Democracy is one of the founding values of the European Union. But it is not a given. It must be learnt and understood, and, most importantly, practised by every citizen. Today, this is even more important than ever. Change in our societies and in the world around us creates many new opportunities. (Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport)
The 2019 eTwinning theme is “Democratic Participation”.
eTwinning promotes skills that are necessary to achieve a democratic culture such as autonomous learning, analytical and critical thinking, listening and observing, empathy, flexibility and adaptability, linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills, co-operation, and conflict-resolution. Through these skills, eTwinning highlights the benefits of active citizenship and demonstrates that teachers can contribute to the creation of sustainable democracies.
eTwinning fosters the democratic participation of teachers, students, parents and the local community by giving them the opportunity to participate actively in projects, campaigns and professional development opportunities.
The eTwinning School Mission, developed over the past two years, puts an emphasis on the concept of shared leadership and students as agents of change “acting both as drivers and as a sounding board for all innovations taking place in pedagogy and use of technology.”
To emphasise the importance of democratic participation and facilitate the work of teachers, eTwinning offers a variety of material and resources like this edition of the eTwinning Book.
- The first section introduces the main elements of democratic participation and the role of education in triggering the active engagement of young people.
- The second section focuses on the role of teachers in developing democratic competence and the importance of active citizenship.
- The third section introduces a tool to help students develop critical thinking skills to tackle stereotypes and prejudices.
- Finally, the fourth section gives the floor to young people who took the lead and made their voices heard. They are examples that can inspire your students.
Read the book here.
Source: etwinning.net