Mock elections as a way to cultivate democratic development and a democratic school culture

Abstract

Over the last decades, many European Union countries have invested in strengthening participatory learning in citizenship education policy and practice. This survey study provides insight into how high school teachers in the Netherlands advance critical democratic citizenship and a democratic school culture in the context of mock elections. A quarter of the schools that organized mock elections in 2017 participated in the study. Analysis reveals that attention for critical, valuerelated teacher aims and teacher aims directed at strengthening a democratic school culture is still limited in mock election-related education. It also shows that half of the participating schools offer less than one hour of mock electionrelated educational activities, and that one-third of the teachers would like to offer additional educational activities.

The democratic school experiences framework: A tool for the design and self-assessment of democratic experiences in formal education

“…On the other hand, characteristics for democratic community-oriented education are experiences directed at strengthening a democratic community (e.g. the quality of dialogical and political spaces within schools [see also: De Groot & Eidhof, 2019]). In the latter case, and in line with a thick conception of democracy, education does not focus primarily on advancing (and measuring) developments of individuals, but on invigorating the ability of groups of people in a (school) community to experience democracy, and strengthen democratic spaces.…”

“…Knowledge about the different steps of the election process is an example of basic democratic knowledge: knowing how to cast one’s vote is an example of a subsequent skill (see also De Groot & Eidhof, 2019). For example, knowledge about the Trias Politica is a basic requisite regardless of the conception of democracy that one holds and acquiring knowledge about key features of a democratic culture is typical for a “thick” conception of democracy.…”