This book uses international collaboration between nine European countries to explore how teacher education systems across Europe perceive and act upon devolving democracy and democratic citizenship. Understanding these countries’ cultural approaches to individual and national priorities in education is essential in perceiving similarities and differences in the meaning of ‘democracy’. The book offers debate on the prospects for teacher education and the development of democratic citizenship in Europe based on historical, political, economic and cultural contexts and the Council of Europe’s (CoE) competences for democratic citizenship. With critical analysis and evaluation around the common theme of teacher education and its role in developing democratic citizenship, the book provides awareness and understanding of how teacher education responds to the Council of Europe’s (CoE) conceptual model of competences for democratic culture. 20 competences categorized as Values, Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge and Critical Understanding are defined so they can be taught to enable learners to practice them in their daily lives as democratic citizens. This book will be of key interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of teacher education, educational policy and politics, and citizenship education.

A professional development programme for teachers, designed to support and promote the teaching of controversial issues in schools in Europe. This publication offers practical guidance, support and training to help strengthen the handling of controversial issues in schools and other educational settings. It seeks to help teachers, leaders and trainers to effectively address controversial issues as part of their everyday professional practice. This is essential if education is to equip children and young people with the competences needed to protect and defend human rights, democracy and the rule of law, to participate effectively and to live peacefully with others in our culturally diverse societies.

This publication sets out the core competences needed by teachers to put democratic citizenship and human rights into practice in the classroom, throughout the school and in the wider community. It is intended for all teachers, not only specialists but teachers in all subject areas, and teacher educators working in higher-education institutions or other settings, both in pre- and in-service training. Some 15 competences are presented and grouped into four clusters. Each cluster of competences corresponds to one chapter, within which the competences are described in detail and exemplified. The reader will find progression grids and suggested developmental activities for each competence: these grids, featuring focusing, developing, established and advanced practice, aim to help teachers and teacher educators determine the level to which their professional practice corresponds, and thus identify specific and practical improvements upon which they can focus.

The All-European Study gives a systematic description of Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC) policies in the Council of Europe member states. Research was conducted in 2002 at national level, involving national EDC co-ordinators, practitioners and other stakeholders. In 2003 a group of experts produced five regional studies that were submitted for consultation to national authorities in member states with a final feedback given at the EDC Policy Seminar held in Strasbourg in September of the same year. The study contains recommendations and examples of good practice in EDC policy implem.

Teacher Education Policy and Practice in Europe provides a critical overview of the current challenges facing teacher education policy and practice in Europe. Drawing on a wide range of contributions, the book demonstrates that in order for teachers to reassume their role as agents of change, it is crucial to create a vision of a future European teacher and promote active engagement in preparing children to live and act in a multicultural and increasingly changing world. The book suggests ways in which teachers could be prepared to meet and overcome the struggles they will encounter in the classroom, including recommendations for teacher education, which open up new possibilities for policy, practice and research. Considering their own experiences as teachers, contributors also cover topics such as teacher education for the 21st century, the profile of the European teacher, citizenship and identity, social inclusion, linguistic and cultural diversity, and comparative education. Teacher Education Policy and Practice in Europe is essential reading for academics, researchers and postgraduate students engaged in the study of teacher education, educational policy and educational theory. It should also be of great interest to research-active teacher educators and practising teachers.

On cover: Learning and living democracy

The objective of this manual is to support teachers and practitioners in Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (EDC/HRE). It addresses key questions about EDC and HRE, including competences for democratic citizenship, the objectives and basic principles of EDC/HRE, and a whole school approach to education for democracy and human rights. The manual consists of three parts. Part I outlines the basic principles of EDC/HRE as far as they are helpful and meaningful for the practitioner. Part II gives guidelines and tools to design, support and assess the students' processes of constructivist and interactive learning. Part III provides toolboxes for teachers and students in EDC/HRE. The other volumes in this series offer concrete teaching models and materials in EDC/HRE for pupils from elementary to upper secondary level.