OED100 Education for Democracy

Contents and structure

The cultural diversity in Europe is growing partly because of increased mobility and migration. Intercultural encounters challenge both individual citizens, basic civic structures and common values in our societies. It is therefore necessary to strengthen education for democracy. Education for democracy involves the development of core values and appropriate civic skills and is an ongoing process in every democratic state. Democratic culture and practices must be maintaned and further developed. The last decades have shown challenges to democratic culture; discrimination of marginalized groups, increasing mobilization of anti-democratic movements and extremist organizations that carry out terror acts are some examples.

Teachers and schools have a special responsibility to create safe and inclusive learning environments where all students are respected as human beings regardless of ethnicity, cultures and convictions.

The Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports offers an interdisciplinary course (30 etc.) intended for both a) teacher education students (8th semester) from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) and b) exchange students from institutions of higher education outside Norway. The course is a part of the teacher education program (GLU) at HVL. The course is developed in cooperation with The Pestalozzi Program (The Council of Europe), The Rafto Foundation in Bergen, The European Wergeland Centre in Oslo and the Kaleidoscope Foundation in Bergen. The course has an interdisciplinary approach embracing a number of subjects; pedagogy, drama and different school subjects in Norway.

The course will combine local and global perspectives of democracy, embracing both theory and practice of democratic citizenship in a pedagogic context.

Content:

The four key focuses are:

Focus on the students' ongoing development towards professional and personal competences, as teachers in a democratic society.

• Diversity and empathy
• Kaleidoscope philosophy (Diversity as a resource; Recognition and respect; Reciprocity and mutual obligations; Personal and Cultural Development and growth as part of lifelong Learning.
• The Self and interaction (Personal narratives and life experience; Reflection on personal experiences in education; Working with "critical friends")

The central focus of this theme is to acquire a which enables students to understand, analyze and critically discuss the following concepts related to Education for Democracy:

• Human rights (History; Principles)
• Democracy (Theory and practice; Challenges; Controversial issues; Dialogue)
• Children's needs, rights and roles concerning Democracy in School and society. 

3. .

This theme focuses on d that can support the development of democratic competence. Critical reflection on- and the ethical aspects of working with young pupils and children will be emphasized.

• Democracy and didactical learning processes
• Intercultural education (Intercultural competences; communication; Migration; Minority/majority relations) 
• Didactical approaches to competences for democracy (Values; Attitudes; Skills; Interdisiplinary approaches; Knowledge and critical thinking)
• The UN Declaration on Human Rights Education (About; Through; For)
• Existing experiences, documents and manuals (Pestalozzi documents, Council of Europe (COE); The Kaleidoscope philosophy and method)

Education for democracy has both a personal and an . Sustainable changes in schools have to be rooted on an organizational level.

• Democratic governance
• Inclusive and democratic school cultures (Relations; Structures; Procedures; Competences for democratic culture; values, attitudes, skills, knowledge/Critical understanding)
• Active involvement (Pupils, Colleagues; Parents; Community)

Learning Outcome

By completion of the course, the students shall have gained the following learning outcomes:

The student understands

• the UN declaration of Human Rights
• the history and challenges of democracy as a governing ideal and principle
• the basic concepts and theories of democratic citizenship and intercultural education

The student can

• explain and discuss values, attitudes and skills relevant for democratic citizenship and human rights
• organize and lead a learning environment which stimulates and develops democratic values, attitudes and skills
• explain and discuss how to develop a school culture that promotes Education for Democracy/a democratic culture

The student has

• gained the ability to critically analyse and develop personal and professional competence as a teacher in a democratic learning environment
• strengthened the ability to model and develop democratic ideals and principles in the classroom and at an organizational level.

Entry requirements

The course is an option for teacher education students at their 8. semester. International students must have at least one year of their teacher education completed in their homeland before applying to this course. The course builds on and further Explores topics on children's rights and competence for diversity from the introductory courses in teacher education.

Teaching methods

The program includes lectures, excursions, fieldwork and assignments. The course intends to develop a learning environment that reflects the ideals of a living democracy. Therefore, the methodology seeks to enhance collaborative teaching and learning activities where students actively participate, discuss, experiment, cooperate and contribute to the quality of the learning environment. Each student will receive guidance according to his / her knowledge and didactical reflections related to the course content.

The students collect and document the different learning activities during the course in a learning portfolio. Guidelines for the learning portfolio will be presented at the beginning of the term. The library offers a course in literature search and use of References in academic writing.

We use a digital Learning management system for course information and support for the activities taking place during the course.

Compulsory learning activities

• Mandatory presence. The students must attend the lessons and participate in the activities described in the teaching plan. An 80% attendance is mandatory because lessons are largely based on the students' active contributions. Absence from the course activities may result in additional compensatory assignments.
• Mandatory assignments The students must deliver four mandatory assignments from each of the four main themes in the course. One of the four assigments is an oral presentation, with documentation. The students have influence on both the design of the assignments and the criteria of evaluation. Each student will receive guidance while working with the assignments. Guidelines for the assignments will be presented and discussed at the beginning of the term.

In order to attend the final exam, approval of the mandatory assignments is a necessity.

Approved mandatory assignments will be valid the next three semesters.

Assessment

Exam-Portfolio - presented on a website.

The Exam portfolio shall consist of

• a reflective meta-text as an introduction to the Portfolio content.
• the four mandatory assignments from the four main themes in the course.

The guidelines for content and presentation of the exam-portfolio will be given at the beginning of the semester.

Deadlines will be announced on the Studentweb and digital exam-system (Wiseflow). 

The exam-portfolio will be evaluated as a whole, using a grade scale ranging from A to F, where F is "Failed".

Examination support material

All materials permitted

More about examination support material