School INCLUDING democratic changes – promoting self-determination, attitude and responsibility in a societal context Erasmus Project

Project Title

School INCLUDING democratic changes – promoting self-determination, attitude and responsibility in a societal context

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

The project “School INCLUDING democratic changes – promoting self-determination, attitude and responsibility in a societal context” took a closer look at democratic processes in schools in four countries and provided space for an intensive and in-depth exchange of experiences. We jointly explored what challenges schools have to face to live and promote democratic behaviour actively.
Democracy education is a transversal issue in many schools today. Active democracy means participating in social and political opinion-forming processes. The ability to represent and negotiate one’s interests, accept other opinions, and find fair solutions to possible conflicts is a prerequisite. This topic also has an essential transnational dimension: at the European level, intercultural aspects also play a role or images of self and others in the respective countries.
Educating young people in preparation for life in a democratic society that guarantees fundamental and human rights is an essential task of the school. Democracy is realised in the actions of the individual as well as in living together. The school is in close contact with the evolving society. Shaping, learning and practising in working and living together in everyday school life is an overriding mission at the school as a place of learning. Given the worldwide rise of populism, racism and exclusion, it is even more critical today that schools offer children and young people a protected environment in which all questions can be asked, opinions expressed, and discussions held openly. Only by participating in cultural, social and political life, a person can develop in a self-confident and healthy way. Therefore, the mandate for Democracy education is embedded in the process of democratic school development.
The project aimed to develop, test, evaluate jointly, and record tools for communication, cooperation, and didactic implementation in a structured exchange of experience and practice. In the context of school development, the following challenges arise:
– Facing change and developing school practice,
– understanding democratic school development as a process of innovation,
– Enabling experiences of self-efficacy,
– initiating and organising age-appropriate situations and educational processes,
– taking into account the heterogeneity of learners.
We collected tools and processes to promote democratic interaction and searched for a common answer to the challenges of democratic school development. Since there are already numerous methods and tools for democracy education with defined focal points and target groups, we want to meet the mandate for democracy education by embedding it in democratic school development.

Project Website

http://schule-plus-demokratie.info

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 85320,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Familie & Country: DE

Project Partners

• PEDAGOSKI INSTITUT
• Grundschule am Kollwitzplatz
• Grundschule im Blumenviertel
• Waldorfska sola Ljubljana
• ISOP GmbH
• Neue Mittelschule Graz-Sankt Peter