Background
NECE – Networking European Citizenship Education
Together with networks, universities and educational organisations from five European countries, the German Federal Agency for Civic Education organised the first NECE conference in Santiago de Compostela in September 2004. During the conference the topic of quality assurance has been identified as a crucial item in the recent discussion about EDC. The conclusions of the Viennese workshop will be integrated into the European Conference EYCE 2005: National Experiences – European Challenges (Berlin, 2-4 December 2005).
EYCE 2005 and the Council of Europe´s EDC project
In October 1997 the Council of Europe launched the project "Education for Democratic Citizenship" (1997-2004). Its aim was to develop and promote practices and activities for fostering democratic culture by enabling young people and adults for better participation and active citizenship. Since then, the CoE has provided a forum of discussion between EDC experts and practitioners from all over Europe, who defined concepts, developed strategies and collected good practices on EDC. On the basis of their findings and recommendations the Council of Europe has set policy standards in the field of EDC and advocated their implementation by member States.
Nevertheless a compliance gap between rather well developed EDC policies and significantly weak EDC practices in schools has been identified in various countries. As a response to this compliance gap and to the growing interest in quality assurance issues in education, a Tool for Quality Assurance of Education for Democratic Citizenship in Schools was prepared in November 2004, on the eve of the "European Year of Citizenship through Education" which will conclude the second phase of the EDC project.
Objectives / key issues of the workshop
exchange experiences, share achievements and discuss challenges concerning school development, quality assurance and standards in EDC in formal and non-formal education
presentation and discussion of the Tool for Quality Assurance of Education for Democratic Citizenship in Schools and the method of participatory evaluation
draw conclusions from the presented tools
general exchange about challenges and backdraws of quality assurance
stimulate a broader process for promoting quality assurance in EDC and developing relevant quality standards and tools
provide the opportunity to discuss common concerns on EDC on an international level
Reports
- Interner Link: Report by Viola Georgi - minutes and evaluation (PDF-Version: 67 KB)
- Interner Link: Report by Susan Colquhoun - participant (PDF-Version: 53 KB)
Programme
Friday, 14 October 2005
Sigrid Steininger / Petra Grüne: Welcome Address and Introduction
FORUM "Quality Assurance and Evaluation Process" (Presentations and Discussion)
- Interner Link: Florian Wenzel: Participatory Evaluation of Civic Education (PDF-Version: 222 KB)
- Interner Link: Anja Besand: Quality Assurance, Quality Standards, Evaluation of EDC – drawbacks and Opportunities (PDF-Version: 337 KB)
- Interner Link: Scott Harrison: Quality Assurance, Quality Standards – the English Perspective (PDF-Version: 26 KB)
Saturday, 15 October 2005
FORUM "Tools for Quality Assurance of EDC" (Presentations and Discussion) Janez Krek
Common Conclusions
Sigrid Steininger / Petra Grüne: Closing Address
Facilitation: Birgit Sauer Minutes / Evaluation: Viola Georgi