Relações conceptuais e práticas entre a educação multicultural e educação democrática: Uma perspectiva escandinava

In this article, two separate educational fields are linked: Multicultural Education and Democratic Education. I also argue that these fields are closely intertwined. The aim of this discussion is to bring together these concepts and to investigate some of the practical implications of such an endeavor. Multicultural education and democratic education are discussed in separate sections before moving on to illustrate the practical implications through four dimensions: 1) Formation of citizens; 2) Justice and Civic Equality; 3) Living together; and 4) CosmopolitanismEn este artículo se relacionan dos conceptos comúnmente separados, y que sin embargo están estrechamente entrelazados: educación multicultural y educación democrática. El objetivo de este trabajo es unir ambos conceptos e investigar algunas de las implicaciones practicas que esta unión trae consigo. La educación multicultural y la educación democrática se abordan en el trabajo en secciones separadas, a continuación se ilustran las implicaciones prácticas a través de cuatro dimensiones: 1) Formación de los ciudadanos; 2) Justicia y la Igualdad Cívica; 3) La convivencia; y 4) El cosmopolitismoEste artigo descreve dois conceitos comumente separados: educação multicultural e educação democrática. O objetivo deste trabalho é unir os dois conceitos e investigar algumas das implicações práticas que essa união traz. Educação multicultural e educação democrática são abordados em seções separadas de trabalho, em seguida, as implicações práticas em quatro dimensões são ilustradas: 1) Formação de cidadãos; 2) Justiça e Igualdade Civic; 3) A convivência; e 4) O cosmopolitism

Language issues in education influenced by global trends and democracy : a case study from South Africa

Language constitutes an essential part of globalization and democracy. Although different dimensions of globalization are overlapping, this study mainly focuses on the cultural and political dimensions of global trends influencing education in a South African context. These external forces will always foster local responses, but it is important that educators acknowledge the power in these trends and their implications for shaping and constraining the choices available to educational policies and practices. Schools are important institutions in a democratic and multilingual society because they both mirror the wider society and act as a role model; hence practices in the South African educational sector are the centre of attention in this study. This study attempt to show how democracy requires participation of its citizens and in this regard why linguistic issues are of vital importance. The relationship between democracy and multilingualism can be analyzed by both micro and macro dimensions. Individual linguistic competence is of significance in order to participate as a democratic citizen. On the other hand, there exist certain characteristics of a nation-state in order to be labelled a democratic society. One of these, I argue, is to adapt for linguistic diversity. This is both in line with the democratic ideal of securing the rights and interests of both the majority and minority. In addition this is essential in order to create a sense of community or belonging in the people living within the borders of a nation-state. South Africa has an explicit goal of promoting multilingualism which is assessed as one characteristic of being a citizen in this new democracy

The Role of Multiculturalism in Citizenship Education : A Scandinavian Perspective

In this paper, I propose to link two separate educational fields. In so doing, I argue that these fields are more than linked, they are closely intertwined. The aim of this discussion is to bring together these concepts and to investigate some of the practical implications of such an endeavor. This is done with a firm conviction that such an exercise will contribute to an expansion of our understanding of democracy, including an appreciation of diversity as something else than an anomaly, rather a state of normalcy in a democracy. First, I will provide a brief introduction as to how multicultural education and democratic education respectively can be understood. Then I move on to investigate where and how they actually overlap through discussing four dimensions: 1） Developing of citizens; 2） Our perspectives on justice; 3） Living together; and, 4） a relatively compact and brief discussion of cosmopolitanism, and then I will wrap up

Teacher Education as a High-quality Learning Environment

In this paper, we discuss what a high-quality learning environment in teacher education may look like from the perspective of Biesta’s three characteristics of good education: the qualification, socialization, and subjectification functions of education. Through critical investigation of our own classroom practices, we identify indicators of high-quality learning environments as well as several areas that could be improved. First, we offer a short outline of what quality education can be. Second, we describe three snapshots of teacher education activities, one from each of the authors. The two first examples are from Japan and the third is from Norway. Finally, we discuss characteristics of these snapshots that can be considered quality learning environments, ways in which these three particular learning environments can be improved, and possible ways forward for teacher education in general

Student Teachers Promoting Democratic Engagement Using Social Media in Teaching

In this study, we address how student teachers can facilitate democratic engagement in school. The demo-cratic engagement is seen through the lenses of an increasingly digital world through which both teachers and children live in. 42 third-year student teachers systematically prepared to use social media as an illus-trative pedagogical tool in their practice placement period. By using the notions of “thin” and “thick” de-mocracy, we are analyzing student teachers’ understanding of democracy and democratic engagement. Our findings suggest that the students view democracy in a thin way, and this lack of democratic competence may influence their classroom practices as future teachers. The Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture was used to analyse the student teachers’ competence to connect the use of social media as a digital and pedagogical tool in promoting democratic engagement. The findings disclose that students vary in their capacity to make use of social media when promoting democratic en-gagement. In our closing discussion, we argue that these results, primarily, pose serious challenges for teacher education

Organized tutoring of pupils in lower secondary school : a Red Cross activity in Oslo defined as a humanitarian need

How is it possible to define tutoring of pupils in a rich and developed country like Norway as a humanitarian need for which the Red Cross finds it necessary to initiate action? This paper intends to take a closer look at this question by analyzing the intentions and goals set for the Oslo Red Cross Resource Centres, attempting to relate this to the Norwegian official educational policy for linguistic minorities, and present a short theoretical background for the arguments. In addition there is a chapter with reflections of my own experiences as a volunteer in the organized tutoring at one of the Resource Centres

Openness in Scandinavian Classrooms: Student Perceptions of Teaching Practices and High Achievers of Civic Knowledge

In this paper, we explore how teaching practices in classrooms influence students’ civic knowledge achievement in three Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Using data from the 2009 International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), our investigation focuses on the measures of “open classroom climate” , which include seven items that ask students how often they experience each of the seven teaching practices during regular lessons. From the students ’ pe r- spective of teaching practices in the classroom, we hypothesize and assume that there should be a balanced combi nation of classroom practices where each method/activity carries a different weight or level of importance. Applying logistic regression analysis, we assess the effect of each of the practices on the probability with which a student becomes a high achiever of civic knowledge (as represented by odds ratios). Our results show both similarities and differences in the combin a- tions of classroom practices that have contributed to students ’ high civic knowledge achievement in the three Scandinavian countries. Our findings provide useful messages to teachers in the class- room, and they also have implications for teacher education and research