Issues In Social Studies Research Articles

Profile of an Elementary Teacher—How Instructional Strategies Differ across Elementary Classrooms

The marginalization of social studies has led to many questions about how elementary teachers include social studies in their curriculum. Using a survey distributed to Texas teachers, this study explores the instructional strategies, integration emphasis, and content area instructional time utilized in the elementary classroom. Through a quantitative study, results indicate a significant relationship with emphasizing controversial issues in social studies with language integration and art integration. Also, teachers in earlier grade levels were more likely to emphasize controversial issues than the older grade levels. Lastly, implications for teacher education are discussed.

Rubber ducks to ecological citizenship: a review of practitioner-oriented research on ecological issues in the social studies

PurposeThe world is facing unprecedented potential disaster with the impending climate crisis. Research within social studies education surrounding the integration of ecological issues, while still on the fringes, has seen a recent surge. This is a review of practitioner-oriented research published in the last ten years on teaching these issues in social studies classes.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews practitioner-oriented articles on teaching ecological issues in social studies classes. The author searched databases and did a manual review using specific search terms. The author’s first level of analysis was to analyze the year of publication, whether the article was (co) written by a practicing teacher and whether the article featured a lesson plan/resources. The author then analyzed the content/focus of each article.FindingsIn total, ten articles were (co)written by a practicing teacher, 23 articles included lesson plans and the article themes could fall into one of six themes (water issues, pollution, climate change, climate activism, sustainability and economic growth and ecological citizenship/ethics).Research limitations/implicationsThe author was unable to review one year of articles from the Ohio Social Studies Review due to the COVID-19 pandemic and only having remote institutional access to library materials.Originality/valueIn reviewing the practitioner-oriented articles, the author hopes to not only strengthen the curricular justifications for teaching these issues in social studies classes but also show what research has been done and provide critiques and show what could be done in the future.

The Possibility of Learning Controversial Issues in Social Studies as a Justification Model of Value Judgment

The Possibility of Learning Controversial Issues in Social Studies as a Justification Model of Value Judgment

Exploring new teachers conceptualizations of critical simulations in world history, American history, and economics learning experiences

In this study we examine early career social studies teachers’ use and understanding of critical simulations. We began work with participants as teacher candidates in their pre-service programs and formally studied them as they began their in-service teaching. We were particularly interested in teacher efforts to use simulation to facilitate a more critical disciplinary consciousness. Data indicate that participant teachers utilized simulations to: enhance students’ ability to critically engage with social studies content, facilitate more democratic dialogue, and critique normalized systems of power. We do not suggest that simulations in and of themselves are “critical,” rather, we argue they can be an effective means of providing a safe environment for considering the complexities of certain issues in social studies. Furthermore, we argue critical social studies teachers and teacher educators can be purposeful in their use of simulation to avoid enshrining the status quo. Finally simulations can help critical teachers illuminate oppression and facilitate a more humanizing vision within the social studies if they possess critical consciousness, strong pedagogical content knowledge and a command of the method.

أثر وحدة دراسیة مقترحة قائمة على الاقتصاد المعرفى فى تنمیة الثقافة الجغرافیة والوعى بالقضایا العالمیة لدى تلامیذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى The effect of an existing proposed unit of study based on the knowledge economy on developing geographic culture and awareness of global issues among fifth-grade primary students

هدف البحث إلى تنمية الثقافة الجغرافية والوعى بالقضايا العالمية فى مادة الدراسات الاجتماعية لتلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى وذلک بعد دراستهم للوحدة الدراسية المقترحة القائمة على الاقتصاد المعرفى , وتکونت عينة البحث من (25) تلميذا وتلميذة من تلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى بمدرسة الشهيد أحمد محمود حامد إسماعيل الابتدائية والتابعة لإدارة حلوان التعليمية / جنوب القاهرة . وقد قامت الباحثة بإعداد قائمة بمؤشرات اقتصاد المعرفة والتى يمکن توظيفها فى مادة الدراسات الاجتماعية وذلک بعد الرجوع لعدة مصادر ودراسات/ بحوث سابقة ، کما قامت الباحثة بإعداد وحدة دراسية مقترحة قائمة على مؤشرات اقتصاد المعرفة لتلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى ، وأعدت الباحثة مقياس الثقافة الجغرافية ومقياس آخر وهو : الوعى بالقضايا العالمية فى الدراسات الاجتماعية لتلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى ، وقد تم تحکيم جميع أدوات البحث وذلک عرضها على عدد من الخبراء المتخصصين. وقد توصل البحث إلى النتائج التالية : - يوجد فرق ذو دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى (0.01) بين متوسطى درجات تلاميذ المجموعة التجريبية عينة البحث فى التطبيق القبلى والبعدى لمقياس الثقافة الجغرافية لصالح التطبيق البعدى. - يوجد فرق ذو دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى (0.01) بين متوسطى درجات تلاميذ المجموعة التجريبية عينة البحث فى التطبيق القبلى والبعدى لمقياس الوعى بالقضايا العالمية لصالح التطبيق البعدى. - يصل حجم تأثير الوحدة الدراسية المقترحة القائمة على اقتصاد المعرفة بمقرر الدراسات الاجتماعية إلى (0.8) أو أکثر عند القياس بمعادلة مربع إيتا (h²) فى تنمية الثقافة الجغرافية والوعى بالقضايا العالمية The aim of the research is to develop geographic culture and awareness of global issues in the subject of social studies for fifth-grade primary students after their study of the proposed unit of study based on knowledge economy, and the research sample consisted of (25) students and students from the fifth primary grade students at the martyr Ahmed Mahmoud Hamed Ismail Elementary and Follower School Helwan Educational Administration / South Cairo. The researcher has prepared a list of knowledge economy indicators that can be employed in the subject of social studies, after referring to several previous sources and studies / research. The researcher has also prepared a proposed study unit based on knowledge economy indicators for fifth grade primary students, and the researcher has prepared a measure of geographical culture and another scale which is Awareness of global issues in social studies for fifth grade primary students, and all research tools have been judged and presented to a number of specialized experts. The researcher reached the following conclusions : - There is a statistically significant difference at (0.01) between the average scores of the experimental group of the experimental group in the tribal application and the deviation of the geographic culture scale in favor of the remote application. - There is a statistically significant difference at (0.01) between the average scores of the experimental group of the experimental group in the tribal application and the deviation of the level of awareness of the global issues in favor of the remote application. - The size of the impact of the proposed study unit based on the knowledge economy in the social studies course is (0.8) or more when measured by the ETA square equation (h²) in developing geographical culture and awareness of global issues.

Examining pre-service teachers’ preparedness and perceptions about teaching controversial issues in social studies

This study explored pre-service teachers' (N = 37) perceptions about teaching controversial global and local topics. Additionally, it examined participants’ level of preparedness, motivation and perceived hindrances to teaching controversial issues. To do so, the study used a interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA). Data from written reflections and semi-structured interviews showed 80 percent of participants lacked exposure to college work that examined controversial issues prior to taking Social Studies Methods course. However, after taking the course, participants were able to identify controversial topics, but they still displayed limited critical awareness and conceptualization of teaching controversial issues. Other findings pointed to the benefits of teaching controversial topics in a planned and intentional manner.

A Comparison of Human Rights Education in Social Studies Textbooks in Turkey and the United States

The aim of this study was to compare the level of allocation of human rights education issues in social studies textbooks in Turkey and the United States. For this aim, six social studies textbooks from both countries were examined. Textbooks were analyzed in terms of their level of “human rights education issues,” in accordance with Karaman - Kepenekci’s (1999) subcategories. A content analysis method was used to analyze the textbooks. As a result, it was observed that human rights education issues were included more in Turkish social studies textbooks. The study showed that Turkish and United States textbooks contained the “rights” subcategory the most. While the intensity scores of the “democracy,” “freedom,” and “judgment” subcategories were listed the highest in both countries’ textbooks, on the other hand, the intensity scores of the “tolerance” and “peace” subcategories were placed last in the textbooks of both countries.

Composing identities: using digital documentary shorts to explore social issues

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of using digital shorts (Pytash et al., 2017) focusing on social issues in social studies classrooms.Design/methodology/approachQualitative case study is used in this study.FindingsDigital shorts focused on important social issues, and included their beliefs and perspectives about their social issue, as well as insights into their developing identities as citizens. The authors’ findings demonstrate how this assignment can be the gateway for discussions regarding social issues, how students perceive their identities tied to contemporary social issues, and how they make sense of these issues within multimodal compositions.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings from this research have implications for researching the effectiveness of digital media production analysis for students’ learning of social issues.Practical implicationsThe findings from this research have implications for exploring how digital media production analysis can be incorporated into social studies courses.Originality/valueAlthough the push for social studies teachers to provide spaces for students to demonstrate these capacities, few examples exist in the literature.

Performing ontology.

Ontology, and in particular, the so-called ontological turn, is the topic of a recent themed issue of Social Studies of Science (Volume 43, Issue 3, 2013). Ontology, or metaphysics, is in philosophy concerned with what there is, how it is, and forms of being. But to what is the science and technology studies researcher turning when he or she talks of ontology? It is argued that it is unclear what is gained by arguing that ontology also refers to constructed elements. The 'ontological turn' comes with the risk of creating a pseudo-debate or pseudo-activity, in which energy is used for no end, at the expense of empirical studies. This text rebuts the idea of an ontological turn as foreshadowed in the texts of the themed issue. It argues that there is no fundamental qualitative difference between the ontological turn and what we know as constructivism.

The struggling concept of social issues in social studies : A discourse analysis on the use of a central concept in syllabuses for social studies in Swedish upper secondary school

The struggling concept of social issues in social studies : a discourse analysis on the use of a central concept in syllabuses for social studies in Swedish upper secondary school

How should we deal with Japanese Agricultural Issues in Social Studies?

How should we deal with Japanese Agricultural Issues in Social Studies?

The Application of the Principle of Proportion on Teaching Controversial Issues in Social Studies

The Application of the Principle of Proportion on Teaching Controversial Issues in Social Studies

Environmental Literacy in Turkey Primary Schools Social Studies Textbooks

Abstract The purpose of study is to determine the level of a allocation of environmental literacy issues in social studies textbooks in elementary school 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade Social Studies (SS) textbooks that are published and distributed to schools by the Ministry of National Education in the 2010-2011 educational year in Turkey. For this aim, four social studies textbooks were examined. These textbooks are analyzed in terms of their level of “the environmental literacy issues,” in accordance with Roth's subcategories. In the research the analysis unit is determined as “the environmental literacy”. This analysis unit is divided into four sub-categories as “Environmental Knowledge”, “Cognitive Skills”, “Behavior”, and “Affect”. Content analysis method was used to analyses the textbooks. In other words, qualitative research method was preferred and all the themes of textbooks were studied by use of the content analysis method. Frequencies and percentages were used in the analysis of data. In this study, it is found out that social studies textbooks do not equally contain the components of environmental literacy and that the component of environmental knowledge is included much more than the other environmental literacy components.

Classes on Territorial Issues in Social Studies

Classes on Territorial Issues in Social Studies

Significance of Fostering Ability of Decision Making on Diplomatic Issues in Social Studies and Its Lesson Plan

Significance of Fostering Ability of Decision Making on Diplomatic Issues in Social Studies and Its Lesson Plan

Teaching Controversial Issues in Social Studies: A Research Study of High School Teachers

Teaching Controversial Issues in Social Studies: A Research Study of High School Teachers

Second Thoughts on the Politics of STS: A Response to the Replies by Singleton and Wynne

This brief Response to the Replies by Vicky Singleton and Brian Wynne enables me to take a second look at the issue of the politics of STS. I will base what I have to say on the original papers and my Response to them, take account of the Replies by Singleton and Wynne, and summarize my main conclusions from the exchange. The two Replies to my original Response to the Special Issue of Social Studies of Science on 'The Politics of SSK' carry on the debate in rather different ways.' Hence I will discuss them separately. I start with Vicky Singleton's contribution. Generally speaking, I think that her Reply has clarified the issues under discussion, even if certain disagreements remain. As a preliminary point, let me say that my comments did not primarily bear upon Singleton's account of her particular case, the UK Cervical Screening Programme. For instance, her criticism of the absolutist normative approach by the British government sounds quite plausible.2 Instead, my Response focused on the theoretical approach taken by Singleton and on a number of general claims she made on the basis of her case study. Basically, the following questions are at issue. The first is that Singleton sees 'should discourse' as essentially inflexible and absolute. In my Response I opposed this view by arguing that normative discourse can be, and often is, as subtle and differentiated as descriptive discourse. In her Reply, Singleton appears to concede the point. Still, she designates my suggested differentiation of her normative question as extremely 'slippery', and prefers to avoid 'should' discourse entirely.3 In contrast, I take it to be no more than prudent to refuse simpleminded absolutist questions and to argue for a more differentiated discourse. Apart from this, there is the question of whether normative

Comments on the Symposium on `Computer Discovery and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge'

The Special Issue of Social Studies of Science, of November 1989, containing the Symposium on 'Computer Discovery and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge',' came to my attention only a few months ago, and I have just now had an opportunity to review its contents carefully. If the debate has not already closed, I should like to add a few words to it. The most important comment is that BACON and KEKADA, referred to so often in this exchange are not 'Simon's programs?. If a single name is to be attached to BACON, it should be that of Pat Langley, since the early versions of that program consituted the core of Pat's doctoral dissertation. Pat should not be allowed to escape all of the blame that is heaped on me in these comments. Even more accurate would be to call these the LSBZ (pronounced 'lizbiz') programs after their four authors (a social collectivity!), or even LSBZK (Lizbizeek) to include Deepak Kulkarni, whose dissertation was built around KEKADA. Matters of content are mostly handled quite adequately by Peter Slezak in his Symposium opening paper, and closing replies. I can therefore largely restrict myself to specific assertions about BACON where perhaps Slezak conceded too much to the critics. It would take many pages to correct all the factual errors in the critiques; I will address only the most obvious.

A Revolution that Failed: Collins and Pinch on the Paranormal

'Modern philosophy of science has allowed an extra dimension time into descriptions of the nature of scientific knowledge'. With these words, Harry Collins opened the Special Issue of Social Studies of Science (Vol. 11, No. 1, February 1981) devoted to the 'relativist' programme pioneered by Collins some years ago at the University of Bath Science Studies Centre. Collins is of course referring to the work of Thomas Kuhn, and to the 'historical turn' in recent philosophy of science. The members of the extended relativist 'school' (Trevor Pinch, G.D.L. Travis, Andrew Pickering, and Bill Harvey, to mention only the authors represented in the Special Issue) recognize that the time dimension includes the present and the future as well as the past. Whereas most philosophers and sociologists of science, not to mention historians, have introduced only the past portion of the time dimension in order to examine retrospectively developments and debates which are now completely closed and in the textbooks (or not in the textbooks, as the case may be), the relativist group has studied a number of scientific controversies which are (or were at the time) still open in the sense that two or more opposed positions remain(ed) live options, and not merely Duhemian logical options, for future development. For example, the relativists have studied memory transfer in planaria,

Using Presidential Politics to Explore Economic Issues in Social Studies

Using Presidential Politics to Explore Economic Issues in Social Studies