1. COMPETENCES FOR DEMOCRATIC CULTURE The European Resource Centre on Education for Human Rights, Democratic Citizenship and Intercultural Understanding

2. Democratic culture Democracy depends on institutions and laws but democratic institutions and laws will not work in practice unless citizens have the appropriate attitudes and behaviours that make democracy work in practice. This is democratic culture, and it needs to be built anew in each generation and to be maintained.

3. Democratic culture and intercultural dialogue No democracy without acknowledgement of diversity – no intercultural understanding and dialogue without democratic principles of equality and the rule of law Education should prepare children and young people for life as active citizens in culturally diverse democratic societies

4. Active democratic citizenship needs competent citizens "We do not all necessarily need to leave school or university with qualifications in biology, history or journalism, but we all need democratic and intercultural competences; that is, the values, attitudes, skills, knowledge and critical understanding that enable us to participate effectively in today’s diverse democracies“ Snežana Samardžić-Marković/CoE Director General for Democracy

5. What are competences? “Competences” describe what a person knows, understands and is able to do, as well as the person’s values and attitudes, i.e. not only what a person is able but also willing to do. Including values and attitudes is important because they may orient a citizen’s action: there are things we may be able to do but that we should, for moral and ethical reasons, refrain from doing.

6. The Council of Europe project «Competences for Democratic Culture» In many education systems, developing democratic competences has lower priority than acquiring skills and knowledge needed for the labour market By developing a framework which describes the main competences citizens require in order to participate effectively in a democratic society the CoE wishes to increase the focus on these competences in education systems and education practice.

7. The elements of the framework A conceptual model of the competences which citizens require to participate effectively in democratic citizenship and intercultural dialogue Behavioural descriptors for each individual competence that is specified in the model (What shows that someone has developed a certain competence?) Supporting documentation to explain how the competence model and the scaled descriptors can be used to assist curriculum design, the design of instructional methods, and the development of new forms of assessment

8. The 20 competences in the framework ValuesAttitudesSkillsKnowledge and Critical Understanding 1. Valuing other human beings, human dignity and human rights 1. Openness to cultural otherness and to other beliefs, world views and practices 1. Autonomous learning skills 1. Knowledge and critical understanding of the self 2. Valuing cultural difference, diversity and cultural otherness 2. Respect an tolerance 2. Analytical and critical thinking skills 2. Knowledge and critical understanding of language and communication 3. Valuing democracy, justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law 3. Civic-mindedness 3. Skills of listening and observing 3. Knowledge and critical understanding of the world 4. Responsibility 4. Empathy and decentring 5. Self-efficacy and self-confidence 5. Flexibility and adaptability 6. Tolerance for ambiguity 6. Linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills 7. Cooperation skills 8. Conflict-resolution skills

9. How do you describe competences? Competences will be described using a set of descriptors – that means through statements of observable behaviours which show that a person has developed a certain competence

10. Can you give an example of a descriptor? For valuing other human beings, human dignity and human rights: Respects the equal dignity of all human beings Demonstrates appreciation of the universal and inalienable nature of human rights Can recognise the common humanity of all people irrespective of their particular cultural differences.

11. Can you give an example of a descriptor? For cooperation skills: When working on a group activity, ensures the equal participation of all When working cooperatively, supports other members of their group Considers the views of other people when analysing the situation.

12. What will the framework be used for? The competences & descriptors can be used in schools, universities, and other education settings to review and develop curricula, study programmes and pedagogy (planning, teaching and assessment) designed to help students become active democratic citizens and to assess their progress.

13. Who are the target groups? Education policy makers and practitioners, including ministries, schools and universities, teachers, teacher educators and curriculum developers... In other words: YOU!!!

14. You can support the development of the framework! By -helping to validate the descriptors -giving general feedback

15. A validation exercise: Which component does a descriptor relate to? Shows interest in learning about people’s beliefs, values, traditions and worldviews o Valuing other human beings, human dignity and human rights o Valuing cultural difference, diversity and cultural otherness o Openness towards people who are perceived to have different cultural affiliations from oneself

16. Another validation exercise: How good is the descriptor? “Shows interest in learning about people’s beliefs, values, traditions and worldviews” Is it expressed clearly and understandably? Does it describe a concrete and observable behaviour? Can it be observed in an educational situation? Which level(s) of education do you think it fits best?

17. The activity o 30 descriptors to be validated o A combination of the two “operations” (combining, rating) o The function: reducing the descriptors – the best will be filtered out o How to do it: follow your first impression, do not spend much time on each item! o It will take about 45 minutes