Mobile Learning for Social Change: Democratizing Education and Civic Engagement

Background: Theories Of Technology And Democratic Education

What is meant by democratic education? For philosopher and activist John Dewey the concept of democratic education centered on nurturing students’ abilities to observe their environment as well as to encourage their development of creativity. Dewey staunchly supported the designing of educational spaces that linked the students’ life experiences with the classroom curriculum. School for Dewey was not a place for rote memorization and lecture-based instruction, but rather a place where what is taught is directly relevant to the current social circumstance and experience of the student. Dewey sought to connect the social life of the school with that outside of school walls with the intention that students learn to become aware of how their actions affect their peers and others in the larger society (Dewey, 1916). In his seminal work Democracy and Education, Dewey noted that “in the final account, then not only does social life demand teaching and learning for its own permanence, but the very process of living together educates” (Dewey, 1916, p6). In essence one critical purpose of formal schooling is to develop informed citizens who can thrive and contribute to a democratic society.

Building on Dewey’s vision of developing informed and active citizens in a democratic society Westheimer & Kahne (2004) describe three ways that individuals can become civically involved. First, there is the personally responsible citizen who volunteers, and takes seriously his/her role as a law-abiding individual. Secondly, the participatory citizen is active at the local, state or national levels. In schools, for example, students are taught how government works and are provided with opportunities to train and take part in community-based initiatives. Finally, the justice-oriented citizen practices democracy by studying the socio-economic and political structure of society and mobilizing solutions to effect systemic change. The justice-oriented citizen inquires about the root causes of social problems and creates opportunities in community to address challenges and find long-term solutions. Both the participatory and the justice-oriented citizen move beyond the responsibilities of the individual to engage with their communities, and both encourage a certain level of discussion and deliberation to solve problems.