The work of the Council of Europe in plurilingual and intercultural education is highly influential in Europe and beyond and has been so for many years. The "Common European Framework of Reference" and its "Companion Volume," and related instruments, provide ways in which to implement policies and a broader vision of providing…

Online activism is a space of opportunity for students to encounter social justice issues, explore the possibilities of visual rhetoric, practice persuasive speaking skills, and actively contribute to the momentum of social movements. At the same time, digital activism raises concerns about "slacktivism," limiting the necessary…

The authors extend the literature on multicultural democratic citizenship education (Marri, 2005) with a case study about how a highly esteemed high school teacher involved a heterogeneous group of students in a rigorous, engaging, critical study of U.S. History. Mr. Scott's teaching was noteworthy in its community building, thorough disciplinary…

Technological change has proven one of the few constants of the early 21st century, providing social studies educators with the challenge and opportunity of preparing digital citizens in a global setting. This requires rethinking the type of social studies learning necessary in the 21st century. As the National Academies concluded in the…

During a recent trip to South Africa, the author had an array of opportunities to experience the cultural, historical, political, and geographic landscape of the country. He was privileged to visit classrooms and to teach and interact with students and teachers. Through teaching some lessons on democracy and citizenship, the author learned that…

In this article, the author engages in a lively interactive discussion with Paul Woodford's text, "Democracy and Music Education." He questions Woodford's criticism of Praxial Music Education (PME)--particularly his dismissal of PME as a "performance alone" notion. PME, this author asserts, is fundamentally multidimensional, contextually reflexive…

"Changing Schools" places educational and social aims at the centre of a discussion of educational change. It draws on 14 case studies to explore school change which is oriented towards social justice and democracy. In an age of global mobility, economic polarization and unprecedented environmental and cultural challenges, the education…

If students from a totalitarian nation were secretly transported to a Canadian classroom to continue their lessons with new teachers and a new curriculum, would they be able to tell the difference? Both classes might engage students in volunteer activities in the community--picking up litter from a nearby park, or helping out at a busy…

This digest argues that free, public libraries foster and fortify democracy and democratic citizenship. Because libraries offer services and materials representing many points of view, they allow citizens to fulfill their civic and personal responsibilities and to exercise their liberties. Particularly for former communist countries, libraries can…

During the past 30 years, there has been a global surge of democracy. For most people of the world today, democracy is the prevailing source of political legitimacy. In 2002, 121 of the world's 192 sovereign states could be recognized as democracies in terms of the minimal global standard for an electoral democracy. This digest discusses: (1) the…

The essays in this collection, rewritten and expanded especially for this volume, originated as papers that were presented at a 1993 conference on Education for Democracy sponsored by the Mershon Center at The Ohio State University. The contributors from the United States, South Africa, Germany, and Russia, are experts in civic education, problems…

"We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution" is a national civic education program that aims to help elementary and secondary students understand the history and principles of constitutional government. The program focuses on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and fosters civic competence and responsibility among students in…

There is a necessary connection between civics and economics in education for democracy. This connection should be reflected in school curricula. This digest discusses: (1) federal legislation and programs promoting civics and economics; (2) the connections between civics and economics in the study of the U.S. Constitution; (3) the status of…

This student text and teacher's guide are part of a curriculum unit that examines the process and progress of democratic government from ancient Greece and Rome through the beginning of the twenty-first century. Part 1, "What is Democracy?" explores the growth and spread of democratic principles throughout the Western world, with…

This article provides examples of how a teacher can take childhood as a main topic of a unit of study and create interesting lessons that cover many aspects of social studies. It describes how a classroom learning community can be a place for helping students practice democratic principles while addressing academic subjects. It demonstrates that…