Unit 3 – Understanding politics

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Part 1 – Understanding democracy and human rights
  • Unit 1 – What the concepts mean
    • 1. Politics, democracy & democratic governance of schools
      • 1.1 Politics
      • 1.2 Democracy
      • 1.3 Democratic governance of schools
    • 2. Childrens Rights & the Right to Education⁹
  • Unit 2 – The key to a dynamic concept of citizenship¹¹
    • 1. Challenges to the traditional model of citizenship
      • 1.1 A new kind of citizenship requires a new kind of education
    • 2. Political culture
      • 2.1 Democracy comes to life through its citizens
      • 2.2 The cultural dimension of human rights
      • 2.3 Teaching through democracy and human rights – democratic culture in school
  • Unit 3 – Educating for democracy and human rights
    • 1. The three dimensions of EDC/HRE
      • 1.1 The cognitive dimension of EDC/HRE: learning “about” democracy and human rights
      • 1.2 The participative dimension of EDC/HRE: learning “for” democracy and human rights
      • 1.3 The cultural dimension of EDC/HRE: learning “through” democracy and human rights
    • 2. HRE and its connection with EDC¹³
    • 3. Competences in EDC/HRE
      • 3.1 “I would like my students to be able to …”
      • 3.2 Competences – a general definition
      • 3.3 How can teachers find out what competences students have? Competence and performance
      • 3.4 A model of student competences in EDC/HRE
      • 3.5 Teacher competences in EDC/HRE
    • 4. “We create the world in our minds”: constructivist learning in EDC/HRE¹⁶
      • 4.1 Learners “construct” meaning – they discover and create something new
      • 4.2 Learners “reconstruct” what they have learnt – they apply it and put it to the test
      • 4.3 Learners “deconstruct”, or criticise, their own results or each other’s
    • 5. Professional ethics of EDC/HRE teachers: three principles
      • 5.1 Principle of non-indoctrination
      • 5.2 Principle of controversial discussion
      • 5.3 Empowering students to promote their interests
    • 6. Key concepts in EDC/HRE
      • 6.1 Why do we need key concepts in EDC/HRE?
      • 6.2 The essence of the key concepts
    • 7. The method carries the message: task-based learning in EDC/HRE
      • 7.1 The shortcomings of traditional citizenship education
      • 7.2 Teaching though and for democracy and human rights requires active learning
      • 7.3 Tasks – the teacher’s tool to support active learning
      • 7.4 Task-based learning is problem-based learning
      • 7.5 The teacher’s roles in task-based learning sequences
      • 7.6 Active learning requires a follow-up
    • 8. A human rights-based approach to schooling²³
  • Unit 4 – Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education – A short history of the Council of Europe approach²⁶
    • 1. Background
    • 2. Outcomes of the EDC/HRE project
    • 3. Practical instruments
      • 3.1 The EDC/HRE pack
      • 3.2 Six volumes on EDC/HRE in school projects, teaching sequences, concepts, methods and models
• Part 2 – Teaching democracy and human rights
  • Unit 1 – Conditions of teaching and learning
    • 1. Introduction
    • 2. Task and key questions for conditions of teaching and learning
      • 2 – Work file 1: How to take students’ skills and knowledge into account
      • 2 – Work file 2: How to take my teaching skills and knowledge into account
      • 2 – Work file 3: Considering general teaching and learning conditions
      • 2 – Work file 4: What are my basic attitudes towards students?
      • 2 – Work file 5: Rethinking discipline and order from a democratic point of view
      • 2 – Work file 6: Rethinking the teacher’s role from a democratic point of view
      • 2 – Work file 7: How to develop a democratic atmosphere in the classroom
      • 2 – Work file 8: How to develop school as a democratic community
  • Unit 2 – Setting objectives and selecting materials
    • 1. Introduction
    • 2. Task and key questions for setting objectives and selecting materials
      • 2.1 Task
      • 2.2 Key questions
      • 2 – Work file 1: Students’ competences for EDC/HRE
      • 2 – Work file 2: Two categories of materials in EDC/HRE
      • 2 – Work file 3: Selecting and using materials in EDC/HRE
  • Unit 3 – Understanding politics
    • 1. Introduction: what must students learn?
    • 2. Task and key questions to understand politics
      • 2.1 Task for teachers in EDC/HRE
      • 2.2 Key questions
      • 2 – Work file 1: How can I address politics in my EDC/HRE classes?
      • 2 – Work file 2: How can I support my students in judging political issues?
  • Unit 4 – Guiding processes of learning and choosing forms of teaching
    • 1. Introduction
    • 2. Task and key questions for guiding processes of learning and choosing forms of teaching
      • 2.1 Task
      • 2.2 Key questions
      • 2 – Work file 1: Three stages in a learning process
      • 2 – Work file 2: Why chalk and talk is not enough, or “taught ≠ learned” and “learned ≠ applied in real life”
      • 2 – Work file 3: Selecting adequate forms of teaching and learning
      • 2 – Work file 4: Five basic forms of teaching and learning
  • Unit 5 – Assessment of students, teachers and schools
    • 1. Introduction
    • 2. Task and key questions for assessment of students, teachers and schools
      • 2.1 Task
      • 2.2 Key questions
      • 2 – Work file 1: Different dimensions of assessment
      • 2 – Work file 2: Perspectives of assessment
      • 2 – Work file 3: Perspectives and forms of assessment
      • 2 – Work file 4: Standards of reference
      • 2 – Work file 5: Assessment of students – the influence of assessment on self-concepts
      • 2 – Work file 6: Checklist “How do I assess my students?”
      • 2 – Work file 7: Assessment of teachers
      • 2 – Work file 8: Self-assessment of teachers
      • 2 – Work file 9: Working with journals, logbooks, portfolios³⁷
      • 2 – Work file 10: Co-operative teaching and peer feedback
      • 2 – Work file 11: Assessment of EDC/HRE in schools
      • 2 – Work file 12: Quality indicators of EDC/HRE in a school
      • 2 – Work file 13: General principles for evaluating EDC/HRE
      • 2 – Work file 14: Guidelines for self-evaluation of schools
      • 2 – Work file 15: Involving the different stakeholders in evaluating EDC/HRE in a school
      • 2 – Work file 16: Governance and management in a school⁴⁶
      • 2 – Work file 17: Focus on democratic school governance
      • 2 – Work file 18: How to analyse and interpret EDC/HRE evaluation results
• Part 3 – Tools for teaching and learning democracy and human rights
  • Unit 1 – Toolbox for teachers
    • 1. Introduction
    • Tool 1: Task-based learning
    • Tool 2: Co-operative learning
    • Tool 3: Chairing plenary sessions (discussion and critical thinking) in EDC/HRE classes
    • Tool 4: Interviewing an expert – how to collect information
    • Tool 5. Defining competence-based teaching objectives⁴⁷
  • Unit 2 – Toolbox for students
    • 1. Introduction
    • Tool 1: Worksheet for students to plan their learning schedules
    • Tool 2: Worksheet for students to reflect on their learning
    • Tool 3: Worksheet for students to reflect on their achievement
    • Tool 4: Researching in libraries
    • Tool 5: Researching on the Internet
    • Tool 6: Carrying out interviews and surveys
    • Tool 7: Interpreting images
    • Tool 8: Mind maps
    • Tool 9: Creating posters
    • Tool 10: Holding exhibitions
    • Tool 11: Planning and giving presentations
    • Tool 12: Preparing overhead transparencies or a PowerPoint presentation
    • Tool 13: Writing newspaper articles
    • Tool 14: Putting on performances
    • Tool 15: Holding debates