The Future of Education
Can Social Education Contribute to a More Effective Citizenship Education in Schools?
Márcia Cardoso, Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação (inED), Escola Superior de Educação, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (Portugal)
Fátima Correia, Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação (inED), Escola Superior de Educação, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (Portugal)
Teresa Martins, Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação (inED), Escola Superior de Educação,Instituto Politécnico do Porto (Portugal)
Abstract
Citizenship Education emerges in political debates and gains visibility in the media. We are living in an era of uncertainty and rapid changes, and schools are not immune to these processes, nor can they remain indifferent to them. Citizenship has never been so questioned, while the current scenario
demands a new way of looking at the world. The upcoming challenges are expected to be significant, requiring schools to adapt so that future generations can respect Human Rights, value diversity, and fight for intercultural and just societies.
We know that more challenging scenarios often highlight more clearly what needs to be done. Education plays a fundamental role in social transformation, as it has the power to destabilize the present and pave the way for future educational practices that combine education and citizenship. In the educational contexts of Portugal, the social educator is one of the specialized education professionals prepared to face these new challenges. This is mainly due to their commitment to people, technical versatility, flexibility in their interventions, creativity in dealing with unpredictability,
and proximity to the context and communities.
We aim to contribute to the reflection on the potential role of the social educator in the school environment, based on the principle of active student participation and teamwork with teachers and other professionals. The Citizenship Education subject can serve as a starting point for the development of diverse projects in schools, helping to integrate Citizenship into school spaces — classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds — as suggested by approaches such as the Whole School Approach, and promoting the transformation of behaviors and attitudes among children and young people in Portugal but also to promote a better acceptance of diversity and favor the social and educational inclusion of migrants. Our goal is to offer suggestions for rethinking Citizenship Education, so that it contributes to a true ethical and political learning experience, committed to social change and transformation.
Keywords: Social Education, Citizenship, Participation
REFERENCES
[1] European Commission, European Education and Culture Executive Agency (2017). Citizenship education at school in Europe, 2017, Publications Office, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2797/536166
[2] Fioretti, F., & Cabral, I. (2023). Educação para cidadania e liderança escolar: um estudo qualitativo em Itália e Portugal. Revista Portuguesa de Investigação Educacional, (25), 1-21.
https://doi.org/10.34632/investigacaoeducacional.2023.15934
[3] Martins, F.; Cardoso, J.; Fernandes, S. & Machado, S. (2022). Dentro e fora da caixa: ONG e escolas juntas na educação para a cidadania. Caminhos e inspirações. Sinergias diálogos educativos para a transformação social. 161-162.
