Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC)
Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC), Human Rights Education (HRE) and their intersection with Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC) are at the center of global action aiming at improving human life, the well-being of all individuals and social change. This specialization aspires to offer teachers and trainers of formal, informal and non-formal education training in Competences for Democratic Culture with the vision of disseminating Democracy in all educational environments, defending human rights and developing Intercultural Competence in an inclusive educational setting. In order to complete their studies and their Master Diploma, students are required to successfully pass a total of 9 courses (7 compulsory and 2 optional) and write up the mandatory Master Thesis.
1st SEMESTER
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 8
The course’s main focus is the identification of identity formation processes (personal/social/cultural etc.) and the recognition of multiple identities within the context of school (formal education) but also in wider educational and non-educational environments.
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 8
The course aims at familiarizing students with the key principles of Democratic Culture and the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture by the Council of Europe (2018) , as well as their correlation and application in the context of the Whole School Approach.
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 9
The course aims at familiarizing students with Human Rights, their characteristics and principles, Human Rights Education and their practical applications in teaching in various educational environments.
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 2
The course aims at training students in work plans and lesson planning, using as their basis the Competences for Democratic Culture of the Reference Framework for Democratic Culture (Council of Europe).
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to familiarize students with teaching techniques and forms of assessment (inductive, summative, formative, etc) and their effective application in the teaching practice, with the aim of promoting the principles of Democracy.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to familiarize students with modern trends in the field of e-learning in order to effectively support the learning process and become able to meet different learning needs with an emphasis on inclusion.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to acquaint students with methods and approaches of Theatre/Drama in Education, with a focus on Intercultural Education, so that they can apply them effectively in different learning and teaching contexts, promoting the principles of Democratic Culture.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims at presenting the Holocaust and its impact on diverse cultural groups (Jews, Roma, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, homosexuals), with the aim of raising awareness against the danger of intolerance.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to familiarize students with the basic principles of the organization and operation of the modern constitutional state, which is based on the democratic and liberal principle. Emphasis will be placed on the protection of constitutionally guaranteed rights.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to train English-language teachers or future teacher in teaching English as a foreign language in the context of multilingual classrooms. It covers all dimensions and areas related to the teaching of English with a special emphasis on the cultivation of Democratic Culture Competencies and Intercultural understanding.
2nd SEMESTER
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 8
The course aims to acquaint students with pedagogical methods and approaches that promote Democratic Culture so that they can effectively apply them to their own educational activities in the context of formal, non-formal and informal education.
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 8
This innovative course focuses on controversial issues, their definition, characteristics and all the necessary tools for teachers to be able to address them during the educational process.
MANDATORY COURSE | ECTS: 11
The course aims to acquaint students with the basic principles of scientific research methodology, research planning, organization and conduct, along with different research methods in the context of quantitative and qualitative approaches, with an emphasis on educational and social research. It is the basis for the preparation of the Master thesis.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to train students to relate Democratic Culture Competencies to the goals of STEM Education, identify pedagogies and approaches that promote Democratic Culture, and apply them effectively to their own teaching of STEM subjects with an emphasis on inclusion.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course focuses on the study of modern teaching techniques, that promote the principles of Democratic Culture, so that students can apply them effectively in their courses. Techniques that are linked to different perceptions of the role of the teacher, the student, forming different values are thoroughly addressed.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course focuses on early childhood education in order for students to be able to identify appropriate Preschool Education Curricula and innovative teaching approaches for the promotion of democratic culture and to apply them effectively in order to promote the principles of Democratic Culture.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to critically understand and recognize hate speech manifested in public discourse in physical and online communication. An attempt is made to connect this linguistic, social phenomenon with hate crimes, so that students are able to understand the emerging dangers for modern democratic societies and human rights.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to acquaint students with the methods of utilizing art/arts for more effective teaching of the subjects included in the Primary and Secondary Education Curriculum, in order to promote attitudes, values and behaviors related to Democratic Culture.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course aims to define and understand the principles of transformative education, so that students are able to design and implement educational programs for Democratic Culture in the context of school Physical Education of any grade.
OPTIONAL COURSE | ECTS: 3
The course focuses on the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in education with the aim to build, equip and sustain a civil society that, driven by equality, inclusion and rights, will promote democracy. Issues of equity, authentic learning for the citizens and the ways in which citizens’ lives are affected by and influence AI will be addressed.
