This report analyses findings from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), which was undertaken in New Zealand in 2008, around the time of the general election. It explores how students perceive responsible adult citizenship and looks at their current interests and abilities. The students were also asked to look to their futures and say which of a range of social and political activities they will be most likely to do, or not do when they are adults.
ICCS is an international standardised study that looks at the ways in which young people are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens. In New Zealand in 2008, almost 4000 Year 9 students, 1350 teachers and 123 principals from 146 schools took part in the study. This report is the third in a series from the study.