Peer-reviewed article
Child Participation to Build Citizenship and to Transform the School Territory in a Global World
Ana Castro Zubizarreta, José Manuel Osoro Sierra, Adelina Calvo Salvador, Carlos Rodríguez Hoyos ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study describes a participatory research project in a school in Cantabria, Spain, involving children aged 3 to 12 years. The project aimed to enhance participation of the educational community to transform the school, with students as key agents of change. Through pedagogical documentation, children experienced participation, being listened to, feeling recognised, and influencing their own lives. The results extended beyond physical changes to foster a democratic school culture and sense of community belonging.
Key points
- Children aged 3 to 12 were positioned as key agents and promoters of change in the school transformation project
- Students experienced participation, listening, recognition, and influence over their own lives
- Pedagogical documentation was used to narrate the research development and encourage reflection
- Changes went beyond physical space reconfiguration to develop democratic practices and community belonging
- The school was reconceptualised as a forum for citizen participation and democratic engagement
Limitations
The document does not provide quantitative data or measurable outcomes, nor does it include a comparison with a control group or baseline measures. The generalisability of findings beyond this single school context is unclear.
Abstract
This article presents a participatory research project developed in a school in Cantabria (Spain) that has sought to enhance the participation of the educational community to transform the school. The article focuses on the analysis of the contributions of the students (children from 3 to 12 years of age), key agents and promoters of change. Pedagogical documentation has been used as a tool to narrate the development of this research and to encourage subsequent reflection. The students have experienced what it means to participate, to listen, to be listened to, to feel recognised and to exert influence in their own lives. The results go beyond mere changes in the configuration and use of spaces. The project has made it possible to think of the school as a forum for citizen participation, favouring the experience of a democratic school, the development of otherness, the feeling of belonging and the experience of community.