Education Commons^™

Igniting The Fire Within Marginalized Youth: The Role Of Critical Civic Inquiry In Fostering Ethnic Identity And Civic Self-Efficacy., Carlos Hipolito-Delgado, Shelley Zion

Carlos P. Hipolito-Delgado

Critical Civic Inquiry (CCI) is a transformative student voice initiative that engages students in critical conversations about educational equity and inquiry-based learning to increase student voice and promote civic action. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to assess if participation in CCI increased the psychological empowerment (as measured through ethnic identity and civic self-efficacy) of high school students. Students who participated in CCI pedagogy reported increases in ethnic identity and civic self-efficacy. These findings indicate the importance of supportive adult relationships, inquiry-based learning, and critical conversations about social and educational inequities in promoting the psychological empowerment of marginalized students.