Democratic Education and Citizen Participation: Proposal for a Student Laboratory of Applied Research in Public Policy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15536/reducarmais.10.2026.4392Keywords:
Democratic Education, Public Policy, Active Learning, Applied Research, Civic EducationAbstract
This article aims to present a pedagogical proposal for the creation of a student laboratory of applied research in public policy as a strategy to strengthen democratic education within the university context. The proposal is based on an exploratory diagnosis conducted in 2021 through the application of a questionnaire examining community perceptions regarding politics and citizen participation on the island of San Andrés, Colombia. The results revealed low levels of interest in political issues and limited participation in public affairs, highlighting the need to strengthen processes of civic education. Based on these findings, the article presents the methodological structure and pedagogical potential of the proposed laboratory, oriented toward active learning and the analysis of public problems in Colombian Caribbean. The article concludes that applied research laboratories can constitute a relevant pedagogical strategy for bringing students closer to the processes of public policy formulation and for strengthening democratic education.
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