Educating the democratic citizens of tomorrow. : A study on practising teachers experiences of democracy education in the early years of schooling.

This study aims to examine and contribute to the understanding of how democratic content is presented in selected textbooks, as well as to investigate teachers perceptions regarding the extent to which these textbooks support the teaching of fundamental democratic principles. The teoretical framework is grounded in democratic theory, with particular emphasis on the concepts of democracy as a way of life, democracy as a decision-making process, and deliberative democracy. The empirical material consists of qualitative interviews with four practicing teachers and a content analysis of three textbooks currently used in lower primary education. The finding indicate that teachers predominantly associate democracy education with student-centered practices such as voting and participation in student councils - reflecting democracy as a decision-making process - and with value-based education, corresponding to democracy as a way of life. However, instructional practices that foster deliberative dialogue are rarely given space in the classroom. Moreover, the participating teachers express concern regarding the degree of interpretive flexibility present in the national curriculum. This percieved autonomy in seen to influence teaching content in ways that may hinder the provision of an equitable education, insofar as the responsibility for selecting teaching materials is left to individual educators.