Conference Agenda

This contribution addresses Track A by examining how service-learning can be intentionally designed as a didactical method to foster democratic competences, critical thinking, and civic engagement. It focuses on the pedagogical “how” of democracy education through e-service-learning, highlighting the role of digital tools and international collaboration in enabling inclusive participation and intercultural dialogue .

“Global Classroom: Democracy by Design” is a seven-week Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) trajectory connecting students from Thomas More (Belgium) and Brazil. In intercultural teams, students design digital solutions to enhance youth participation in democratic processes, resulting in prototypes such as apps, platforms, and awareness-driven concepts.

The didactical design combines experiential learning, societal relevance, and structured reflection. Two key activities structure the learning process: (1) a democracy spectrum mapping exercise, where students position and justify their views on democratic issues, fostering critical dialogue and perspective-taking; and (2) the development and presentation of a functional prototype, requiring students to translate democratic values into actionable digital solutions.

Within this framework, “service” is conceptualized as the creation of digital public-value artefacts addressing civic needs. This reflects a qualified, design-oriented interpretation of service-learning, aligned with emerging forms of e-service-learning, where service is delivered indirectly through outputs rather than direct community engagement.

The project aligns with the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC), which defines competences as observable behaviours developed through learning . The strongest alignment concerns competences related to valuing democracy and cultural diversity, respect, civic-mindedness, tolerance of ambiguity, and analytical and critical thinking. Additional competences—such as listening, co-operation, and intercultural communication—are activated through sustained team collaboration. These are observable in students’ interactions, design decisions, and reflective outputs.

A key reflection concerns the balance between authentic service and pedagogical feasibility. While democratic competences are clearly operationalized, the absence of structured community partnerships remains a limitation. This contribution demonstrates how e-service-learning can function as a didactical method for democracy education, while critically reflecting on its boundaries and potential.