B.05. Democratic Education and Critical Thinking: Innovative Practices in School

It is now widely acknowledged that educational systems play a crucial role in preparing young people to become active, responsible, and engaged citizens in democratic societies (see European Commission JRC 2020). This role becomes even more significant in the current context, marked by a crisis in democratic concepts and practices and by onlife forms of existence shaped by artificial intelligence, which call for the development of a robust critical mindset (L. Floridi 2025).

Within the educational field, innovative and dialogic teaching practices—characterised by a strong student-centred orientation and by the promotion of active, experiential, and collaborative learning to address complex issues—appear particularly effective in responding to the dual need to foster both democratic competence and critical thinking. This approach aligns with the Deweyan view that the school must, above all, constitute a learning environment both of and for democracy (J. Dewey 1916).

Building on these considerations, and in line with topic b of Axis 8, we invite contributions that shed light on how schools are seeking to innovate their curricula to promote democratic competence through the adoption of ad hoc methodologies and assessment practices. We particularly welcome presentations of educational experiences aimed at cultivating thinking skills and attitudes by participation in processes of shared knowledge construction. Such practices enable pupils to experience cooperation and responsibility toward a common goal, while also helping them develop the confidence needed to reach well-grounded insights into the crucial challenges of our time and to contribute meaningfully to the strengthening of democratic society.