the eight main subjects derived from citizenship teaching are conceptions, attitudes and behavior related to the following issues: State and nationality; religion; human interaction with nature and socioeconomic organization; family structures and roles (along with gender studies); health and safety; racial, ethnic and cultural differences; civic life, social coexistence and interpersonal relations; and finally, usage of information and communication technology.