2 – Work file 13: General principles for evaluating EDC/HRE

“EDC/HRE is a dynamic, all-inclusive and forward-oriented concept. It promotes the idea of school as a community of learning and teaching for life in a democracy, which goes far beyond any particular school subject, classroom teaching or traditional teacher-student relationship” (Council of Europe, Democratic Governance of Schools, 2005, p. 80).

Values, attitudes and behaviour

As pointed out in Part 1 of this volume, EDC/HRE is primarily concerned with changes of values and attitudes – and behaviour. As in all evaluations – be it students, teachers or schools – assessing dimensions like values and attitudes is extremely difficult as it bears the risk of a very subjective interpretation. Moreover, values and attitudes not only express themselves explicitly through direct behaviour but are included implicitly in the way a school works, communicates and organises itself.

How to collect data

Evaluating EDC/HRE in a school can be done in various ways. The EDC/HRE indicators only provide the general framework for developing the different ways of collecting data or for defining the different methods to be used for getting information.

For this, the following questions can be helpful (ibid., p. 81):

• What: What Information and evidence is to be looked for?
  • organisation of the school
  • dominant values in the classroom
  • understanding of key concepts
  • relationships of authority, etc.
• Where: Which EDC/HRE learning setting does the relevant indicator/subtheme refer to and where can evidence be found?
  • class teaching
  • morning assembly
  • group work within EDC/HRE class
  • school celebration
  • project week, etc.
• Material: Which documents will provide the necessary information?
  • school policy document
  • school curricula
  • school statute
  • students’ charter
  • teachers’ code of ethics, etc.
• Who: Which persons/groups of stakeholders will provide the necessary Information?
  • students
  • teachers
  • parents
  • local administration
  • NGOs, etc.
• How: How are data to be collected, which method is going to be used
  • questionnaire
  • focus group
  • discussion
  • individual interviews
  • observation, etc.