The Advisory Circle of Educators (ACOE) advises Elections Canada on best practices in the development of educational resources, future directions for its civic education program, and ways to ensure uptake by educators. In this series, we interview ACOE members to showcase their experience and expertise in civic education.
Meet Dr. Carla Peck. She has a doctorate in Social Studies Curriculum and Pedagogy from UBC. She is Professor of Social Studies Education in the Faculty of Education, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of History, Classics and Religion, at the University of Alberta. She is also the Director of Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future, a national partnership focused on K–12 history education that is funded in part by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Dr. Peck researches teachers’ and students’ understandings of democratic concepts and history. She is particularly interested in the relationship between students’ ethnic identities and their understandings of history. She has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles and book chapters and has co-edited several books, including Teaching and Learning Difficult Histories in International Contexts: A Critical Sociocultural Approach, The Palgrave Handbook of Global Citizenship and Education and Contemplating Historical Consciousness: Notes from the Field.
Dr. Peck has provided professional development workshops for K–12 teachers in Alberta, across Canada and internationally, and serves as a consultant on several boards and advisory groups for provincial, national and international history and civics organizations. She has been involved in various aspects of curriculum development in Alberta, Canada-wide and internationally, and is actively engaged in advocacy for quality social studies and history education in Alberta. Dr. Peck received the Alberta Teachers’ Association Public Education Award (2022) and the Province of Alberta’s Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2023) in recognition of her work.
Elections Canada: How do you see your role(s) in civic education?
Dr. Peck: My involvement in civics education stretches from academia, to policy, to practice—all of which is grounded ultimately in strengthening the civic capacity of young people.
In my role as a teacher educator working in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education, I wear many hats. First and foremost, I work with pre-service teachers to help them understand that civics education is not something that happens only in one lesson or unit plan (although it might). Rather, civic education is something that teachers can weave into almost every lesson and class or school interaction. From deciding where to go on a field trip, to choosing which charity to fundraise for, to exploring the different domains of governance in Canada (e.g. municipal, provincial, federal, Indigenous). All these learning experiences provide opportunities for both teachers and students to learn more about concepts related to civic engagement and to participate in (and practise!) democratic processes.
Second, I am often asked to share my expertise in civic education with wider audiences, including through professional learning opportunities, keynote addresses, summer institutes, podcasts and media interviews. I engage in this work in Canada and internationally and view it as an opportunity to not only stay connected with teachers but also to educate the broader public about issues related to civic education.
Lastly, I serve as a consultant to a number of civics-related organizations and also consult on K–12 curriculum development across Canada and internationally.
Elections Canada: Tell us about a memorable moment in civic education.
Dr. Peck: One moment that stands out for me is when I was teaching Grade 4 in New Brunswick. A federal election was under way, and I had ordered some educational materials from Elections Canada to support student learning about democracy, elections and voting. My young students were very engaged in this learning (a constant reminder to me that we should not underestimate what children can do!). We held a mock election, complete with “political” parties, choosing a leader for each party, developing platforms, giving speeches and, finally, electing our class leader—all of which was student-led.
In her successful platform, the newly elected leader had promised that the school would provide one free hot lunch to the “Student of the Month,” a school-wide recognition program that the school administration had implemented earlier in the year. Sadly, the administration did not support this proposal, which was crushing for the student. (In retrospect, yes, she or I should have checked first with the administration to see if this was possible.) It was a stark reminder to me that civic education needs to be a school-wide initiative: Every person working in a school has a responsibility to support it. This was reinforced more than a decade later when my colleagues and I engaged in research with junior high students in Alberta, published in this article: We’re here to teach about democracy, not practise it. The missed potential of schools as democratic spaces.
Elections Canada: Why did you choose to join ACOE?
Dr. Peck: First of all, I LOVE civic education! I think that civic education has always been a critical component of K–12 education, but it seems especially necessary in a time of lower citizen engagement in democratic practices, particularly traditional forms of civic engagement such as voting.
Beyond voting, it’s important for all citizens, no matter their age, to understand the various ways they can make positive change in their communities at the local, national and global levels. In addition, with more and more nefarious actors promoting misinformation and disinformation, citizens today need to develop skills to confront such efforts. I strongly believe that civic education has an important role to play in developing civic literacy.
Elections Canada: What have you enjoyed most about ACOE meetings?
Dr. Peck: It is incredibly inspiring to work with passionate, talented educators from across the country. Elections Canada has created a space for us to discuss, deliberate, explore, learn, share and grow. What more could I ask for?
Elections Canada: What recommendations do you have for educators who would like to improve their practice in civic education?
Dr. Peck: Most of all, do not underestimate what students can do. There are many examples of young Canadians doing extraordinary things to make positive change in their communities—for example, water-rights defender Autumn Peltier, Ladybug Foundation founder Hannah Taylor, and EveryChildNow co-founders Vishal and Ishan Vijay.
While these initiatives and youth leaders are incredibly inspiring, not everyone can take on such large-scale projects. Remember that even small efforts can bring positive change—the key is providing opportunities for students to develop their passion, voice, and skills as they grow into their roles as active citizens.