2 – Work file 12: Quality indicators of EDC/HRE in a school

Living Democracy » Textbooks » 2 – Work file 12: Quality indicators of EDC/HRE in a school

The Council of Europe tool “Quality Assurance of Education for Democratic Citizenship in Schools” includes a set of these indicators divided into subthemes and descriptors which reflect a desired quality of EDC/HRE in a school. These criteria can be used for judgment and evaluation. Applying this will deliver a comparison between the status quo of a school in terms of EDC/HRE and the desired goals.

The table below – part of the above-mentioned tool – can be used for assessing the status quo of EDC/HRE in a school according to quality indicators.44

Areas Quality indicators Subthemes
Curriculum, teaching and learning Indicator 1
Is there evidence of an adequate place for EDC/HRE in the school’s goals, policies and curriculum plans?
  • School policies
  • School development planning in EDC/HRE
  • EDC/HRE and the school curriculum
  • Co-ordinating EDC/HRE

Indicator 2

Is there evidence of students and teachers acquiring understanding of EDC/HRE and applying these principles to their everyday practice in schools and classrooms?
  • EDC /HRE learning outcomes
  • Teaching and learning methods and processes
  • Monitoring EDC/HRE

Indicator 3

Are the design and practice of assessment within the school consonant with EDC?
  • Transparency
  • Fairness
  • Improvement
School ethos and climate

Indicator 4

Does the school ethos adequately reflect EDC/HRE principles?
  • Application of EDC/HRE principles and values in everyday life
  • Relationship and patterns of authority
  • Opportunities for participation and self-expression
  • Procedures for resolving conflicts and dealing with violence, bullying and discrimination, including discipline policies
Management and development

Indicator 5

Is there evidence of effective school leadership based on EDC/HRE principles?
  • Leadership style
  • Decision making
  • Shared responsibility, collaboration and teamwork
  • Responsiveness

Indicator 6

Does the school have a sound development plan reflecting EDC/ HRE principles?
  • Participation and inclusiveness
  • Professional and organisational development
  • Management of resources
  • Self-evaluation, monitoring and accountability

(Council of Europe, Democratic Governance of Schools, 2005, p. 58)

44. When the tool was developed in 2005, indicators in the table above were only described as EDC indicators. The extension to EDC/HRE was added to the table for this volume.

2 - Work file 11: Assessment of EDC/HRE in schools
2 - Work file 13: General principles for evaluating EDC/HRE
Print
Download