Exploring Democratic Education and Pedagogical Practices for Sustainable Democracy
From March to May 2025, the UNI-T Teacher Academy organised its fifth and final Community of Practice, focused on Democracy Education. Led by the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen (Germany), this training brought together educators from five European countries to deepen their understanding of democratic pedagogies.
The course was structured in three stages:
A kick-off online session on 6 March 2025,
A 2.5-day in-person meeting from 14 to 16 May 2025 in Tübingen, with five selected and funded participants,
A wrap-up online session on 22 May 2025.
Unlike previous Communities of Practice, this edition was held entirely in English, gathering a focused group of 20 participants during the online sessions.
The programme invited participants to explore key democratic education concepts, including:
The role of educators in fostering democratic values,
Addressing freedom of speech and inclusion of diverse political views,
Practical approaches like Philosophy for Children (P4C) to cultivate respectful, open discussions,
Experiential activities such as the “Barnga” card game to shift perspectives on privilege, and the “Dyade” for practicing active listening.
During the in-person meeting, participants benefited from a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere, facilitated by the Tübingen team. They engaged in deep conversations about their experiences with democracy in education, exchanged best practices, and critically reflected on different educational systems and policies in a constructive and safe space.
A highlight of the meeting was a historical city tour focused on Tübingen’s history which sparked insightful discussions, especially for educators like a History and English teacher from Marseille:
“This opportunity to connect with educators from diverse backgrounds was invaluable. The mix of theory, practice, and reflective dialogue helped me broaden my perspectives and reaffirmed the importance of democracy education. The community spirit was warm and supportive, making it possible to discuss challenging topics openly and constructively.”
The final online wrap-up session allowed participants to reflect on their learning journey, share how the training influenced their teaching, and plan future collaborative activities — including online philosophizing sessions inspired by Freinet pedagogy, presented by colleagues from Greece.
This concluding Community of Practice marked the successful end of the UNI-T Teacher Academy’s Europe-wide collaborative series, fostering new professional networks and innovative pedagogical approaches for inclusive and democratic education.