Democratic School Research Articles

El reto de las escuelas democráticas modernas. El caso colombiano

El reto de las escuelas democráticas modernas. El caso colombiano

\u2018Democracy\u2019 in education: an omnipresent yet distanced \u2018other\u2019

Like many concepts and notions used in various subfields of education, the idea of democracy is both floating and polysemic. It can also be a conveniently loose term that can be used by some to position themselves above others and to ‘teach them’ lessons about how to ‘do’ democracy, often creating unjustified hierarchies and moralistic judgements. Based on Mikhail Bakhtin’s concepts of 'authoritative discourse and internally persuasive discourse', this article examines how the contested idea of democracy is constructed and negotiated at a key International Conference on democratic education. Excerpts from talks given at the conference serve as case studies in this paper, without the intention to generalise about discourses of democracy in education. The results hint at uncritical attempts, often based on pathos, to totalise and generalise ‘democracy/the democratic’ especially within discourses on ‘democratic schools’. Such discourses can contribute to cultural othering and stereotyping, as well as, simplistic assumptions about how ‘democracy’ functions and comes-into-being. They can also help the utterer hide their sentiments. Thus, the aim of this paper is to deconstruct an essentialised and somewhat empty vision of democracy discourse in education. The fact that the idea of ‘freedom’ is often used as a synonym for ‘democracy’ during the conference is also discussed.

ELLA FLAGG YOUNG AND THE GENDER POLITICS OF DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION

Though John Dewey had considered education and democracy separately in his early career, he came to understand them as essentially linked concepts during his nearly ten-year collaboration with Ella Flagg Young at the University of Chicago. This intellectually gifted women, who eventually became superintendent of Chicago’s schools, connected education and democracy as well as theory and practice, essentially showing Dewey how democratic schools might work. This article briefly traces Dewey’s developing ideas of education and democracy in the context of his relationship with Young.

Os cidadãos-professores e a formação para a cidadania na construção de escolas democráticas

O presente artigo discute a formação para a cidadania em escolas públicas estaduais de Santa Catarina, com foco na atuação dos cidadãos-professores e nas Instâncias de Gestão Escolar Democrática (IGEDs).Trata dos pressupostos históricos e legais da escola democrática, aborda as condições de formação dos cidadãos e até chegar ao papel dos cidadãos-professores diante da construção de escolas democráticas. Os dados procedem de pesquisa desenvolvida no Curso de Especialização em Gestão Educacional da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria/UAB. A partir do questionamento de dezessete professores, salienta-se que os cidadãos-professores pouco participam das principais IGEDs — Conselho Escolar e a Associação de Pais e Professores —, as quais não funcionam como núcleos de formação para a cidadania. Logo, a experiência de construção de escolas democráticas necessita de maior empenho e estimulo à participação direta, seja dos professores, seja da comunidade como um todo.Palavras-chave: gestão escolar, democracia, cidadania.

Self-Selection or Socialization? The Longitudinal Relation Between Civic Engagement and Political Orientations Among Adolescents

Social capital theory states that civic engagement generates positive outcomes, such as social trust and political interest. Likewise, studies show that those involved in civic engagement generally report higher levels of social trust and political interest. It is still unclear, however, whether these differences are the result of socialization or selection. We used between-effects and fixed-effects regressions to examine the development of political orientations in a three-wave longitudinal sample of 1,050 adolescents. From our results, volunteering seemed to have no socialization effect whatsoever on political interest and potentially a weak enhancing effect on social trust. Associational membership did not predict social trust over time, but it seemed to socialize members into increased political interest over time. The results are discussed in light of the social capital debate about how civic engagemend in associational life and volunteering do – or do not – function as schools of democracy.

So What Does It Take to Build A School for Democracy? (2003)

Previous articleNext article No AccessFrom the ArchivesSo What Does It Take to Build A School for Democracy? (2003)*Deborah MeierDeborah Meier Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Schools Volume 14, Number 2Fall 2017 Published in association with the Francis W. Parker School, Chicago Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/693788 Views: 110Total views on this site Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref © 2017 by Francis W. Parker School, Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Martha Inouye and Ana Houseal Reawakening the Past—Capitalizing on a Swinging Pendulum: Emphasizing the Foundational Skills of Critical Thinking in the Classroom, Schools 15, no.11 (Apr 2018): 140–148.https://doi.org/10.1086/697098

Democracy, ethics and social justice: Implications for secondary school leadership in Kenya

Principals in Kenyan schools are required to adopt democratic school leadership practises as part of the government policy. Adopting an interpretive case study, this paper set out to explore the application of democracy, ethics and social justice in secondary schools in Kenya. The study was in two phases. Phase one: twelve school principals were interviewed to explore their perspectives on democratic school leadership and establish the rationale for selecting two case schools. Phase two: an in-depth case study was conducted in the two schools. Interviews, focus group discussions, observation and informal conversations were used to generate data. The findings suggest that the principals, teachers and students each perceive and apply democratic school leadership differently based on individual as well as the school socio-cultural context. These contrasting views provide grounds for further discourse on the phenomenon. The paper recommends formal training for principals through in-service courses. Inclusion of democratic school leadership principles in teacher training programmes and an inculcation of democratic school leadership practices/values in the school curriculum for students to create a shared vision and understanding of these concepts for the success of the school. Keywords: democracy; ethics; leadership practices; social justice

Democratic school health education in a post-communist country

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the findings of an intervention program built on the concept of children’s health literacy, particularly on its citizenship component. This intervention program employed the Investigation-Vision-Action-Change model for action-oriented teaching, where children were supported to investigate different health issues that affect them, create visions about desirable changes, and act toward desirable change. The intervention was implemented in the conditions of a post-communist country (Slovakia) where the majority of health education programs are behaviorally oriented, without giving space to children’s own perceptions and decisions. The study seeks to explore whether fostering children’s participation in forming the school environment improves the three selected factors of school well-being, namely, children’s perception of school, their subjective well-being, and violent behavior in school.Design/methodology/approachA cluster-randomized controlled trial design was used where ten classes of children aged nine to ten years were randomly assigned to either experimental (n=89) or control group (n=96). The dependent variables were pre- and post-tested using measures drawn from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children study for Slovakia.FindingsThe intervention program was shown to yield empirically robust effects, given the significant improvement in children’s perceptions about school, violent behavior, and their well-being, with medium-to-large effect sizes (Hedges’s g ranging from 0.74 to 0.96).Originality/valueThe present study offers an effective approach to enhance the respect for the children’s views on issues that affect them, particularly within post-communist conditions.

Education and articulation: Laclau and Mouffe’s radical democracy in school

This paper outlines a theory of radical democratic education by addressing a key concept in Laclau and Mouffe’s Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: articulation. Through their concept of articulation, Laclau and Mouffe attempt to liberate Gramsci’s theory of hegemony from Marxist economism, and adapt it to a political sphere inhabited by a plurality of struggles and agents none of which is predominant. However, while for Gramsci the political process of hegemony formation has an explicit educational dimension, Laclau and Mouffe ignore this dimension altogether. My discussion starts with elaborating the concept of articulation and analysing it in terms of three dimensions: performance, connection and transformation. I then address the role of education in Gramsci’s politics, in which the figure of the intellectual is central, and argue that radical democratic education requires renouncing that figure. In the final section, I offer a theory of such education, in which both teacher and students articulate their political differences and identities.

Bringing Democracy Within: Justifying Workplace Democracy at Non Profit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations are often argued to be schools of democracy: “that produce citizens able and ready to participate in society” (Dodge & Ospina, 2016, p. 479). They are claimed to help increa...

Utilizing the Critical Inclusive Praxis: The voyage of five selected school principals in building inclusive school cultures

This article integrates relevant literature with the lived experiences of five school principals regarding how they utilized different leadership styles to build an inclusive school culture. The conceptual framework – a Critical Inclusive Praxis, including culture, change, leadership, inclusion and challenge – provided a base for the literature and field research. The framework reinforces principals’ responsibility to continuously transform the school through reflective, critical and dialogical action in order to nourish and sustain a strong culture. The study shows that it is essential that principals understand the five elements of a Critical Inclusive Praxis and how they intersect to build socially just and democratic schools.

Schools of democracy: how trade union membership impacts political participation in Africa’s emerging democracies

ABSTRACT Trade unions in Africa have become increasingly vocal in calling attention to the widening socio-economic inequalities that have accompanied global market integration across the continent. This article argues that, in their quest to challenge neoliberal policies, labour movements have contributed to processes of democratization in Africa by acting as instruments of political socialization for their members. Using survey data from respondents in 18 African countries, this article demonstrates an empirical relationship between trade union membership and political participation. The article finds that membership in a labour organization increases one’s propensity to participate in a range of political activities. Specifically, labour movements encourage participation by forging “participatory spillover effects”, which mobilize unionists across different arenas of the political landscape. Finally, the article finds that the effect of union membership on political participation is stronger in countries where unions maintain independence from ruling parties. This research contributes to literature on political participation across Africa and furthers our understanding of the role of labour movements in bottom-up processes of democratization on the continent.

Teaching Higher and Lower in Mastery Goal Structure: The Perspective of Students

Taking a student’s perspective, this study aims to characterize students’ descriptions of teaching higher and lower in mastery goal emphasis, in elementary, middle, traditional, and democratic schools. Data were collected by student surveys and interviews from fifth- through eighth-grade Israeli students. Nineteen interviews, describing 5 science teachers perceived by their students as higher or lower in mastery goal emphasis, were chosen for further analyses, which employed the TARGETS framework. Results provided concrete illustrations of higher and lower mastery-emphasizing teaching, in different types of schools. Task, time, and autonomy emerged as salient dimensions differentiating between higher and lower perceived mastery goal structure as well as preparation for tests, recognition equality, and teachers’ attentiveness.

LA VOZ DEL ALUMNADO: SU SILENCIO Y LA CULTURA PROFESIONALISTA

The present article focuses on a study in a childhood and Primary Educationcentre. The objective of this study is to learn the student voice in the centre,and understand why, in a school that tries to transform to become moreintercultural and inclusive, the student voice is silenced. Methodologically,this is a case study in which, through focus groups, interviews and participantobservation we try to understand the perspectives of the participants in depth.The main results include the professional culture of teachers as an aspectthat negatively influences the participation of families and students. Also, thefact of listening to the voice of the students gives us a more complete view ofthe centre and shows some of the contradictions that exist in the practice. Asconclusions, we highlight the importance of rescuing the student voice andencouraging their active participation in the centre, not only to create a moreparticipatory and democratic school, but also to get a more complete look ofthe institution.

Communication as an Educational Skill in School Units of the 21st Century: A Survey Research

Awareness about values of communication skills and the necessity for their cultivation brought them into foreground of educational field. Thus, they are qualified as a basic framework for the creation of modern democratic, intercultural and open schools to the world. Communication is recognized as a basic social skill by the program P21 Framework for the 21st Century Learning and by thousands of teachers and hundreds of schools in the US and many other countries. Since communication skills are related to many aspects of modern Greek educational situation, such as teaching, school administration, evaluation and development of good interpersonal relationships, the main purpose of this paper is the presentation of a survey research about communicative behavior of secondary education teachers and school heads, the depiction and enhancement of their communication style and the assessment of their views in regards to importance of communication skills in carrying out their professional role. Results of the research showed that teachers recognize to themselves very good communication skills, including advocate active listening, collaboration development ability and empathy.

An Investigation of Students' Perceptions about Democratic School Climate and Sense of Community in School

This study aims to investigate students' perceptions about democratic school climate and sense of community in school. In line with this purpose, it aims to find answers to the following questions: How democratic do students find the school climate? What is students' sense of belonging level at school? What is the academic success level of students? Is there a significant relationship between students' democratic school climate scores and sense of community in school scores? The study, which was designed as a descriptive one to identify the present situation, made use of democratic school climate scale as data collection tool. Students' academic success was evaluated based on their grade point averages. The participants were students in a School of Foreign Languages department in a university in southern Turkey. The study utilized descriptive statistics and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis techniques. It was found that students' sense of community in school perceptions were higher than their perceptions about democratic school climate. Although there was not a high relationship between academic success and perceptions about sense of community in school and democratic school climate, students with very low academic success had low perceptions about democratic school climate and sense of community in school. As for those with very high academic success, they were found to have high perceptions in relation to these variables. In line with the findings obtained from the study, some recommendations were made for democratic school climate.

The Development of Multicultural Education Model in West Kalimantan

This study background is from the history of West Kalimantan as an area that has the potential for violent conflict in the name of ethnicity. This potential is supported by the shift of the demographic map, from homogeneous to heterogeneous society. Segregation population continues to occur when the autonomous regions were accompanied by a local election. At the beginning of this year, for example, we were struck increased intolerance. The potential of violent conflict continues to arise in every operation of the democratic party at the local level. To determine the potential of multi-cultural knowledge in students, the authors conducted research on the two schools with different types of contrast. The research was carried out for two months with ethnographic methods. The author conducted in-depth interviews as well in addition to observation and review of the literature. These results indicate that teens from both schools studied generally have a multicultural knowledge is still relatively low, but they want to learn the culture of the ethnic other. Multicultural education in adolescents (students) is influenced by two factors: internal factors (instrumental) and external factors (environmental). The instrumental factors, among others: the teens themselves, teachers, family, and peers, whereas environmental factors, among others, media, and government (policy). Another important finding is that regional autonomy could be access for schools in encouraging alternative education models as a result of their creative efforts into spaces of democracy and pluralism in schools. Relations between the school through the activities of the organization-Students' Union (OSIS) can be a bridge multicultural adolescent relationships in these two schools. The author realizes there are still many shortcomings of this study, for that kind of research still needs to be done

Candidate Teachers’ Views on Implementation and Adoption of Democracy: Istanbul University Sample

The aim of this study is to determinethe candidate teachers’ views, who have pedagogical proficiency atHasan Ali Yucel education faculty, on implementation of organizational democracy according to gender and education variable. 370 of the candidate teachers who have graduate degree and continue undergraduate study atİstanbul University voluntarily participated in the study. Şeker’s (2010) scale named as ‘’ Adoption and Implementation of Organizational Democracy in Primary Schools according to Supervisors’ and Teachers’ Perceptions’’ was adapted and applied to candidate teachers. The five likert scale includes three dimensions; Participation in the Decision, Subsidiarity and Decentralization. EFA, CFA and t tests were conducted on the data collected fromthe study. According to the findings ofthe study, it has been understood that there are no differences among candidate teachers’ views on the implementation of organizational democracy scale, but there are meaningful differences among their views according to their educational level.

Can genius be taught? Debates in Portuguese music education (1868–1930)

This paper examines how the idea of musical genius, a mythical notion used as a device for musical practices, facilitates a split between the genius of an innate learner and that of an apprentice, thus creating an ambiguous discursive space. Genius was firstly a matter of nature, but also most discussed under the topic of nurture, that is, education. In order to understand how this nature and nurture ambiguousness developed in specific terms for the musical genius I focussed on analysing historical documents on the main resources for genius-building. In this article, these resources are considered the raw material for the embodying of the genius in every single person. What I discovered about the term ‘genius’ and its contradictory uses to support both elitist and democratic schooling made me realise that it is treated as an argument to advocate the merits of music and to take concrete steps in implementing educational excellence. The term ‘genius’ can serve any pedagogical purpose and encompass contradictory ideas, potentially serving unlimited purposes. Genius can be applied to the best of students, but equally to virtually anyone. In future studies the question will be whether this reading fits the scenario in other European countries.

Learning to live together: a challenge for schools located in contexts of social vulnerability

Currently, there are many educational centres that demonstrate the need to promote initiatives to improve coexistence at school at the international level, especially in those located in contexts of social vulnerability. A socio-educational programme has been developed, applied and evaluated at a Singular Education Action Centre (Centro de Acción Educativa Singular – C.A.E.S) in the city of Valencia (Spain). To ascertain the programme’s impact and possible generalization to other contexts, a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group was used. Information was collected from 297 students and 54 teachers based on questionnaires assessing coexistence at school. The results obtained demonstrate the satisfactory functioning of the programme. The faculty and students from the experimental group affirm the importance of continuing to work in this direction to invest in creating a democratic school that firmly believes in coexistence and participation. Areas for improvement include the need to incorporate actions to increase family participation and develop strategies to facilitate the implementation of a more comprehensive programme.