ICCS is an international study to collect and analyze data on democracy and civic education from students (14 years of age), teachers and principals from a representative sample of schools. One aim of ICCS is to measure young peoples’ knowledge and understanding of concepts and issues related to civics and citizenship. The first ICCS study was conducted in 2009, the second in 2016, and the next one will be in 2022. Norway has participated in both previous studies and the 2022 data will give us the opportunity to study changes over time and between countries. An important aim of the 2022 study will be to explain why some students struggle with their understanding of democracy and civic issues. This is highly important because the aim of democracy and civic education is to prepare young people to become active citizens in a world where contexts of democracy and civic participation continue to change. Therefore, the data collected also includes the students’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours with respect to democracy and citizenship, as well as data on the organization and content of civic and citizenship education in the curriculum, teacher qualifications and experiences, teaching practices, school environment and climate, and home and community support.

Up to the completion of the data collection in the winter of 2022, efforts are being made to modify and further develop the measuring instruments used in ICCS 2016. This includes conducting a pilot study (winter 2020) and a field trial (winter 2021). The data collection in 2022 will involve approximately 150 schools in Norway and the schools selected for participation will be contacted during 2021.

In addition to the completion of the ICCS study, the project includes a sub-study that sheds light on the introduction of the new curriculum (Fagfornyelsen). The main aim is to study how teachers interpret the way the new curricula defines, reviews and emphasizes democracy and citizenship education, and how this affects teaching. Several qualitative interviews will be conducted with teachers at secondary schools and upper secondary school. In addition, we will conduct group interviews with students at the same schools.

The Department of Teacher Education and School Research at the University of Oslo was the national coordinator of ICCS 2009, Norwegian Social Research – NOVA was the coordinator in 2016, and the Department of Teacher Education at NTNU has the national responsibility for implementing the ICCS study in 2022. NTNU Social Research is a partner in the project. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is the “owner” of the ICCS study, and the contracting authority for the Norwegian part of ICCS is the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training.