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A Comparison of Teaching Politics to Secondary School Students in Portugal and in the Netherlands
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Abstract(s)
This Master Dissertation is a combination of Political Science and Educational Science. This
research investigates the differences and similarities in teaching politics to secondary school
students in the Netherlands and in Portugal. The main aim is to discover these differences with a
comparison of educational systems and teaching methods in political science in secondary
schools. In order to do this, this research includes first a chapter on didactics and pedagogics. In
this chapter different theories on teaching and development psychology are discussed. The
literature review leads me to the conclusion that currently constructivism is used as a theory on
teaching. I try to balance constructivism with the other theory, behaviourism. For the continuing
of the research I assume constructivism, and its assumptions on theories as guided participation
and scaffolding, as a theoretical basis to explore the educational system and the concepts and
how this possibly affects the cognitive, moral, and affective development, eventually feeding
active citizenship. In both educational systems the formation of active citizenship is considered
important, but it is differently characterised. In Portugal, students are able to choose the course
on politics in the final grade as a voluntary course. In the Netherlands students are first
introduced to politics in a mandatory course on society in the fourth grade. In the fifth and sixth
grade they are able to choose the voluntary course on politics and society. Within these courses,
students learn about politics. In the Portuguese course there is nor a priori teaching method, it is
based on a curriculum the teachers use to prepare the classes, while in the Netherlands the
course has a teaching method and a textbook for students as a guideline through the concepts of
political science. The most important concepts the students need to learn are evaluated in this
research, and connected with academic definitions. The courses both have some advantages and
disadvantages. These will be discussed with the theories on constructivist and behaviourist
teaching in the conclusion of this thesis.
Description
Dissertação apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciência Política e Relações Internacionais