The purpose of this study is to identify the level of democratic civic consciousness that is required in the process of developing our society into a democratic civil society, and to analyze the differences of variables(such as gender, grade and college) in democratic civic consciousness and social self-efficacy of university students. The research questions were settled for this purpose as follows.
First, this study examines the democratic civic consciousness level of university students and analyzes the differences in democratic civic consciousness level by variables (by gender, grade, and college).
Second, this study examines the level of social self-efficacy of university students and analyzes the differences in social self-efficacy according to the variables (by gender, grade, and college).
Third, this study identifies the effects of social self-efficacy of university students on democratic citizenship.
The analysis results and discussions of this study are as follows.
First, democratic civic education in secondary schools needs to be transformed into various activities in which students can be interested and want to participate, such as curriculum lessons, general education and creative experience activities. Although this study was to seek democratic civic consciousness level of university students, the average of first graders on the majority of sub-factors of democratic civic consciousness was relatively low compared to grades 3-4. This reveals indirectly students might not be aware of it, even if democratic civic education was conducted in secondary schools. If democratic citizenship education is transformed into various activities in which students experience and participate, and if the students are recognized themselves that they will become a right a democratic citizen, students' interests will be increased into the society and promote social self-efficacy so that they can have proper democratic civic consciousness.
Second, a democratic civic education course should be established in universities too. The democratic civic consciousness level of pre-service secondary teacher and elementary teacher is higher than that of non-teacher university students. They will help the natural transition of democratic civic consciousness by good forming relationships with students as teachers at school. Non-teacher university students should also be provided with democratic civic education courses in colleges to experience the learning and practice of the qualities and rituals of democratic citizens. Since democratic civic consciousness is not formed by only one education, democratic citizenship education is necessary not only in secondary schools but also in universities.
Third, for the development of democratic civic consciousness among university students, it is necessary to cooperate with civil groups and local communities. In this study, the average of community consciousness was the lowest among the sub-factors of democratic civic consciousness. In order to overcome this, they should set up the framework that the students will participate in public problem-solving process focusing in problems of local community and they need to know there might exist some interests that are more important than my interests. Moreover, they recognize that the interests of others should be respected in order to secure my interests.
Fourth, global citizenship education is needed for Korean university students living in a global era as well as democratic citizenship education. Students might live their lives in a world without borders. Therefore, through global citizenship education, it is necessary to develop intercultural capacity to function in various cultures, to communicate with people living on the planet, and to consider and embrace each other.
Whether elementary and secondary education in Korea nowadays is pursued diversity and is changed, but in the school the exam-oriented education is still going on. Although the qualities of being a democratic citizen, such as intercultural communication, recognition of differences, consideration and tolerance are still taught in the school, the students struggle in a small competitive society for entering university.
We hope that democratic citizenship education will be activated to ensure that university students have democratic civic consciousness and the right beliefs and values for democracy.