Enhancing Civic Engagement Through Educational Interventions: A Didactic Approach and Behavioral Insights from Young Students

Civic education is fundamental to fostering active, responsible citizens and ensuring the sustainability of democratic societies. This paper presents a didactic intervention developed by the Department of Political Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, implemented in collaboration with secondary schools since 2017. The intervention, integrated into the course “Teaching Civic Education,” engages university students in designing and conducting interactive workshops with high school students, using innovative methods such as role-playing, group learning, and scenario-based activities to simulate democratic processes. This year’s intervention focused specifically on promoting civic engagement, cultivating a sense of collective responsibility, and encouraging collaboration within democratic frameworks to address disruptive behavior, individualistic - self-centered- attitudes, and violence. The study analyzes data from a survey conducted among high school participants, exploring the impact of the intervention on their civic awareness, behavioral frameworks, and perceptions of democratic values. Key variables examined include political behavior, interest, mobilization, and attitudes towards collaboration and responsibility. The analysis employs a two-step multivariate methodology, combining Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Factorial Correspondence Analysis (FCA), to identify and visualize patterns in students’ responses. The results highlight how the intervention enhanced students' understanding of their roles as citizens, reducing individualistic tendencies and fostering a deeper appreciation for democratic processes and ethical citizenship. By integrating qualitative observations from the workshops and quantitative insights from the survey, this paper underscores the transformative potential of civic education in shaping the "citizen identity" of young individuals. It offers actionable recommendations for educators and policymakers seeking to address civic disengagement and promote a culture of collaboration and responsibility in democratic societies.