Changes towards democracy in general secondary education – how is it understood by students?

Abstract

The subject matter addressed in this paper, also appearing in theoretical considerations and research carried out over the past 30 years, seems to be particularly relevant from the viewpoint of the democratic changes in Polish schools. The COVID-19 pandemic, lasting for over two years, was a time which brought specific experiences to young people, also related to education. The article starts with theoretical considerations focusing on the values, which are of particular relevance for assessing the state of the democratic changes in this institution. The text also focuses on various issues related to the organs of school democracy, i.e., student self-government and school council. The next part of the article explains the procedure used in the current study. In its central part, the article presents findings of the study assessing how secondary school students understood democratic changes in education in their schools during the specific time of the COVID-19 pandemic (during distance learning and face-to-face interactions at school). The text ends with conclusions from the present study, followed by pedagogical recommendations for secondary school headmasters, teachers and educators as well as students.