New study: More than one in three students are minimally involved in their own education
Danish law requires that students should be involved in goals, teaching methods, and content selection. And that schools should prepare them for life in a democratic society. Yet 37% of school students experience only a low degree of involvement in the planning of their education, reveals new study in Egmont Insight. Danish School Students call for action.
We live in a time when democracy is under pressure, and the need for democratic education is more evident than in many years. At the same time, Danish primary and lower secondary schools face challenges with academic well-being, declining motivation and high absenteeism.
Now a new study, conducted by Epinion for Danish School Students and Egmont’s Grant Administration, shows that students who are involved in the planning of their education have greater democratic and academic self-confidence, motivation and school well-being. But more than a third are involved only to a low or very low degree.
"Primary and lower secondary school should be our common training ground for democracy, but far too many students do not experience having influence on how teaching is organized in their daily lives. If young people are to believe that their voice matters in society, they must experience it in their everyday school life," says Magnus Herrmann, chairperson of Danish School Students, who also points to the opportunities to strengthen students' motivation and school well-being through greater student involvement.
Director of Egmont’s Grant Administration, Heidi Sørensen, believes there is untapped potential:
"The students tell us that when they get influence on their education, it strengthens their courage to participate and their belief that they can make a difference. At the same time, they become more motivated and have higher school well-being and academic self-confidence. This suggests that student involvement can be an important lever for preparing more children and young people for life in a democracy – and for strengthening their well-being and academic outcomes," says Heidi Sørensen, Director of Egmont’s Grant Administration.
A large proportion of both students and their teachers want more student involvement. Several teachers also express that it can strengthen their job satisfaction when they experience students' increased engagement.
Danish School Students: Strengthen student involvement in schools
As part of the 2024 quality programme for primary and lower secondary education, new, simpler subject curricula are currently being developed for all subjects. Danish School Students believe that the new curricula should commit schools to strengthening student involvement in all subjects.
"We urge the new government to significantly strengthen student involvement in schools and ensure it is clearly written into the curricula for all subjects, so that far more students are involved in planning their education and experience being heard. And so that students' influence on their education is not just fine words in the law, but can be felt every day in the classroom.", says Magnus Herrmann.
Students' desire to be more involved does not mean they want to decide everything. They want to have influence on their education within clear frameworks, where the teacher has the responsibility, the study shows.
Facts
About the study conducted by Epinion for Egmont Insight
The studies were conducted by Epinion for Danish School Students and Egmont’s Grant Administration for Egmont Insight 4, "A Voice in the Classroom".
The data comprises questionnaire responses from 1,511 students in grades 4-9 and their teachers. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with 26 students, 21 teachers and 14 school leaders.
In the study, student involvement is measured as an overall scale based on four questions concerning whether students can choose between different ways of solving a task, which topics are covered in teaching, which books and materials are used in teaching, and whether teaching is based on the student's interests.
Key figures
37% of students in primary and lower secondary school experience only a low degree of involvement in the planning of their education. Only 17% of students experience a high degree of involvement.
Among students who experience a high degree of involvement in planning their education:
50% have high democratic self-confidence in school – compared to 10% of students with low experienced involvement
74% have high intrinsic motivation – compared to 24% of students with low involvement
70% have high academic self-confidence – compared to 28% of students with low involvement
67% have high school well-being – compared to 21% of students with low involvement
7 recommendations from Danish School Students
Strengthen student involvement in schools – and comply with the Danish Primary and Lower Secondary Education Act
Include student involvement in the new subject curricula
Set political goals on student involvement in municipalities
Strengthen understanding of good involvement practices
Collect and share knowledge about student involvement
Create good frameworks at individual schools
Equip teachers well for the task
For more information
Head of Communications and Press at Egmont’s Grant Administration, Tine Pind Jørum, tel. +45 2711 6896, tj@egmont.com
Political Director at Danish School Students, Claus Drachmann Kaasby-Wang, tel. +45 6040 2070, cdkw@skoleelever.dk
