Pedagogical Horizons
type: channel
description: Online-Journal of the Private University College of the Diocese of Linz, Austria
publisher: Private Pädagogische Hochschule der Diözese Linz, Austria
language: en
publication name: Pedagogical Horizons
issn: 2523-2916
items: Editorial
items: “How can we make our city climate-friendly?”
items: A Differentiated Perspective on the Concept of “Open Instruction”
items: A Comparative Analysis of Primary-School-Relevant Mathematical Knowledge of Beginning Primary Teacher Education Students and Secondary School Graduates in Austria
items: EFL Teachers’ Use of Literary and Creative Texts in Austrian Lower Secondary Schools
items: An exploratory interview study on the Austrian career and education fair “BeSt”
items: Math Conferences in Higher Education
items: Teachers’ self-ffficacy and attitudes toward educational assessment: A study of in-service and pre-service teachers
items: Speaking up for democracy
items: Democracy education in the context of diversity and subjectivity
items: Democratic human rights education – human rights democracy education
items: Promoting democracy through further education
items: Digital judgement skills in democracy education
items: School as an adversary of democracy education
items: Talking – Listening – Getting Involved
items: Democracy through improvisation
items: Between memory and didactics
items: Future-Oriented Learning and Working (ZOLA) as a Contribution to Democratic Education
items: Opportunities for democratic participation for 14-year-old pupils in everyday school life against authoritarian risks
items: The organized debate as a didactic method of civic education in the context of teacher education
items: Democracy Education in Primary Social Science
items: When mathematizing fails
items: Professional relationship building as a skill in school development consulting
items: Student participation using the example of creative service learning
items: Teachers of the future
items: Reflexivity in transformational processes of Bildung
items: Group dynamics and drama in education in dialogue
items: Through dialogue towards dialogue

Editorial
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Martin Kramer
creator: Thomas Schöftner
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Martin Kramer, Thomas Schöftner https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: vii
ending page: x
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-00

“How can we make our city climate-friendly?”
type: item
description: This article presents a project aimed at developing a so-called ‘serious game’ that combines the themes of climate adaptation and the energy transition within an urban planning scenario for (younger) school pupils. The educational objectives are to raise awareness of climate change and the energy transition using real-life examples, and to foster skills such as an understanding of systems, forward thinking and collaborative problem-solving. The article outlines the iterative development process of the game and addresses the didactic and pedagogical challenge of developing a coherent game concept and an engaging game design, whilst conveying scientifically accurate technical and factual knowledge without reducing the complexity beyond what is professionally justifiable. To this end, an interdisciplinary team of experts from various fields (science, planning and didactics) was assembled, which incorporated the pupils’ perspective through several feedback loops. The focus is on target-group-oriented preparation for the two age groups 8 to 10 years (primary level) and 11 to 14 years (lower secondary level) – an aspect that has received little attention to date in research on the development processes of serious games. Building on this, experiences and feedback from the pilot studies, as well as initial findings from the accompanying didactic evaluations at one primary school and three secondary schools, will be reported and put forward for discussion.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: game-based education
  topic: keywords
subject: city planning
  topic: keywords
subject: urban energy systems
  topic: keywords
subject: climate education
  topic: keywords
creator: Peter Kurz
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Peter Kurz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 117
ending page: 134
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-07

A Differentiated Perspective on the Concept of “Open Instruction”
type: item
description: In the German-speaking educational discourse, open instruction (Offener Unterricht) is a widely discussed response to increasing classroom heterogeneity, individualized learning pathways, and the growing demand for student participation. However, there is no shared understanding of the concept, nor is there a systematic operationalization of open instruction. This study aims to examine how open instruction and the opening of instruction are defined and described in the literature through a scoping review. The screening process yielded 49 German- or English-language publications focusing on school contexts (primary and secondary education) published since 2000. These publications were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results revealed four central approaches to conceptualizing open instruction: definitions based on core characteristics, instructional approaches, contrasts and delimitations, and dimensions of openness. Despite considerable conceptual heterogeneity, enabling students’ self-determination and co-determination emerges as a common core. Thus, openness appears not as a dichotomous feature, but rather as a context-sensitive, gradually varying principle of instructional design. Based on the analysis, a model was developed that conceptualizes openness in instruction as a dynamic design process rather than a predefined goal. This model can serve as a foundation for teachers' practical considerations in instructional design and for future theoretical and empirical work. It contributes to a more systematic description of the concept of open instruction.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: open instruction
  topic: keywords
subject: self-determination
  topic: keywords
subject: participation
  topic: keywords
subject: instructional design
  topic: keywords
subject: scoping review
  topic: keywords
creator: David Hubner
creator: Daniela Longhino
creator: Fabian Feyertag
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 David Hubner, Daniela Longhino, Fabian Feyertag https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 135
ending page: 160
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-08

A Comparative Analysis of Primary-School-Relevant Mathematical Knowledge of Beginning Primary Teacher Education Students and Secondary School Graduates in Austria
type: item
description: This study investigates, based on two representative samples (n_students = 289, n_graduates = 249), whether first-year students in primary teacher education in Austria demonstrate lower levels of primary-school-relevant mathematical content knowledge compared to secondary school graduates. The analysis examines whether potential performance differences indicate a specific negative selection into primary teacher education or whether they can be explained by structural characteristics of the comparison groups. A slight advantage is observed for the secondary school graduates (r = .09), particularly in the domain of measurement and quantities. However, the teacher education students show greater homogeneity in their results. When gender is taken into account — approximately 90% of the teacher education students are female — no evidence of negative selection is found. General gender disparities in mathematics achievement in Austria help to contextualize the differences between the groups. Despite higher average scores among the secondary school graduates, the overall rate of correctly solved mathematical tasks remains low in both groups, indicating fundamental deficits. The findings suggest that basic mathematical concepts are only partially available in both groups and that subject-specific entry requirements at the beginning of studies cannot be taken for granted. These results highlight the importance of explicitly addressing mathematical content knowledge in teacher education and building on the existing initial conditions. However, further conclusions regarding the design of teacher education programs cannot be derived from the present findings.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: primary school teaching
  topic: keywords
subject: mathematical knowledge
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher training
  topic: keywords
subject: comparative analysis
  topic: keywords
creator: Robert Schütky
creator: Martina Greiler
creator: Tanja Lobnig
creator: Simon Plangg
creator: Andrea Varelija-Gerber
creator: Karl-Heinz Graß
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Robert Schütky, Martina Greiler, Tanja Lobnig, Simon Plangg, Andrea Varelija-Gerber, Karl-Heinz Graß https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 39
ending page: 60
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-03

EFL Teachers’ Use of Literary and Creative Texts in Austrian Lower Secondary Schools
type: item
description: This interview study examines the role of literary and creative texts (LCT) in English language teaching (ELT) at the lower secondary level in Austria. Against the backdrop of current debates in foreign‑language literary didactics and the implementation of the new Austrian EFL curriculum (Lehrplan 2023), the study investigates which LCT types teachers use, the objectives they pursue, the methods they apply, and the challenges they face. Drawing on 12 semi‑structured interviews with EFL teachers from Compulsory and Academic Secondary Schools (Lower Cycle) , the qualitative content analysis reveals that songs, graded readers, and films or video clips constitute the most frequently used LCT types, while newer forms such as graphic novels or digital games remain largely underutilised. Teachers predominantly employ LCT for functional‑pragmatic purposes, particularly to support language‑skill development and practise lexico‑grammatical features. Emancipatory‑reflective objectives – such as fostering intercultural learning, literary awareness, or reading for pleasure – emerge far less prominently, with motivation being the most frequently cited benefit. The findings indicate that curricular pressures, textbook‑driven instruction, limited resources, and methodological uncertainties significantly restrict teachers’ ability to exploit the full potential of LCT. The study highlights the need for expanded teacher education, more supportive teaching materials, and further large‑scale research to strengthen LCT‑based pedagogy in Austrian ELT.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: literary and creative texts
  topic: keywords
subject: lower secondary school
  topic: keywords
subject: ELT in Austria
  topic: keywords
creator: Gudrun Keplinger
creator: Harald Spann
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Gudrun Keplinger, Harald Spann https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 61
ending page: 78
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-04

An exploratory interview study on the Austrian career and education fair “BeSt”
type: item
description: Trade fairs play a central role in German-speaking countries and cover a wide range of different areas, including career and education fairs. However, there is little empirical evidence available on the role and significance of these fairs. This article therefore examines the significance of education fairs in general and how educational institutions can present themselves at such events. To this end, guided interviews (N=10) were conducted with stand managers from secondary schools exhibiting at Austria's largest career and education fair, “BeSt.” The evaluation was carried out using the grounded theory approach. The results show, among other things, that the role of education fairs is viewed as ambivalent overall: on the one hand, there is a lack of financial resources and clear strategies for professional presentation and targeted communication with visitors. On the other hand, education fairs are seen as a useful preliminary stage for school advertising activities, such as open days. Based on the overall findings, the article derives strategic considerations in terms of a fair participation strategy, which requires appropriate framework conditions, the creation of which is also the responsibility of the education administration.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: career and education fairs
  topic: keywords
subject: interview study
  topic: keywords
subject: grounded theory
  topic: keywords
subject: secondary education
  topic: keywords
subject: school development
  topic: keywords
creator: Andreas Schreier
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Andreas Schreier https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 99
ending page: 116
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-06

Math Conferences in Higher Education
type: item
description: This article describes the use of maths conferences as a teaching methodology in higher education to develop professional teaching skills amongst trainee primary school teachers. Starting with semi-written addition, students experience a shift in perspective: they analyse children’s solutions, reflect on mathematical language and practise leading discussions. Combining this with the Think-Pair-Share method supports diagnostic skills, language development and communicative competence. The focus is on the question of what learning opportunities the maths conference, as a communicative format in higher education, opens up, and to what extent this can generate impetus for professional perception, diagnosis and language-sensitive action, as well as perspectives that extend beyond mathematics. The article highlights potential for transfer and identifies a research gap.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: math conference
  topic: keywords
subject: diagnostic skills
  topic: keywords
subject: language awareness
  topic: keywords
subject: mental addition strategies
  topic: keywords
subject: primary teacher education
  topic: keywords
creator: Magdalena Denk
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Magdalena Denk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 27
ending page: 38
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-02

Teachers’ self-ffficacy and attitudes toward educational assessment: A study of in-service and pre-service teachers
type: item
description: The accurate assessment of pupils’ learning progress and support needs is a key competence for teachers, one that underpins both adaptive teaching and educational equity. Alongside subject knowledge and methodological skills, personal factors such as diagnostic self-efficacy and attitudes towards educational assessment play a decisive role in this regard. This study examines the characteristics and correlates of these two dimensions among teachers and trainee teachers. To this end, 107 individuals (85 teachers, 22 trainee teachers) from various types of schools were surveyed. The survey was conducted using standardised online questionnaires, including a sophisticated instrument that, for the first time, systematically and differentially measures self-efficacy and attitudes towards educational assessment according to cognitive, emotional and behavioural facets. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results show that teachers exhibit higher diagnostic self-efficacy than students and that this increases with professional experience. Furthermore, attitudes towards assessment vary depending on the type of school: teachers in specialised school types demonstrate more positive attitudes towards assessment and higher self-efficacy. The findings underscore the need for school-type-specific professional development to promote diagnostic skills.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: teachers' assessment
  topic: keywords
subject: self-efficacy
  topic: keywords
subject: attitudes
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher education
  topic: keywords
creator: Robin Junker
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Robin Junker https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 79
ending page: 98
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-05

Editorial
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Wolfgang Bilewicz
creator: Bernadette Hörmann
creator: Martin Kramer
creator: Severin Renoldner
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Wolfgang Bilewicz, Bernadette Hörmann, Martin Kramer, Severin Renoldner https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: vii
ending page: xii
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-00

Speaking up for democracy
type: item
description: Liberal democracies are on the brink. Some voters support the transformation of democracy into autocracy, other citizens are worried about it. This article discusses democracy talks – streetworking for democracy – as a low-threshold approach of civic education in public spaces. Based on a specific grassroot-initiative, it describes and analyzes the conditions, possibilities, and practices for strengthening democratic attitudes and political forces using the dialogue method. The result: the concept of democracy cannot remain abstractly institutional and procedural in discussion formats, but must be approached from a daily life perspective. Streetworking for democracy is more than just listening; statements that reject democracy and are hostile to social groups must be contradicted. This requires time, passion, and further training.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: dialogue formats
  topic: keywords
subject: resilient democracy
  topic: keywords
subject: low-threshold democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: street work for democracy
  topic: keywords
subject: civil society
  topic: keywords
creator: Sieglinde Rosenberger
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sieglinde Rosenberger https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 1
ending page: 12
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-01

Democracy education in the context of diversity and subjectivity
type: item
description: The article presents existential pedagogy as an approach to adequately teaching democratic principles, such as the free development of personality, in school lessons. This teaching and learning theory is based on the principles of Alfried Längle's existential analysis and thus also on Viktor Frankl's underlying logotherapy. For both, the focus is on the individual and their relationship to their life. Using an example from school practice (the transfer of an 11-year-old transgender child with autistic traits to a new school), the article describes how an inclusive approach, taking into account the principles of existential pedagogy, contributes to the understanding of the entire class regarding the importance of diversity and subjectivity as the basis for democratic coexistence.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: existential pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: existential analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: dialogical democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: case study
  topic: keywords
creator: Karl Sibelius
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Karl Sibelius https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 13
ending page: 26
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-02

Democratic human rights education – human rights democracy education
type: item
description: How can human rights be taught in a way that contributes to respectful coexistence? This article builds a bridge between the fundamentals of human rights education and the phenomenological concept of otherness, and then illustrates the consequences using two teaching examples. It begins with the concept of education about, through and for human rights, as enshrined in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training (2011). It then contextualises the status quo of the implementation of children's rights in Austria by examining the problem of anti-democratic educational practices. In a further step, the assertion and enforcement of (legal) claims is outlined as a relational practice and explored in greater depth using the phenomenological concept of ‘otherness’. The practical implementation is then illustrated and systematically explained using two teaching examples. The focus is on the practices of addressing, engaging in democratic discourse, and dealing with justifications for behaviour that violates human rights or fails to promote democracy. Finally, key elements of democratic human rights education are summarised, and limitations and open questions regarding the pedagogical professionalisation of human rights education are highlighted.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: teacher training
  topic: keywords
subject: school pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: political education
  topic: keywords
subject: political didactics
  topic: keywords
creator: Zuzana Kobesova
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Zuzana Kobesova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 41
ending page: 54
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-04

Promoting democracy through further education
type: item
description: Democracy is the foundation of our European society and culture of values. The promotion of democracy and the teaching of fundamental democratic principles and values begins at school at the latest. Learning about democracy and political education are, in a sense, constitutive prerequisites for a functioning democracy, because democratic competence, political maturity and the ability to make judgements do not develop on their own. In modern and complex media societies, democracy education is needed more than ever. This highlights the great importance of political education, knowledge transfer and the anchoring of democratic attitudes. Political education also includes spiritual national defence, which, according to the Federal Constitution (Art. 9a), is part of comprehensive national defence. The content relates to democratic values and awareness of neutrality, state sovereignty, democratic freedoms and human rights. This article examines the extent to which political and democratic education can be supported by further training measures. These questions were explored using the example of the university course ‘Understanding democracy in the context of spiritual national defence’, which was offered for the first time by the PHDL in cooperation with the Austrian Armed Forces in the 2024/2025 academic year. The survey of experts from the PHDL and the Austrian Armed Forces regarding this course revealed a consistent picture: Both the educational field and the military consider a high level of political education, democracy education and awareness-raising to be essential with regard to our national sovereignty and neutrality as well as human rights and peace education in general, albeit with different emphases. In today's digitalised information society – with external threats as well as fake news and undemocratic tendencies from within – political education is more important than ever in every respect.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: political education
  topic: keywords
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: mental national defence
  topic: keywords
subject: further education
  topic: keywords
subject: university course
  topic: keywords
creator: Nina Jelinek
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Nina Jelinek https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 123
ending page: 140
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-09

Digital judgement skills in democracy education
type: item
description: The Digital Navigator project is presented as a case study that tests practical and everyday approaches to promoting democracy-related skills such as source criticism, perspective shifting and reflective media use in the digital space. The aim is to strengthen pupils' critical judgement and sensitise them to dealing with disinformation, framing, AI-generated content and digital forms of violence. To this end, gamification and simulation-based learning settings are used that tie in with the lives of young people. The evaluation follows a formative assessment and is based on 56 workshops with 852 participants, as well as standardised feedback questionnaires and structured observations during the workshops. The feedback shows a high level of acceptance of the methods, with 91% of participants rating the offerings as interesting, interactive and helpful. Playful formats that enabled motivation and a change of perspective proved particularly effective, as did co-creation, which allowed students to take responsibility and promoted participatory skills. Challenges arose from the heterogeneity of prior experiences and gender-specific differences in participation. The results show that playful and dialogical approaches provide helpful impulses for knowledge acquisition, reflective skills and democracy-related sub-skills, thus opening up good transfer potential for schools, youth work and media education practice.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: digital public spheres
  topic: keywords
subject: gamification
  topic: keywords
subject: science communication
  topic: keywords
subject: AI-generated content
  topic: keywords
creator: Kathrin Lunzner
creator: Eva-Maria Steinbacher
creator: Isabella Tkalec
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Kathrin Lunzner, Eva-Maria Steinbacher, Isabella Tkalec https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 185
ending page: 202
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-13

School as an adversary of democracy education
type: item
description: This article analyzes how the institution of school structurally counteracts democratic education. It reconstructs three core mechanisms of school socialization that conflict with the prerequisites of democratic participation: the internalization of authority-bound behavior, the promotion of competition and acceptance of inequality, and the systematic obstruction of socio-political judgment. Rather than preparing students for democratic life, schools serve to integrate them into hierarchically organized work structures.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: school as institution
  topic: keywords
subject: structures of authority
  topic: keywords
subject: competition and inequality
  topic: keywords
subject: socio-political judgment
  topic: keywords
subject: critical theory of society
  topic: keywords
creator: Roman Langer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Roman Langer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 169
ending page: 184
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-12

Talking – Listening – Getting Involved
type: item
description: Sustainable political education goes beyond mere factual knowledge and enables immersion in the three dimensions of politics (Krammer, 2008; Kühberger, 2016). In practice, however, teachers fear influencing their own students (Larcher & Zandonella, 2014) or avoid teaching history in general studies (Hofmann-Reiter, 2021). According to Krösche (2024, p. 45), gaps in teacher training contribute to the low priority given to political education in primary schools. Lange et al. (2024) also emphasise the underrepresentation of the topic in the national education report. This gap should be closed. This article builds on the publication ‘Die Qual der Wahl – Kompetenzorientierte Demokratiebildung in der Volksschule’ (Mansberger, 2025) and focuses on learning through dialogue in order to ultimately create awareness of peace and democratic values. Senghaas' (1995) civilisational hexagon forms the theoretical framework and shows practical implementation possibilities for all sub-areas in the teaching context. A competence-oriented lesson overview of participatory and dialogue-oriented forms of learning highlights the central role of communication. A didactic analysis shows that by talking and listening together, pupils learn to represent their own points of view and recognise other perspectives. Finally, this article discusses professional development opportunities for prospective teachers to promote a sustainable democratic school culture.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: political didactics in primary education
  topic: keywords
subject: participation
  topic: keywords
subject: communication
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher training
  topic: keywords
creator: Sabine Mansberger
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sabine Mansberger https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 75
ending page: 92
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-06

Democracy through improvisation
type: item
description: This article examines how democracy education can be implemented in everyday school life through theatre education methods, especially improvisation. Building on the concept of ‘democracy as a way of life’ (Himmelmann, 2004) and the teaching principle of political education, approaches to democracy education and theatre education are brought together. A teaching example illustrates how improvisational methods can promote democratic learning processes; practical tips provide teachers with ideas for their own use.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: theatre education
  topic: keywords
subject: political education
  topic: keywords
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
creator: Alexander Hoffelner
creator: Peter Spindler
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Alexander Hoffelner, Peter Spindler https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 141
ending page: 154
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-10

Between memory and didactics
type: item
description: This submission examines the curricular relevance of remembrance culture and democracy education in Austrian history curricula for lower secondary education. The main focus is on analysing the development of terminology and the embedding of concepts related to remembrance culture and democracy education in terms of content over time. The starting point is the premise that memory culture can be understood as a socially structured, group-specific and processual way of dealing with the past (Assmann, 2013). The study is theoretically grounded in central concepts of collective, communicative and cultural memory according to Halbwachs (1985) and Mathias Berek (2009). Using quantitative frequency analysis, the curriculum documents are examined for the use of relevant terms such as ‘memorial sites,’ ‘anti-Semitism,’ ‘Holocaust,’ or ‘democracy education.’ In frequency analysis, the occurrence of a criterion (e.g., a specific word or statement) in a document is counted and recorded in a table. The results show that in older curricula, aspects of remembrance culture are treated in a rudimentary manner at best (BMUKK, 2000), whereas in newer curricula they are treated explicitly and in an increasingly differentiated manner (BMBF, 2016; BMBWF, 2023). The focus is particularly on the topic of National Socialism and Holocaust education. The more recent curricula increasingly emphasise process-oriented, reflexive and multi-perspective approaches, which implies a stronger emphasis on memorial site education and deconstructive methods (Hellmuth & Kühberger, 2016). Overall, it should be made clear that remembrance culture and democracy education are not only understood as the generation of knowledge, but also as a didactic principle that contributes to the promotion of historical orientation, democratic education and a reflective awareness of history (Pandel, 2014). The curricular integration of concepts of remembrance culture thus proves to be central to critically reflective histor…
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: culture of remembrance
  topic: keywords
subject: political education
  topic: keywords
subject: history curriculum
  topic: keywords
subject: history didactics
  topic: keywords
subject: memorial education
  topic: keywords
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
creator: Wolfgang Bilewicz
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Wolfgang Bilewicz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 93
ending page: 106
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-07

Future-Oriented Learning and Working (ZOLA) as a Contribution to Democratic Education
type: item
description: This article examines the concept of Future-Oriented Learning and Working (ZOLA) at a UNESCO secondary school as a contribution to democratic education. ZOLA is conceived as an innovation and school development strategy that links project-based, interdisciplinary, and socially relevant learning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on guided interviews with students and teachers and a qualitative content analysis, the study identifies both potentials and challenges of this format. The findings indicate that ZOLA fosters participation, self-efficacy, and social competencies among learners, while at the same time revealing tensions regarding curricular requirements, assessment practices, and organizational structures. Key conditions for success include clear processes, a formative feedback culture, and the professional role of teachers as coaches and learning facilitators. The article therefore discusses ZOLA not only as a didactic approach but also as a school development strategy that can sustainably strengthen democratic school culture and participation structures.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: school development
  topic: keywords
subject: democratic education
  topic: keywords
subject: participation
  topic: keywords
subject: project-based learning
  topic: keywords
subject: self-efficacy
  topic: keywords
creator: Monika Hofauer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Monika Hofauer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 155
ending page: 168
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-11

Opportunities for democratic participation for 14-year-old pupils in everyday school life against authoritarian risks
type: item
description: The article deals with the growing challenges facing liberal democratic systems and the central role of schools and political education in strengthening young people's democratic awareness. Political education imparts knowledge, critical thinking skills and opportunities for participation, and promotes a democratic school culture. Although political education is firmly established in the Austrian school system, there is a clear gap between theory and practice. Empirical findings show that political topics are rarely covered in class and that teachers find them challenging. Democratic participation in everyday school life is rarely used: class councils and school parliaments are hardly established. The project ‘Democratic Awareness of Young People in Austria’ (2024–2026) uses a nationwide survey of 14- to 15-year-olds to examine their knowledge, attitudes and experiences. Initial results (N=1995) show that only about 10% perceive political education as being strongly present in the subject GPB. Although the importance of diversity of opinion is highly valued, many learn little about forming their own judgements or developing political competence. Young people's interest in participation and democratic involvement is high, even though they are not yet eligible to vote. The results indicate a need for action: political education must be made more visible in the classroom and more strongly integrated into school structures. In addition to legal and curricular frameworks, teachers need practical training above all. Schools are called upon to consistently enable participation in order to not only teach democracy, but also to bring it to life. In this way, schools can become a central space for experiencing democratic culture and help young people develop political awareness.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
subject: political education
  topic: keywords
subject: VaKE (Values and Knowledge Education)
  topic: keywords
subject: values education
  topic: keywords
subject: knowledge acquisition
  topic: keywords
creator: Martina Rabl
creator: Denise Hofer
creator: Thomas Stornig
creator: Gregor Metz
creator: Tamara Katschnig
creator: Matthäus Berger
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Martina Rabl, Denise Hofer, Thomas Stornig, Gregor Metz, Tamara Katschnig, Matthäus Berger https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 203
ending page: 220
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-14

The organized debate as a didactic method of civic education in the context of teacher education
type: item
description: This article examines organized debates as a didactic method that promotes democracy in the context of teacher education. In view of a changing communication culture and frontal teaching methods that are characterized by a lack of dialogue, the ability to engage in constructive dialogue is highlighted here as a key democratic competence. Organized debates offer a structured opportunity to discuss controversial topics, change perspectives and experience a democratic culture of discussion. Didactically, debates promote opinion building as well as the handling of controversy. The phases of an organized debate are illustrated using a selected debate from a seminar on democracy education at [location]. The reflection of the debate reveals both its potential (e.g. controversy, participation, conflict resolution skills) and its limitations (e.g. stress, language barriers, knock-out arguments). The structured distribution of roles and clearly structured timing enable learners to engage intensively with democratic principles. Overall, the organized debate is an effective methodology for democracy education that should be used more widely, particularly in teacher education, in order to contribute to a dialogue-oriented school culture in the long term.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: dialogue
  topic: keywords
subject: debate
  topic: keywords
subject: civic education
  topic: keywords
subject: teacher education
  topic: keywords
subject: higher education didactics
  topic: keywords
subject: sociology of education
  topic: disciplines
subject: educational science
  topic: disciplines
creator: Katharina Resch
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Katharina Resch https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 27
ending page: 40
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-03

Democracy Education in Primary Social Science
type: item
description: Education for democracy is considered effective if it is given to all young citizens “from the very beginning”, from primary school onwards. In times of increasing political polarization, the promotion of democratic conflict skills appears to be a particularly important educational goal. The project presented (LPSU) aims to make a contribution to this. It aims to develop and evaluate a lesson plan for elementary school science lessons. Initial results of a design-based research study conducted for this purpose show, on the basis of qualitative interviews and lesson observations, that primary school children have different levels of prior political knowledge, are very willing to make political judgments and gain certain democratic insights from the lessons they experience.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: Demokratiebildung
  topic: keywords
subject: Politische Bildung
  topic: keywords
subject: Grundschule
  topic: keywords
subject: qualitative Forschung
  topic: keywords
subject: Social Studies
  topic: disciplines
subject: Democracy Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Primary school education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Didactics of politics
  topic: disciplines
creator: Thomas Stornig
creator: Silvia Alt
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Thomas Stornig, Silvia Alt https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 107
ending page: 122
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-08

When mathematizing fails
type: item
description: Mathematisation – the description of real-life situations using mathematical tools – is a key competence in mathematics teaching. Nevertheless, studies show that pupils sometimes experience considerable difficulties in this area. The aim of this study is to analyse possible causes and processes of errors in mathematisation tasks. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted with 486 Year 8 pupils at eight schools in Salzburg. The pupils worked on a task involving deriving a formula for a given real-life situation, documenting their thought processes and solution steps as they went along. The analysis shows that the error processes can be traced back to overarching cognitive and contextual patterns. Common causes include reliance on routine procedures, an insufficient understanding of operations, and difficulties in dealing with mathematical notation. Particularly striking is the incorrect application of the strategy of calculating a unit quantity. The study highlights the diversity of possible error patterns within a single task and emphasises the need for their systematic analysis. For teaching, this implies an increased need for diagnostic sensitivity and targeted support from the teacher.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: mathematics education
  topic: keywords
subject: mathematization
  topic: keywords
subject: mathematical modelling
  topic: keywords
subject: error analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: mathematics education
  topic: disciplines
creator: Iris Jedinger
creator: Lisa-Maria Pilotto
creator: Simon Plangg
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Iris Jedinger, Lisa-Maria Pilotto, Simon Plangg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2026-06-05
publication date: 2026-06-05
starting page: 1
ending page: 26
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2026-01-01

Editorial
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Martin Kramer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Martin Kramer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-06-26
publication date: 2025-06-26
starting page: vii
ending page: viii
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-01-00

Professional relationship building as a skill in school development consulting
type: item
description: The text highlights professional relationship building as a key competence in school development consulting. From a systemic and group dynamics perspective, it shows how relationships, communication and conscious work with group dynamics are essential factors for sustainable change. The focus is particularly on the interaction between school management and consultants, as well as reflection on roles, expectations and resistance. Relationships are understood not as a framework, but as an active element of design. The article argues that sustainable organisational learning does not result from rigidly working through the planned steps of a project architecture, but rather from process-oriented consulting that focuses on relationships, participation and flexible responses to specific events.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: school development consulting
  topic: keywords
subject: relationship management
  topic: keywords
subject: systems theory
  topic: keywords
subject: group dynamics
  topic: keywords
subject: organisational development
  topic: keywords
creator: Sarah Mayr
creator: Gerda Gerda
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sarah Mayr, Gerda Reisinger https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-06-26
publication date: 2025-06-26
starting page: 107
ending page: 122
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-01-07

Student participation using the example of creative service learning
type: item
description: Due to the new research and teaching concept as well as the innovative learning-approach Urban Diversity Education (UDE) at the University and College for Teacher Education in Vienna, new collaborations between students and teacher educators are fostered. Participation in terms of designing and changing the environment, interdisciplinary collaborations with various institutions are long-term goals which highlight and celebrate diversity in society. This transformative approach is defined as service-learning (SL), also known by the Term Third Mission. In the university sector, it emphasizes student participation within the empowerment of learners and educators. Considering this, the authors of this article address the necessary resources, tools and networks by depicting examples of current research-projects leading to the practical implementation during student-courses at the Viennese University College of Teacher Education.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: creative service learning
  topic: keywords
subject: art and design
  topic: keywords
subject: student participation
  topic: keywords
creator: Anastasiya Savran
creator: Rolf Laven
creator: Hendrik Renneberg
creator: Wolfgang Weinlich
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Anastasiya Savran, Rolf Laven , Hendrik Renneberg , Wolfgang Weinlich https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-06-26
publication date: 2025-06-26
starting page: 141
ending page: 164
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-01-09

Teachers of the future
type: item
description: What are our teachers of the future researching? What topics interest young teachers? The compulsory school pupils in Austrian schools are as diverse as the research interests in empirical educational research. This research project highlights the research interests of young teachers and teacher training students at the University of Education of the Diocese of Linz (PHDL) are identified, thus shedding light on the interface between the career entry of Master's students and their graduation from the PHDL. A qualitative survey examines the research focus of Master's theses by graduates of the University of Education of the Diocese of Linz based on the following question: What are the main research areas of Master's students at the PHDL in their Master's theses and what are the reasons for choosing these research topics? During the survey phase, all Master's thesis proposals and abstracts submitted to the PHDL since 2020 (N = 315) were read and coded. This coding resulted in a comprehensive category system, which was structured using the MAXQDA programme. A focus group setting was then conducted with students from the target group. The results provide insight into the topic selection process for master's theses and the interface between higher education and professional life.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: Forschungsschwerpunkte von Studierenden
  topic: keywords
subject: qualitative Forschung
  topic: keywords
subject: Masterarbeiten
  topic: keywords
subject: Berufseinstieg
  topic: keywords
creator: Lena Prenneis
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Lena Prenneis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-06-26
publication date: 2025-06-26
starting page: 55
ending page: 70
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-01-04

Reflexivity in transformational processes of Bildung
type: item
description: In light of major global challenges and the associated experiences of crisis and alienation, the question arises not only of the necessary acquisition of skills to overcome these problems, but also of educating the individual in the sense of a transformation of fundamental structures of one's relationship to the world and to oneself (Graupe & Bäuerle, 2023; Koller, 2022; Nohl, 2021). Based on the German theory of transformational processes of Bildung (Koller, 2018, 2022), the article firstly questions whether transformation is an obligatory criterion for processes of Bildung and, secondly, suggests that reflexivity should be added as a characteristic of successful transformational processes of Bildung. Finally, the article addresses the unresolved question of how pedagogical actions can initiate, accompany and support transformational processes. In the school context, teachers should encourage students to reflect on existing routines and implicit assumptions, open up fields of experimentation and facilitate the integration and consolidation of new perspectives (El-Mafaalani, 2018; Helsper, 2004). The article provides a basis for applying the theory of transformational processes of Bildung to educational fields of action and for further theoretical development and modification if necessary.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: transformational processes of Bildung
  topic: keywords
subject: positive reflexivity
  topic: keywords
subject: crisis
  topic: keywords
subject: experience of alienation
  topic: keywords
subject: education
  topic: keywords
subject: teaching
  topic: keywords
subject: transformational processes of Bildung
  topic: disciplines
creator: Martina King
creator: Barbara Fageth
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Martina King, Barbara Fageth https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-06-26
publication date: 2025-06-26
starting page: 123
ending page: 140
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-01-08

Group dynamics and drama in education in dialogue
type: item
description: Two social fields in interdisciplinary dialogue. This article focuses on the synthesis of theoretical perspectives on the concept of “role” from the view of drama in education and group dynamics. It explores the extent to which concepts from group dynamics and drama in education can help educators reflect on their own role and thereby expand their professional competence. Two case studies in the context of teacher training and school development consulting provide helpful practice-oriented approaches. The interest in dialogue on this topic is rooted in the long-standing collaboration between the two authors. Both are united by their work in and with groups and their theoretical and practical engagement with the concept of “role.”
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: drama education
  topic: keywords
subject: group dynamics
  topic: keywords
subject: professionalization
  topic: keywords
subject: role
  topic: keywords
subject: role concept
  topic: keywords
subject: drama education
  topic: disciplines
subject: group dynamics
  topic: disciplines
subject: social psychology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Sarah Mayr
creator: Marlene Bauer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sarah Mayr, Marlene Bauer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-06-26
publication date: 2025-06-26
starting page: 1
ending page: 18
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-01-01

Through dialogue towards dialogue
type: item
description: Strengthening young people’s democratic awareness is one of the central tasks of school. From a school theoretical perspective, however, schools can neither ‘create’ democracy nor are they directly controlled by it. Rather, democracy becomes visible in everyday school life: through cooperation, getting to know different perspectives, and jointly searching for and testing possible solutions, answers are found and responsibility is practised. Dialogic education, in the sense of education through dialogue for dialogue, plays a key role in this process by opening up spaces for dialogue with the world, with others and with oneself. Democracy education in schools should therefore enable young people to contribute their experiences to discussions, develop appropriate language, question arguments, listen, and consider social power relations. The way in which conflicts are dealt with in everyday school life, pedagogical attitudes are adopted and spaces for reflection are opened up has a lasting impact on the next generation's understanding of democracy. While democracy education often focuses on knowledge transfer and participation, this article asks how genuine pedagogical action in the sense of dialogical education can contribute to the development of democratic attitudes. Using case studies from current compulsory literature in teacher training, it shows how dialogical learning and empathy create spaces in which democratic attitudes can be promoted.
subject: Article
  topic: section
subject: classroom management
  topic: keywords
subject: dialogic education
  topic: keywords
subject: democracy education
  topic: keywords
creator: Bernadette Hörmann
creator: Martin Kramer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Bernadette Hörmann, Martin Kramer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 55
ending page: 74
doi: 10.17883/pa-ho-2025-02-05