Reversing democratic decline through political education

This chapter examines the evidence collected in Australia, the US and Europe, and sets out what can be done in schools to help reverse democratic decline. It points to the importance of developing a formal school curriculum by an expert, non-partisan group to structure learning about citizenship, democracy and participation, as there is clear evidence that as students acquire more political knowledge, they develop more engaged political attitudes and activities. Attention is also drawn to the informal curriculum, which may consist of instrumental elements, such as student councils, student elections, student assemblies and student newspapers, and expressive elements, such as clubs, sports, bands and social activities, that can affect student political and civic learning. Finally, there is the role of situated learning where support for open and respectful classroom discussion has been widely found to facilitate understanding of disputed public issues, appreciation of political conflict, and readiness to engage in politics on an informed basis.