C3 Framework Research Articles

Activities to Engage Students in the "Authentic" Work as U.S. Senators About Voting Rights Issues

In this article, we utilize resources mainly provided by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate along with other primary and secondary sources to discuss a unit plan for students to research voting rights issues in modern American society. First, a brief historical overview of voting rights issues in the United States is given. Next, our focus shifts to give a short literature review on the importance of teaching public issues as well as the significance of class discussions with topics some may deem controversial. Finally, the steps and resources of our unit plan are discussed. The unit plan is framed for the middle school social studies classroom and draws on relevant indicators from the C3 Framework by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS).

Plowing New Fields of Scholarship in Social Studies: Planting New Seeds With Civic, Economic, and Geographic Thinking

This manuscript is the introductory article for the special issue of the Journal of Social Studies Research titled Teaching Disciplinary Thinking, Literacy, and Argumentation Skills. In it, the authors provide an historical overview of disciplinary thinking as outlined by Edwin Fenton and Sam Wineburg. They talk about how the C3 Framework is a melding of a focus on disciplinary thinking outlined by Fenton and Wineburg with the emphasis on preparing K-12 students for their future roles as democratic citizens as stressed by scholars like Shirley Engle. Then, the focus of the manuscript shifts to highlight the underdeveloped areas of disciplinary thinking in civics, geography, and economics. The authors define economic, civic, and geographic thinking and provide habits of mind for each of these disciplines along with classroom activities for each. They close with arguments for why K-12 social studies teachers and social studies education scholars should focus on developing K-12 students’ civic, economic, and geographic thinking skills.

The unity productions foundation film and the C3 framework

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to engage readers with Unity Productions Foundation (UPF) films, which provide a powerful, inspirational digital tool for teachers. The organization's mission is to create documentaries, films and educational materials that contribute to bringing to light compelling stories of Muslim engagement through history and culture. UPF films and educational projects aim to promote peace and understanding to increase cultural pluralism and counter bigotry in our world.Design/methodology/approachTeachers will be able to utilize the resources provided in this paper to harness the power of media in their classrooms. Outlining the process by which teachers can follow the C3 inquiry using the film Prince Among Slaves will prepare teachers to see the alignment of the C3 Framework with their teaching. The “best practice” classroom strategies in structuring deliberations are ones that encourage students to fully participate and emphasize their voice.FindingsThis paper will unpack the practice methods that address the film Prince Among Slaves to be of benefit when sharing narratives through digital film and engage students in critical thinking through the C3 Framework. UPF films are the product of scholarly research and innovative production teams as the films provide the opportunity to visualize and explore multiple perspectives to understand historical content by providing a context for inquiry teaching and learning that is inclusive through deliberative discussions in the classroom.Originality/value The author certifies that this manuscript submission is original work and that all authors were involved in the intellectual elaboration of the manuscript and all parties have been acknowledged.

Early preservice teachers' development of social studies inquiry projects

PurposePreservice teachers (PSTs) typically have few opportunities to observe social studies instruction in PSTs' elementary field placements. To practice effective integration as a pathway to include more social studies instruction, PSTs developed a unit plan based on inquiry during an undergraduate methods course. The purpose of this study was to explore what scaffolds were effective in PSTs' development of social studies inquiry projects.Design/methodology/approachThe author used a multiple case study approach, examining initial submissions, feedback and resubmissions as PSTs developed PSTs' inquiry projects. The data were analyzed with an eye on PSTs' ability to plan a unit according to the four dimensions of the C3 Framework's inquiry arc (National Council for the Social Studies [NCSS], 2013).FindingsThe author analyzed data related to PSTs’ area of highest need from PSTs' initial submissions: staging the task, formative tasks and resources. PSTs were able to develop inquiry projects after being supported in their (1) organization, (2) clarity, (3) alignment and (4) developmental appropriateness.Originality/valueThis study shows that novice teachers can create high-quality social studies learning experiences in elementary school when provided appropriate supports (in this case, feedback about organization, clarity, alignment and developmental appropriateness). With the tools to develop such projects, new teachers may be able to increase the amount of social studies taught in elementary classrooms.

Learning to ask their own questions: How elementary students develop social studies inquiry questions

Although asking questions is the most frequently named disciplinary practice included in the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards, little is known about how elementary-aged students learn to develop inquiry questions. In this study, we analyzed how 19 third-grade students in the U.S. Midwest Region developed questions related to economics, geography, history, and political science across five months during the 2017–2018 school year. We found that students were generally successful with developing questions related to the disciplines, but their questions were most often closed-ended. We provide implications for supporting students’ learning as they generate inquiry questions.

Historical Context to Civic Action: Trade Books and Disciplinary Literacy Instruction

This six-day research project examined the potential for how trade books and primary sources can be used in concert with each other to develop middle school students’ disciplinary thinking skills in the manners advocated for in the C3 Framework. The project was focused on the trade book Thurgood, a picture book biography about Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Students drew images and used words to describe Thurgood Marshall’s civic identity and answered metacognitive analysis prompts explaining their thinking and work. Students’ work samples suggest that they employed a nuanced integration of both civic and historical thinking to articulate how Thurgood Marshall’s lived experiences influenced his civic action and civic identity.

Teachers’ Experiences in Using the A-P-E (Alam-Pagsasabuhay-Epekto) Diagram as a Reflection Tool in World History Classes

This research examined the development and experiences of World History teachers in using the Alam-Pagsasabuhay-Epekto diagram as a reflective tool in their classes. The development of the tool is drawn from Kolb’s Reflective Model (1984), the C3 Framework (2013), Piaget’s (1968) constructivist theory, and Watson’s (1930) behaviorist theory. The project was action research conducted among Social Studies teachers handling World History classes at Pabago High School. Data collection on the teacher’s experiences and perceptions on the reflective tool entailed using a Likert-scaled survey and focus group discussion using semi-structured questions. The project uncovered the teachers’ experiences of using reflection to increase reflective practices, leading to learning application using the Alam-Pagsasabuhay-Epekto diagram. The project concluded with recommendations for enhancing learning applications and further studies on the students’ use of reflective writing activities in the Social Studies classroom. Future studies could potentially influence teachers’ practices inside the classroom and the curriculum planners in designing a more interactive Social Studies program. The outcomes of this project can be utilized to inform teacher training programs of the Department of Education in the area of reflection tools and activities to promote a more active application of World History lessons.

PENDIDIKAN ILMU PENGETAHUAN SOSIAL BERBASIS C3 (COLLEGE, CARRIER, CIVIC LIFE) DAN LIFE SKILL UNTUK MEMBENTUK KARAKTER SISWA SEKOLAH MENENGAH PERTAMA

The purpose of this study is to analyze the application of C3-based Social StudiesEducation (College, Carrier, Civic Life) and Life Skills to form character in junior highschool students during the pandemic.The research method used is qualitative. The research subjects were students and socialstudies teachers of SMP Negeri 1 in Purworejo Regency. Data collection techniques usedwere observation and online interviews to prevent transmission. Data collection wascarried out in December 2020. Test the validity of the data using the triangulationtechnique. In the data analysis technique used data analysis includes 1) data reduction; 2) Data Presentation; and 3) Drawing conclusions.The results of the social studies education model by referring to the C3 framework andincorporating elements of Life Skills are very useful for the lives of students, including 1)Students will have a broad meaning of life skills, 2) Students are able to deal proactivelyand reactively in order to find solutions to problems, 3) The C3 Social Studies frameworkcan be a guide for students' readiness to enter higher education, career preparation andcommunity life as well as critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, andcollaborative skills needed during the current pandemic.

Examining the Cold War in the 1980s with Comic Books

The role of literacy in social studies education has been greatly elevated over the last decade. The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) models through the indicators of its C3 Framework how to strengthen K-12 students’ disciplinary thinking, literacy, and argumentation skills in the four core social studies disciplines: civics, history, geography, and economics. One resource that social studies teachers can use to address the indicators within the C3 Framework is comic books. Comic books employ both visual and textual modalities to convey meaning, through text boxes, people’s facial expressions, and imagery to capture the author’s arguments. The various modes of communication utilized in comic books allow students to construct meaning. In this article, we discuss how to use two comic books, Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast, and Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire, to teach about the Cold War in the 1980s. We start by giving a brief historical overview of the Cold War in the 1980s. Then, the focus of the article shifts to provide an examination of the potential benefits of utilizing comic books. This section also discusses how popular culture reflects the issues, values, and beliefs of an historical era. Two activities are given that scaffold how high school social studies teachers can employ these comic books to analyze important components of the Cold War in the 1980s. The steps and resources needed to implement our activities are provided.

Integrating global sustainability into social studies teachers' education: a collaborative self-study

PurposeThere have been increasing calls for social studies educators to engage issues of sustainability. Proponents argue that the very survival of the planet depends on the degree to which teachers can move learners away from unsustainable beliefs and behaviors to those grounded in interdisciplinary approaches to solving community and global challenges. How to implement this vision of sustainability education? The purpose of the paper is to report the results of teacher-educators' curriculum and pedagogical approaches to implement the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) C3 framework to engage and empower prospective and practicing teachers to teach for a sustainable future.Design/methodology/approachThe study is guided by the growing field of self-study in teacher education, a type of research undertaken by teacher-educators with the dual purpose of personal professional development and a deep understanding of teacher-education practices. Most data were derived from multiple, recursive conversations (both formal and informal) around curriculum decisions and pedagogical choices to integrate sustainability issues into teacher-education courses. Additional data sources include classroom lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations, course readings and resources.FindingsThe authors' three years of collaborative work has shown that an issues-centered, interdisciplinary approach to select and integrate global issues, the current event article analysis, young adult literature and discussion and deliberation of local sustainable development issues that are some of the most effective pedagogical tools to engage and empower teacher candidates in learning about issues that affect the sustainable development of global community. The NCSS C3 provides a powerful framework to scaffold the process of analyzing sustainable issues while also teaching social studies curriculum and standards and skills.Originality/valueScholars of global education have called for shifting from an anthropocentric philosophy to a bio-centric worldview emphasizing the embeddedness of humans within the environment. How can social studies teacher-educators implement this vision of global education What instructional resources strategies and learning activities can be effectively integrated into existing courses to help candidates develop competences and commitment to teaching for global sustainability The study examines the innovative approaches to addressing these critical topics in teacher education.

Using Book Tasting in the Academic Library: A Tale of Children’s Literature, Collaboration, and an Increased Appetite for Books

This qualitative action research study investigated the influence that participating in a book tasting had on Pre K-4 pre-service teachers in their social studies methods course. The findings indicated that book tasting helped pre-service teachers to conceptualize what a text set is, learn how to create one using library resources, and incorporate quality children’s literature successfully into lesson plans that are designed to meet the NCSS standards using the NCSS themes and the C3 Framework. The findings also indicated that book tastings changed the attitudes and perceptions that pre-service teachers had about using children’s literature to teach content Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2021.1965685.

Using the C3 Framework to Evaluate the Legacy of Southern Segregationist Senators

U.S. politics has been primarily focused on the exploration of presidential power. People have engaged in traditional Master Narratives with the examination of U.S. Presidents where their actions are elevated and the catalysts for seismic societal changes. What is not examined in as much detail is legislative power wielded by members of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. It could be argued that the influence of the U.S. Senate is more substantial given the longer length of its members’ terms. The exploration of a senator’s power, impact, and legacy is made even more difficult to measure by the subtle legislative maneuvers employed in the U.S. Senate along with the quantity of his or her votes on a variety of issues. However, students need to be equipped with the skills to analyze their elected representatives’ political records. One notable U.S. senator in the 20th century that the social studies teacher can research using the C3 Framework is Senator Richard Russell of Georgia.

Using Thematic Social Studies Teaching to Explore the Civil Rights Movement

In this article, I discuss one approach of implementing thematic teaching in the high school social studies classroom exploring the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. First, a short summary for the type of high school social studies classroom envisioned in the C3 Framework by NCSS is discussed. Then, I define thematic teaching and the benefits of doing this type of social studies instruction. Next, a brief overview of the benefits of using trade books focusing on social studies topics is provided. Finally, three activities are given. Each activity uses a social studies trade book connected to three different civil rights activists during the 1950s and 1960s: Thurgood Marshall, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Fannie Lou Hamer. The steps and resources to implement these activities are provided.

Integrating the C3 Framework in the social studies: an action research study

PurposeThe C3 Framework is a recent example in a long history within the field of social studies education of efforts to engage teachers and students in inquiry-oriented teaching and learning. While there is some research regarding the efficacy of the inquiry design model (IDM) of the C3 Framework, few studies have sought to engage social studies teachers as coresearchers as they integrate the framework. This study addressed a persistent divide between the theory and practice of integrating inquiry in the social studies.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, a classroom teacher and a university-based researcher conducted a hybrid action research study to understand the instructional shifts that occur as the C3 Framework is fully implemented into instruction.FindingsBased on the findings, the authors present a theory of action to highlight key opportunities to shift instruction, while also acknowledging the factors that might mitigate those shifts. In particular, the authors focus on teacher decision-making and contextual factors that allow for and hinder the full integration of inquiry.Originality/valueThis study is unique in developing a hybrid action research/qualitative case study that provides insider knowledge related to improving social studies teaching and learning.

Can Pre-K Use C3? Exploring the Usefulness of the C3 Framework with Prekindergarten Students and their Teacher in an Inquiry on Landmarks

Deep social studies-based engagement is critical in early childhood to provide a foundation for later learning and increasingly mature understandings. Skills and attitudes necessary for active citizenship should be fostered in prekindergarten “in a way which is appealing and pleasurable (Casey, DiCarlo, & Sheldon, 2019, p. 1)”. The National Council for the Social Studies College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework is written for kindergarten through 12th grade, but could it a guide for successful inquiries with children in prekindergarten? If so, could the framework also provide a helpful tool for early childhood educators unsure of how to create inquiry experiences? This study’s purpose was to examine the experiences and outcomes of eleven prekindergarten students and their teacher as they explored landmarks over a five-week inquiry using the C3 Framework. Qualitative analyses of data sources suggest the C3 Framework guided inquiry on landmarks led to the formation of foundational geographical schemas in the children and supportive inquiry pedagogy schemas for the teacher.

Proposing Core Practices for Social Studies Teacher Education: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Inquiry-Based Lessons

As states, school districts, and teachers continue to adopt the inquiry-based principles of the College, Career, and Civic (C3) Framework, social studies teacher education must engage in a concomitant instructional shift to focus its efforts on preparing inquiry-based educators. One possible approach is to organize social studies teacher education around core practices. In this study, I attempt to surface the core practices found in social studies classrooms through a qualitative content analysis of the lessons using the Inquiry Design Model (IDM), an instructional design process based on the elements of the C3 Framework. Seven core practices to organize social studies teacher education are proposed: (a) establishing social studies academic language, (b) helping students recognize the interdisciplinary nature of social studies phenomena, (c) using interpretive questions, (d) helping students organize inquiries, (e) connecting inquiries to students’ lives, (f) structuring opportunities for discussion, and (g) extending inquiry into the civic lives of students.

Informing, transforming, inquiring: Approaches to elementary social studies in methods course syllabi

This study investigated approaches to the elementary social studies methods syllabus from instructors of courses across the United States. Using qualitative content analysis, we explored 48 methods syllabi using a deductive framework of Information Based Systems of education, Transformation Based Systems of Education, and Inquiry Based Systems of education. Ultimately, we determined that over half (n = 27) of the collected syllabi reflected an Information Based System of education meant to prepare students for certification, lesson and unit planning, and best practice social studies instruction. Fewer (n = 14) prepared pre-service teachers to challenge official knowledge and position social studies instruction within socio-political realities of students and fewer still prepared pre-service teachers to center inquiry-based instruction guided by the C3 Framework (n = 11). We position these findings within dominant trends in elementary social studies scholarship and conclude that too few methods courses reflect the scholarly trend toward transformative, justice-oriented, or inquiry-based elementary social studies.

Examining Internal Displacement through the Rohingya Crisis

The plight of refugees has recently received considerable media coverage. Yet, little attention is given to groups who are internally displaced. The purpose of this article is to model one way to teach about internally displaced peoples, drawing on the Rohingya crisis as a specific example. We first provide a background of the Rohingya crisis, and then use that context to describe a lesson to help students better understand issues associated with internally displaced peoples. The lesson is a history lab—an inquiry-based activity through which students recognize societal problems, evaluate evidence, and consider possible solutions or consequences. Using the history lab approach, students can investigate the Rohingya crisis from multiple perspectives and develop a better understanding of the Rohingya crisis, specifically, and of internally displaced peoples, broadly. There are currently 65 million + displaced people in the world. Questions of where they should go, who should harbor them, and what should be done about the violent situations that force them from their homelands are complex. The lesson aligns with the C3 Framework and as such, this article offers teachers an inquiry-based approach to examining a complex, global issue that currently receives little attention in formal social studies curricula.

Discussing the elephant in the room: the Republican Party and race issues

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the subtle racist rhetoric used by members of the Republican Party over the last 60 years connected to issues of race. The authors start by providing a brief history of the Republican Party and race issues. Then, the authors discuss the civic thinking skills stressed within the C3 Framework, specifically the ability to analyze politicians’ arguments. Then, the focus shifts to look at the racial literacy framework discussed by King et al. Finally, three activities are provided that enable students to grasp the subtle racist rhetoric used by some Republicans connected to issues of race. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors explore race issues with members of the modern Republican Party. The authors design three classroom-ready activities by drawing on the best teaching practices advocated for in the C3 Framework. To elaborate, these activities allow students to research and analyze arguments made by some Republican politicians. This enables students to engage in the four dimensions of the Inquiry Arc in the C3 Framework. Findings The authors provide three activities that can be utilized in the high school social studies classroom to enable students to dissect American politicians’ messages connected to race issues. These activities can be adapted and utilized to enable students to examine a political candidate’s messages, especially those that contain subtle racist rhetoric. By completing the steps of these three activities, students are better prepared to be critical consumers of political messages and to hold elected officials accountable for their words, policies and actions. Originality/value In this paper, the authors explore the role of racist political rhetoric employed by members of the Republican Party over the last 60 years. The authors use the racial literacy framework advocated for by King et al. in three classroom-ready activities. The three activities are provided to help students break down the racist political rhetoric employed by notable members of the Republican Party.

Using found poetry to cultivate student literacy, empathy, and creativity

PurposeThe emphasis on primary sources and disciplinary literacy skills in not only the Common Core State Standards, but other national curricula (i.e. College Board exams and the NCSS C3 Framework) requires that teachers continue to find ways to integrate these skills into their elementary and secondary classrooms. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThis paper introduces a cross-disciplinary approach that integrates primary source reading skills and the arts to cultivate student literacy and creativity though the writing of found poems.FindingsFound poetry activities based on social studies primary sources allow students to practice literacy skills, engage more deeply with social studies content, and also may encourage the development of historical empathy toward the experiences and perspectives of distant peoples and events.Practical implicationsAfter reading and analyzing primary sources, students can create and present their found poems in diverse formats which allows for student expression and creativity in the classroom. Teachers can easily modify found poetry activities to meet the needs of diverse learners.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills the identified need to increase literacy skills and incorporate more student participation in the classroom. Using the strategy of student-inspired found poems, primary sources become more tangible and meaningful to students. Found poems offer yet another way to integrate the arts into social studies education.