Democratic Education Improves Civic Participation and Critical Thinking Among University Students

The aim of the study was to explore and understand the perceptions, experiences and attitudes of university students in relation to their participation and learning in analogue, digital and immersive technological contexts, across five dimensions: conceptual, participatory, prosocial, critical and identity. The methodology, qualitative in approach, employed a University Student Discussion Group Research Instrument on Democratic Education, designed to gather multidimensional perspectives on student civic education, addressing each dimension in three contexts: analogue, digital and immersive technological. Participants shared experiences related to democratic structures, information discernment, civic participation, prosocial behaviour, critical issues and identity formation. Analysis revealed that digital contexts were significant for discriminating reliable political information and participating in civic campaigns. Immersive technological experiences, such as political simulation games, enhanced understanding of governance systems.