Can Educators Make a Difference: Experiencing Democracy in Education

A vibrant and participatory democracy is vital to Australia's national security. International research finds that teachers understand democracy as an obligation to vote and obey laws. This has implications for how education supports, cultivates, engages in and with democracy in classrooms. This research analyses perspectives, experiences and perceptions of democracy among educators, including teacher-educators, teachers, both practising and pre-service. Findings will enable a comparative and comprehensive understanding of how democracy is practised by teachers. This will have great benefit to the development of appropriate teacher educator training , and civics and citizenship programs to promote and strengthen our democratic society.