What is democratic education? Importance and Requirements

Dematerialism of education is a paradigm shift brought about by the futuristic demands of this era. This is a globally accepted conceptual a shift that aims to enshrine the ecumenically acknowledged ideals of nobleness, virtue, and justice that are intrinsic to civilized human beings and necessarily nurtured and propagated through education.

Dematerialism of education paves the way for democratic education

Democratic education entails pursuance of an educational ideal in which democracy is both a good and a method of instruction.
It fosters the right of ‘Self-determination’ within a community of equals (Students) and advances such values as justice, respect, and trust.
It strives towards societal wellness and accords primacy to the wellbeing of the private individuals who form the basics substratum of the society.
Dematerialism allows no room for cutthroat competition for wealth and power. It ultimately controls resources but allows the level playing field to all its members to generate wealth in accordance with other’s needs.
The broader aim is to promote universal sustainable happiness by allowing individual progress to take place.
It also gives credence to existence and exercises control over the majority but encourages the growth of all and a social framework in which there is just and equitable distribution of wealth.

What is Democratic education?

Democratic education allows the decentralization of education and aims to empower students to exercise self-determination in terms of their education.

It means that students are allowed to choose what and how they will study within the given framework of community greater leverage and also make them accountable.

This falls within the scope of democratic values which ensures freedom, equality, and justice for all irrespective of their social, regional, religious, or ethnic background.

It allows the development of society on a new plane where individual members are concerned with society rather than unjustified individual goals that makes people status-conscious and power-hungry.
Thus dematerialism aids the promotion of democratic education where individuals' importance and recognition to society gains precedence over individual status, power, and wealth control.

Why do students having a choice in their education improve the learning process?

The the learning process is complicated as it involves a number of factors. The pedagogical framework and the student's community directly involved in this process.

In a traditional learning set - up the control lies in the hands of the teaching staff members and the learners are allowed little or no control over the teaching process.

This control seldom pays dividends as it fails to fruitfully engage students in the long-drawn learning process.
When students are allowed to exercise their choices falling within the gamut of self-determination, the learning process momentum. In this newfound situation, students are given the choice to select the topics that are within the framework of the syllabus.

It is their choice whether they want to involve themselves in the learning process through role-play or open discussion or by going through worksheets.
It is important that when they arrive at a consensus on the topic and the mode of instruction their decision stands. The teaching staff must allow students this freedom.

His role is now restricted to supervision and at times to that of a facilitator. In this set -up, students feel much more responsible, involved, and consequently accord spontaneity to the learning process.
It also aids individual cognitive ability and allows free thought to follow thus extending individual depth and range of thought. It also encourages logical thinking and objective analysis amongst the participating students.

Content of democratic education and the influence of dematerialism in student learning?

Dematerialism and democratic education is complementary and supplementary to each other. Those systems aid human progress and well-being in a just manner and abet an individual craze for wealth power and status.

It does not allow islands of hegemony and power to form but encourage and support societal progress as a whole.
The the content structure of democratic education must be all-encompassing. Besides secular content like Science, Art, Literature, Mathematics, etc other subjects that are connected to human wellness and environmental must be included.

Since democratic values promote equality fairness and justice and aim to allow social progression on a higher plane. Students must be allowed free choice of subjects, nothing should be made mandatory.

Importance of wellness training in vocational courses

 At the same time along with a wide range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities, they must be given freedom of choice in learning new skills especially honed at vocational training institutes.

In other words, vocational training must include a wellness environment, manufacturing, constructions, etc.

The content and extent of the syllabus of democratic education tune well with the spirit of dematerialism as it allows individual progress on a just scale and binds members of the societies together and also allows individuals to pursue their individual interests in life and lead a wholesome and meaningful existence.

Skills required for democratic education help students develop

Democratic education promotes democratic values and universally accepted norms. The members of society play a crucial and pivotal role in promoting these values into viable and functional procedures and systems to ensure long term stability and sustainability.

The importance of democratic education in this context cannot be undermined it rather becomes most important in educating students who would be responsible citizens in the future.

Thus its role is to weed out what is inessential and materialistic but make students consciously responsible for their actions and aware of their responsibilities as future citizens, this education instills in them confidence and maturity to act in with the spirit of democracy, It teaches them to pursue their individual lives successfully yet work for like welfare of all.

Only such education that gives students their choice can expect responsible behavior from them and ensure the progress and prosperity of society.

Dematerialization of education and democratic education relevant today?

The The 21st century is providing a turnaround period in many ways, especially in fields like technology, trade, and commercial banking medicine, construction, etc. The present-day Covid-19 crisis has definitely dented this trend.
Nevertheless, the situation is bound to improve and the post-COVID - 19 scenarios will change the economic equation of nations.
In the near future will change realities and mindset the world will strive for stability and peace. In this setting dematerialization of education and democratic education has become relevant.

Principles of democratic education help to bring equality and stability in society

The the economic disparity among nations and instability of the world necessitates a shift towards equality cooperation and stability. To bridge this gap the principles of dematerialism and democratic education will play its role in uniting nations and people, in streamlining economics that no longer stands to compete but to sustain others.