Democracy and Education in Democratic Schools: Exploring Gert Biesta's Philosophical Renderings in Teachers' Articulations of Practice

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Democracy and Education in Democratic Schools: Exploring Gert Biesta's Philosophical Renderings in Teachers' Articulations of Practice
Language: English
Authors: Nicole Brunker (ORCID 0000-0003-2565-5161)
Source: Australian Educational Researcher. 2025 52(6):4055-4075.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Descriptors: Democracy, Educational Philosophy, Learner Controlled Instruction, Models, Teacher Attitudes
DOI: 10.1007/s13384-025-00888-4
ISSN: 0311-6999
2210-5328
Abstract: In 'Beyond Learning' Gert Biesta explicated the existence of two key overarching models of democratic education. Through critique of these models Biesta argued for a new direction in education, proposing an alternative model of democratic education based on Arendt's political writings. Biesta's alternative model was proposed as a philosophical possibility with many explicit and implicit questions for practice. This article draws on a project that investigated democratic schoolteachers' conceptualisations of democratic education. My focus is to consider the presence of the models proposed by Biesta's philosophical renderings in the teachers' articulation of philosophy and practice. Presence of each model, along with the overlap between each model across the teachers' perspectives suggests that Biesta's proposal is possible, and existent in teacher perceptions of practice. The interplay of models highlights the evolution of relationship between democracy and education.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492685
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:In 'Beyond Learning' Gert Biesta explicated the existence of two key overarching models of democratic education. Through critique of these models Biesta argued for a new direction in education, proposing an alternative model of democratic education based on Arendt's political writings. Biesta's alternative model was proposed as a philosophical possibility with many explicit and implicit questions for practice. This article draws on a project that investigated democratic schoolteachers' conceptualisations of democratic education. My focus is to consider the presence of the models proposed by Biesta's philosophical renderings in the teachers' articulation of philosophy and practice. Presence of each model, along with the overlap between each model across the teachers' perspectives suggests that Biesta's proposal is possible, and existent in teacher perceptions of practice. The interplay of models highlights the evolution of relationship between democracy and education.
ISSN:0311-6999
2210-5328
DOI:10.1007/s13384-025-00888-4