Diverse students collaboratively building a schoolhouse with communication symbols, symbolizing dialogue and interconnectedness.

Creating Safe Schools: How Educommunication Reduces Violence

Mira Elwood in Mind & Education August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore how educommunication strategies foster dialogue and reduce violence in schools, creating a culture of peace and understanding."

Educommunication has emerged as a transformative approach in education, focusing on dialogue and collaboration to cultivate healthy and democratic communication ecosystems within schools. Recognizing the potential of educommunication to address critical issues like violence, the Educom.Radio project was launched to mitigate aggression and vandalism in São Paulo's public schools.

The initiative, supported by researchers like Ismar Soares, aimed to tackle violence by integrating media and communication skills into the educational framework. Early reports suggested a significant reduction in school violence, with some estimates claiming up to a 50% decrease. However, the need for comprehensive academic data and systematic studies remains crucial to fully validate these claims.

This article revisits the role of educommunication in combating school violence, emphasizing the importance of updating and refining strategies for mediating conflicts and fostering positive communication. Drawing from research and practical experiences, it explores how educommunication can create safer and more inclusive learning environments.

Understanding School Violence: A Breakdown in Communication

Diverse students collaboratively building a schoolhouse with communication symbols, symbolizing dialogue and interconnectedness.

School violence often stems from a breakdown in communication and a clash of cultures within educational institutions. As Martín-Barbero notes, a disconnect exists between traditional instructional methods and the diverse, digitally-driven experiences of today's students. This gap can lead to frustration and disengagement, contributing to a hostile environment.

The existing structures within many schools often exacerbate these issues. The physical layout, resembling prisons with concrete boxes and restrictive fencing, fosters a sense of alienation rather than belonging. This lack of connection to the school environment can lead to vandalism and other forms of disruptive behavior.

Lack of Belonging: Students may feel disconnected from the school environment, leading to a lack of respect for the space and property.
Suppression of Expression: Restrictions on media and communication technologies can alienate students who are accustomed to digital platforms.
Unaddressed Grievances: Without open channels for dialogue, student concerns and frustrations may escalate into violence.

In response to these challenges, some educational systems have begun to recognize the potential of educommunication as a way to bridge these gaps. By embracing innovative approaches that promote dialogue and empower students, schools can create more inclusive and supportive environments. The implementation of initiatives like Educom.Radio represents a significant step towards addressing the root causes of school violence through enhanced communication strategies.

The Ongoing Challenge: Fostering a Culture of Communication

Addressing school violence requires a multifaceted approach that prioritizes effective communication and conflict resolution. By embracing educommunication strategies, schools can create environments where students feel heard, valued, and empowered. This involves not only implementing specific programs but also fostering a broader culture of dialogue and collaboration across the entire school community.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.11606/issn.2316-9125.v20i2p83-91, Alternate LINK

Title: Práticas Educomunicativas E A Redução Da Violência No Contexto Escolar

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Comunicação & Educação

Publisher: Universidade de Sao Paulo, Agencia USP de Gestao da Informacao Academica (AGUIA)

Authors: Marciel A. Consani, Maria Carolina Aguilera Maccagnini

Published: 2015-10-01

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is educommunication and why is it important?

Educommunication is a transformative approach in education that focuses on dialogue and collaboration. It aims to create healthy and democratic communication ecosystems within schools. It's significant because it directly addresses the breakdown in communication that often leads to school violence, such as frustration, disengagement and a hostile environment. By fostering open communication channels, schools can mitigate conflicts and promote a sense of belonging and inclusion, which in turn can reduce incidents of violence and vandalism.

What was the Educom.Radio project, and what was its significance?

The Educom.Radio project was launched to address issues such as aggression and vandalism in São Paulo's public schools. It integrated media and communication skills into the educational framework. This initiative, supported by researchers like Ismar Soares, represents a practical application of educommunication. Its significance lies in its direct impact on reducing school violence by updating and refining strategies for mediating conflicts and fostering positive communication. Early reports suggest a significant reduction in school violence, offering a tangible example of the effectiveness of educommunication strategies.

What are the main causes of school violence and their implications?

School violence often stems from a breakdown in communication and a clash of cultures within educational institutions. Structures within many schools, such as physical layouts resembling prisons, can foster a sense of alienation. This lack of connection to the school environment can lead to vandalism and other forms of disruptive behavior. The implications include a hostile environment where students feel disconnected, leading to disrespect for the space and property, suppression of expression, and unaddressed grievances, which can escalate into violence. Educommunication seeks to bridge these gaps by promoting dialogue and empowering students, thus mitigating these negative impacts.

What are the key challenges that contribute to school violence, as mentioned in the text?

The article highlights several challenges, including a lack of belonging, suppression of expression, and unaddressed grievances. These issues contribute to a hostile environment. A lack of belonging means students may feel disconnected, leading to disrespect for the space and property. Restrictions on media and communication technologies can alienate students accustomed to digital platforms, leading to frustration and disengagement. Without open dialogue channels, student concerns can escalate into violence. Educommunication addresses these challenges by creating more inclusive and supportive environments, offering channels for expression and conflict resolution.

How can schools foster a culture of communication to reduce violence?

Fostering a culture of communication is vital for addressing school violence. Educommunication strategies create environments where students feel heard, valued, and empowered. This involves implementing specific programs and fostering a broader culture of dialogue and collaboration across the entire school community. This is significant because it shifts the focus from punishment to understanding and resolution, ensuring that the root causes of conflict are addressed, and the school becomes a safer and more inclusive place for everyone. Embracing innovative approaches that promote dialogue and empower students is key to creating a supportive learning environment and reducing violence.