CONSTRUCTION OF CITIZENSHIP IN PRIMARY EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS, INTERACTIONS, AND SCHOOL PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES

Abstract

This systematic review examines how social representations of citizenship, pedagogical practices, and school interactions shape citizenship formation in primary education. Following PRISMA 2020, we searched for empirical articles (2020–2025) in Redalyc, SciELO, Dialnet, ERIC, JSTOR, ProQuest, and Scopus with no language restrictions. Of 748 records (30 duplicates), 718 were screened; 50 full texts were retrieved and 17 studies were included. Study quality was appraised with CASP, and given heterogeneity in designs and contexts, a hermeneutic–thematic synthesis was conducted. Findings indicate that active participation operates along a continuum from consultation to binding decisions, with greater impact where stable structures exist; that the teacher’s role is decisive, as moving from a transmissive stance to a facilitative one turns children’s voice into agreements and actions; and that experiential approaches and dialogic constructivism predominate over traditional models. Likewise, horizontal interactions (teacher–student, peer-to-peer, and school–community) heighten children’s agency, whereas vertical relations reduce participation to consultative exercises. These dynamics strengthen moral commitment, social responsibility, openness to dialogue, and empathy when real, context-based problems are deliberated, and they foster glocal awareness when situated projects link classroom and territory. Overall, citizenship is consolidated when schools institutionalize decision-making spaces and community ties and when teachers facilitate deliberative processes; standardization, rigid schedules, and the hidden curriculum persist as barriers. Recommendations include institutionalizing school co-governance, designing activities with real audiences, strengthening teacher training in dialogic facilitation, and evaluating the impact of student decisions.