Creating a Democratic Classroom From the Perspectives of Paulo Freire and Ki Hajar Dewantara: Providing Students With a Dialogic Learning Space

This conceptual article looks at how Paulo Freire's and Ki Hadjar Dewantara's philosophies can inform democratic and dialogic learning spaces. Through conceptual synthesis of their perspectives and scholarship, five principles emerge: dialogue, student agency, cultural and social relevance, shared responsibility, and reflection leading to action. Freire contributes problem-posing education, critical consciousness, dialogue, and praxis, while Dewantara contributes freedom, cultural grounding, character development, and teacher guidance. The synthesis shows that democratic education transforms rather than removes teacher authority, positioning teachers as guides. The article proposes a learning process integrating experience, problem-posing, dialogue, inquiry, reflection, and action, while highlighting institutional constraints and future research.