El Debate con Finalidades Democráticas y Filosóficas: una herramienta útil para abordar Problemas Sociales Relevantes

The article analyzes the Democratic and Philosophical Aims Debate (DPAD), adapted from the French practice Discussion à visée démocratique et philosophique (DVDP), in teacher training to address Relevant Social Issues (RSI). This third-generation cooperative learning research adopts a structural approach that organizes peer interaction. It was developed in four phases: literature review and familiarization, DFDF design and validation, use in a university classroom (n=51), and qualitative analysis with Atlas.ti and a SWOT matrix to identify weaknesses, threats, strengths, and opportunities. The results highlight that the DFDF fosters reflective and critical thinking, providing a structured, inclusive, and cooperative democratic framework that facilitates respectful expression of ideas, equity, and self-confidence in participation. The adaptation to discuss RSI generates a pragmatic, contextualized approach that connects with educational realities. Limitations include excessive dependence on the moderator and limited use of advanced reflective thinking. To optimize its use, it is recommended to introduce the role of facilitator from the original DVDP, better train the moderators, and add complementary activities on critical and literacy thinking, and learning by teaching. In conclusion, the DFDF is a valuable tool for discussing RSI in a structured manner, promoting peer learning and democratic education in teacher training, and preparing future teachers as facilitators of democratic, reflective, and critical debate spaces in their classrooms.