Preservice Teachers’ Experiences and Sense-Making of a Supreme Court Oral Argument Hearing

Abstract

The decline in civic knowledge and judicial awareness among young learners is concerning for democratic citizenship and for the 21st-century U.S. democracy. In this article, we examined preservice teachers’ (PSTs) experiences and sense-making of a Supreme Court oral argument hearing to illuminate their understanding of the judicial branch and democratic citizenship mindset. The goal was to inform educators and researchers about PSTs’ perceptions and insights gained from the experience. Twenty-eight (28) elementary PSTs participated in the field trip on a Midwestern public university campus. The results show that PSTs had limited awareness and knowledge of the U.S. legal system. However, the field trip fostered their appreciation and respect for the legal system and legal experts and provided a continuous learning opportunity. We argue that elementary social studies PSTs have limited judicial awareness, and educating young learners about democratic citizenship depends on building PSTs’ awareness and understanding of the branches of government, particularly the judicial branch. The results highlight the importance of curriculum enhancements that integrate instruction on the judicial system into teacher preparation, thereby empowering educators to better prepare students for active civic participation. We believe these insights are important for advancing teacher education and democratic citizenship, encouraging teachers and teacher educators to reflect on their own practices.