Active Citizenship and the Democratic State · 2nd Year

Active learning ideas

Promoting Peace and Conflict Resolution

Active learning transforms abstract concepts like conflict resolution into lived experiences. When students step into roles, map real-world dynamics, or design solutions, they move from passive listeners to engaged problem-solvers who internalize strategies for peace. This approach builds empathy, critical thinking, and practical skills that stick far longer than textbook explanations.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Global Citizenship
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Stewardship

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 45 min · Small Groups

Role-Play: School Conflict Mediation

Divide class into small groups. Each group selects a common school issue, like group project disagreements. Assign roles: disputants, mediator, observer. Practice active listening, propose compromises, then debrief on effective techniques. Share one key takeaway per group.

Explain the various factors that contribute to conflict at local and global levels.

Facilitation Tip

In Role-Play: School Conflict Mediation, assign clear roles with specific goals to ensure every student participates meaningfully and experiences both sides of a dispute.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Imagine two student clubs are competing for limited funding for their events. What are three potential causes of conflict between them, and how could a mediator help them resolve it?' Have groups share their ideas with the class.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 35 min · Pairs

Conflict Mapping: Causes and Solutions

In pairs, students choose a local or global conflict example. Draw a mind map labeling causes (e.g., economic, social) and link to resolution strategies. Present maps to class and vote on most feasible solutions. Extend with homework research on Irish cases.

Analyze different approaches to conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

Facilitation Tip

During Conflict Mapping: Causes and Solutions, model how to separate symptoms from root causes by thinking aloud as you analyze examples together as a class.

What to look for

Provide students with a scenario describing a disagreement between classmates. Ask them to write two sentences explaining one cause of the conflict and one strategy they would use to resolve it peacefully.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 50 min · Small Groups

Strategy Design Workshop: Hypothetical Scenario

Whole class brainstorms a school-wide conflict, like event planning disputes. In small groups, design a step-by-step resolution plan using negotiation or restorative circles. Pitch plans, refine based on feedback, and role-play the best one.

Design a strategy for resolving a hypothetical conflict in a school setting.

Facilitation Tip

In Strategy Design Workshop: Hypothetical Scenario, provide sentence starters for students to use when proposing solutions, reducing anxiety about starting the creative process.

What to look for

Present students with a list of conflict resolution strategies (e.g., negotiation, arbitration, avoidance). Ask them to match each strategy with a brief description of when it might be most effective. Review answers as a class.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 40 min · Small Groups

Peacebuilding Debate Circles

Form circles of 6-8 students. Present two resolution methods (e.g., mediation vs. rules enforcement). Students argue pros/cons based on prior learning, rotate speakers, and reach consensus. Reflect in journals on personal growth.

Explain the various factors that contribute to conflict at local and global levels.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Imagine two student clubs are competing for limited funding for their events. What are three potential causes of conflict between them, and how could a mediator help them resolve it?' Have groups share their ideas with the class.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with students' lived experiences before expanding to broader contexts. Begin with school-based examples to build empathy and relevance, then scaffold to global cases like the Irish peace process. Avoid overwhelming students with too many strategies at once; instead, focus on depth with one or two methods per lesson. Research shows that when students practice conflict resolution in small, familiar settings, they transfer those skills more effectively to larger issues.

Successful learning is visible when students can articulate root causes of conflict, apply resolution strategies in context, and reflect on how these tools work in real-life situations. They should leave with both a toolkit of strategies and the confidence to adapt them to new scenarios.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Role-Play: School Conflict Mediation, watch for students assuming competitive roles where one side must 'win.'

  Before the role-play begins, remind students of the goal: to find a solution that benefits both sides. After the activity, ask each pair to share one compromise they reached, highlighting shared benefits in the whole-class debrief.

• During Conflict Mapping: Causes and Solutions, watch for students blaming individuals rather than examining underlying issues.

  Provide a sentence stem on the board: 'This conflict is really about...' and model using structural language like 'unequal access' or 'miscommunication' when discussing examples. Circulate and prompt pairs to revise blame-based statements into systemic ones.

• During Peacebuilding Debate Circles, watch for students equating peace with the absence of conflict.

  Use the prompt: 'What did this debate reveal about the difference between avoiding conflict and resolving it?' Ask students to reflect in writing after the discussion and share examples of how healthy disagreement strengthened their understanding.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play