Teachers of secondary school as Democracy Coaches: Study of their conceptions during their initial formation

¹ University of Seville, Didactics of Experimental and Social Sciences Department, Calle Pirotecnia, s/n. 41013 - Sevilla. España.
² University of Seville, Didactics of Language and Literature and Integrated Philologies Department, Calle Pirotecnia, s/n. 41013 - Sevilla. España.

^* Corresponding author: mferreras@us.es † ELEF: European Learning Environment Formats for Citizenship and Democracy, Reference number 580426.

Abstract

This study has been developed within the framework of a European Erasmus + project called ELEF†. The aim of this project is to develop, implement, evaluate and replicate innovative democratic learning environments. With this purpose, the Democracy Coaches are trained as agents of citizen participation and generators of democracy, both in educational centres and in informal educational settings. In this context, and during various training sessions, the Democracy Coaches work with the knowledge and skills they need to acquire. This paper focuses on the study and analysis carried out on the concepts expressed by these teachers of secondary education during their training. In order for them to become democracy coaches in the formal educational field, we address concepts such as democracy, citizenship and the most appropriate teaching-learning methodology for illustrating these concepts and competences, bearing in mind that they should educate citizens with full awareness of their rights and duties.