Research article

Mock elections as a way to cultivate democratic development and a democratic school culture

Authors
  • Isolde de Groot
  • Bram Eidhof

Abstract

Over the last decades, many European Union countries have invested in strengthening participatory learning in citizenship education policy and practice. This survey study provides insight into how high school teachers in the Netherlands advance critical democratic citizenship and a democratic school culture in the context of mock elections. A quarter of the schools that organized mock elections in 2017 participated in the study. Analysis reveals that attention for critical, valuerelated teacher aims and teacher aims directed at strengthening a democratic school culture is still limited in mock election-related education. It also shows that half of the participating schools offer less than one hour of mock electionrelated educational activities, and that one-third of the teachers would like to offer additional educational activities.

Keywords: DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION, MOCK ELECTIONS, DEMOCRATIC SCHOOL CULTURE, SECONDARY EDUCATION

How to Cite:

de Groot, I. & Eidhof, B., (2019) “Mock elections as a way to cultivate democratic development and a democratic school culture”, London Review of Education 17(3), 362–382. doi: https://doi.org/10.18546/LRE.17.3.11

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Published on
01 Nov 2019
Peer Reviewed
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