Social Science Curriculum Research Articles

A Social Justice Approach to Achievement: Guiding Latina/o Students Toward Educational Attainment With a Challenging, Socially Relevant Curriculum

This article discusses how an experimental social science curriculum has influenced Latina/o students' perspectives of their potential to graduate high school and attend college. The curriculum, which is called the Social Justice Education Project (SJEP), requires students to adopt a serious academic subjectivity to analyze and address social conditions that may undermine their future opportunities. The curriculum reflects graduate-level seminars in critical theory and participatory action research. Many students in the first cohort to participate in the program were labeled “at risk” of dropping out. These students not only graduated but also excelled with the advanced-level course work. Their exposure to advanced-level work was the best measure for preventing their premature departure from high school as well as preparation for college. The article concludes with recommendations for how universities can work with local schools to foster the type of academic climate that is conducive to success.

Higher Education in Scotland: Experiences In Developing An Interdisciplinary Social Science Curriculum

Higher Education in Scotland: Experiences In Developing An Interdisciplinary Social Science Curriculum

Valuing diversity in the social science curriculum

Valuing diversity in the social science curriculum

What Does NCATE Have to Say to Future History Teachers? Not Much

According to current NCATE standards, social studies teachers must be well versed in economics, history, sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology, science and technology, and the arts. In short, they must know everything. Mr. Wineburg dismisses these standards as totally unrealistic and argues that prospective social studies teachers should be prepared to focus on a few crucial skills that will make a real difference in the lives of their students. EVERY SPRING Massachusetts tests young people on the history contained in its impressive 140-page standards document, the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework. See how well you do on items high school students are asked to identify: * Battle at Fort Wagner * Younghill Kang's East Goes West * Ludwig von Mises * West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette1 Similarly, California initiated its Standardized Test and Reporting (STAR) Assessment in 2002, a test that aligns with that state's standards in history and social science. Try your luck with these items: * the fundamental principles in the philosophies of Locke, Montesquieu, and Blackstone; * the Allied strategy in the Battle of Okinawa; * the 442nd Regiment Combat Team, Hiram Johnson, and Dwight Moody; and * the legal issues in Adarand Constructors Inc. v. Pena.2 Following a protracted debate, Minnesota's legislature unveiled new standards in May 2004. Their 80-page, 26,512-word document included the following famous names and events: Baron Von Steuben, Margaret Fuller, and Alfred Thayer Mahan; the Treaties of Fort Stanwicks and Hopewell; the Panic of 1819; the Battle of Manilla Bay; the Sussex Pledge; the Dumbarton Oaks Conference; and the Omaha Platform of 1892.3 No, these standards are not aberrations, products of some loopy school board high on Jeopardy. They carry the legislative signatures of our most populous and influential states. Given the ubiquity of standards documents -- nearly every state has produced one in the last decade -- let's review what standards are supposed to be. Originally, had two meanings. A flag or image hoisted during battle, the of war rallied the troops behind a common cause. The second meaning comes from the ancient marketplace: hawkers of foodstuffs once employed a hodgepodge of weights, plying them according to whim and cupidity. Out of this farrago came a standard of measure - - a system of weights that applied equally to all. So it is supposed to be with our modern version of standards: knowledge whose importance is self-evident and which should form the inheritance of every citizen. Is Adarand Constructors Inc. v. Pena (a Supreme Court case about awarding contracts to minority firms) or the Panic of 1819 (a monetary shortage that left many Ohioans destitute) a fact that should be at everyone's fingertips? In Minnesota, every future welder and beautician in St. Paul, every soon-to-be bricklayer and physician's assistant in Duluth, every construction worker and waitress in Minneapolis should be able to demonstrate knowledge of South and East Asian civilizations (to choose one of the 27 substrands under History) by comparing and contrasting nations in terms of cultural universals of economic, political, social, religious, philosophical, and technological characteristics, which would include, among other things, knowledge of the Mohenjo-daro, Ashoka, Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties, ancient Japan's Yamato period, and the writing of the Vedas in ancient India.4 Who knows? Who knows this stuff? One thing's for sure: it's not our kids, whose problems are of a different order of magnitude. Two-thirds can't even date the Civil War within the proper half century, and over half thought we fought the Soviet Union in World War II.5 Ask a high school student whether the Korean War came before or after World War II, and you are likely to be met with a blank stare. …

The MISSING LINK: Exploring the Relationship Between Higher Education and Political Engagement

Empirical political behavior research has consistently observed a robust and positive relationship between education and political engagement, but has failed to adequately explain why education is so important. Using data from the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B) Longitudinal Study, I test three competing hypotheses explaining the enduring link between higher education and political behavior. I find that a verbal SAT scores and a social science curriculum are related to future political engagement, suggesting that the content of higher education, especially a curriculum that develops language and civic skills, is influential in shaping participation in American democracy.

The Different Approaches to Institutions in Economics and Sociology and the Consequences for the Design of a Social Science Curriculum

The concept institution is a very important one, in economics as well as in sociology. The meaning of the concept, however, differs very much when we compare various schools of thought that dominate the debates in the two disciplines. The differences between the typical economic and the typical sociological approach on the one hand and the more heterodox approaches on the other hand reflect principal differences in ontology, epistemology and methodology. Only via a well designed social science curriculum a deep understanding of economic and social institutions can be achieved. Then not only economic aspects, but also psychic, social and political aspects can be dealt with appropriately - so as to create a more realistic picture that functions as an analytical foundation for empirical research.

Centering Race and Ethnicity- Related Issues in Social Sciences Curricula

A 2002 review of the course requirements and electives of Economics, History, Political Science, and Sociology programs in thirty randomly selected state and private, “doctoral-level” and “masters-level” institutions produced 201 courses relating to the study of race-and ethnic-related issues. Only two courses (History offerings on a single campus) were required for completion of a major. While some departments offered “concentrations” with mandated content, the concentrations themselves were elective. Diversity in America today is a truly important component of social (re)organization and change and, thus, a major source of social friction. Why is it, then, that students, those majoring in the social sciences in particular, are able, by uninformed or informed choice, to complete a degree with but cursory attention to the topic? This essay addresses the reasons for relegation of diversity-related issues to optional status and argues that the situation can and should be reversed.

The IMLS Digital Cultural Heritage Community Project: A case study of tools for effective project management and collaboration

Designed to create a model environment for collaboration on digitization projects, the Digital Cultural Heritage Community Project (DCHC) focused on the digitization of materials from central Illinois museums, archives, and libraries for integration into elementary grades' social science curricula. Support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services' National Leadership Grants, Model Program of Cooperation enabled a group of central Illinois libraries, museums, and elementary schools to develop the underpinnings of a new community. Together the participants in this community built a framework for digitizing primary source materials on common teaching themes, according to the Illinois Board of Education Learning Standards, and providing free access to those materials, organized through a simple search interface.

Introduction: Varieties of Comparative Criminology

GRAEME NEWMAN [*] GREGORY J. HOWARD [**] Introduction ALMOST EVERY PAPER one reads on topic of criminology repeats quote from Durkheim to effect that comparative sociology is ... sociology itself (Durkheim 1938:39). True enough, if Durkheim meant that we follow in sociology, given that kernel of scientific method lies in comparison of experimentally allocated groups. Of course, in social science, especially sociological version, chances of conducting a scientific study in which compared groups are constructed according to the scientific are not too great, since subjects of study -- from small to large groups -- have already formed without aid of social scientists. When groups are constructed by social scientists, such as in variants of social survey, there is unavoidable problem that such groups are necessarily artificial, constructed by research solely for purposes of study. Once data are collected, such groups disappear. They live only as long as study. Scientists with aid of statisticians have, however, invented all kinds of ways to simulate scientific comparisons, using data that groups and organizations in society produce. Today, it is possible to conduct comparisons in many unlikely settings and with an incredible array of data. These data -- and there are increasingly massive amounts of such data emerging as one of byproducts of electronic revolution -- challenge ingenuity of sociologists to adapt them for research purposes and, if sociologist is so disposed, development of social policy. We use word group in a very general sense. It is apparent that a bunch of students in a classroom taking Criminology 101 from Professor Y is a though what kind of group, how it is organized, and what its goals are, may be a puzzle. If we compare grades of this with those of Criminology 101 taught by Professor X, we may also ask why there are differences in performance between two groups. All of this makes much sense, and is stuff of many introductory methods and design courses in all social science curricula. But suppose we compared performance of Professor Y's students (from United States) with those of Professor A in another country (Japan)? Must method change? In fact, what is it that is being compared? Group performance itself, or performance in particular countries? Such groups cannot be said to represent in scientific sense their respective countries, can they? Would Professor Y learn anything by examining why Professor A's students performed at a higher level than his students? One could reasonably expect that he would -- perhaps by discovering that there was a stronger among Japanese students, or that there were higher demands placed on them. Arguably, Professor Y might learn something similar by comparing his class's performance to that of Professor X's, just down hail from him. But what would he learn? He might learn that Professor X also places higher demands on his students. But he might not learn that it is poor work ethic of his students since that would be more or less invariant. By doing a cross-cultural comparison, one can ask questions that may not arise in a single cultural setting. Such initial comparisons are not very scientific; in fact, they may be not much more than impressionistic. But they do raise possibility that we will be confronted by novel discoveries that can set stage for research on a more solid scientific footing. What kinds of comparisons did Durkheim have in mind, scientific comparisons or impressionistic comparisons? We think both, given range of methods reflected in Durkheim's own work, from empirical and almost doctrinaire Suicide to his Elementary Forms of Religious Life, where impressions and speculation were woven together into a rich theory that remains a classic in sociology of religion. …

Environmental engineering education in conjunction with or as Part of social sciences curricula

Traditionally in Germany environmental engineering education took place within the context of a civil engineering programme. There were reasons for this: the beginning of much of what we understand today to be environmental works fell within the parameters of city engineering. There were and are advantages mostly in view of the necessary planning, construction and operation of environmental infrastructure. There are also disadvantages which become more and more pronounced as the field of environmental protection expands: the civil engineer frequently lacks basic training in disciplines such as biology and chemistry and carries a large and sometimes burdensome knowledge of other less relevant subjects. Thus, educators begin to look for alternatives. This paper deals with an alternative that was developed some ten years ago and therefore has proven viable and successful: at the University of Karlsruhe students may choose to major in environmental engineering within the context or on the basis of an economics and business administration curriculum. The basic question here is as to what extent the student masters the field of environmental engineering if he or she has predominantly a solid background in social sciences and very little in natural sciences. The paper will describe the curriculum in structure and intensity and evaluate the accumulated knowledge and suitability of these students in terms of actual environmental problems. This will be done in terms of examination performance parallel and/or relative to traditionally trained civil environmental engineers as well as in terms of topics successfully treated in Masters' theses. In conclusion, it is argued that such combination of curricula should not be confined to economic sciences and environmental engineering but also be planned for legal sciences and environmental engineering.

Teaching Media Studies as High School Social Science

Although the media have become virtually ubiquitous in our information society, American high schools generally devote little attention to systematic study of the media. The United States lags behind several other countries in this regard. France has experimented with a form of media studies for more than 20 years (LaBorderie, 1984). In a reform of the British school curriculum, media studies occupies a prominent place on the agenda (Fuller, 1987). In addition, Australia is recognized as a world leader in its media literacy programs; Canada is seen as being close behind (Tyner, 1988). For example, Ontario requires media studies in all schools for grades 7-12. Other countries have made significant inroads in the area of media literacy, including Scotland, Chile, India, and Jordan (Silverblatt, 1995). Except for programs in New Mexico, North Carolina, and a few scattered school districts, media education is not required in the United States. Nearly a fifth of U.S. high school students participate in scholastic journalism programs (Digest, 1997), and universities support scholastic journalism through workshops, judging services, and sponsoring state press associations (Jorio and Garner, 1988). However, courses in such programs are sometimes seen by administrators as frill electives that are not part of the core curriculum (Dvorak, 1992). Scholastic journalism faces many of the same problems faced by schools of journalism and mass communication regarding their place in the central academic mission of their institutions (Tuggle and Sneed, 1998). That perception arises, in part, because journalism courses are often taught with a focus on applied skills with few contributions to a broader media studies perspective (King, 1997). We define media literacy as an effort to produce informed media consumers rather than helping a relatively few students learn to be media practitioners. Kubey (1998) maintains that obstacles block the development of general media education in the United States. Among the obstacles are geographic barriers, a lack of autonomy for teachers, and an already burgeoning curriculum that can include drug education, AIDS prevention, and anti-bullying classes. Megee (1997) wrote: Unlike other developed nations, the United States has not yet established media education as a priority for everyday schooling. She argues cogently that although television has played a major role in American life for almost half a century, and residents of the United States produce and consume more TV than people in any other country, we teach less about who is communicating, for what purpose, with what effect, and on behalf of which individuals than do many other countries. Similar concerns have been voiced for more than a decade. Considine (1987) noted that young people are given no guidance as to how to read, interpret, and critically evaluate the images and information they are exposed to, even though they are exposed to more media messages than ever before, thus leaving students visually vulnerable and potential victims of a language that can influence and manipulate them. The 50 states are spread across 3.6 million square miles, all have different educational authorities, and each has scores of local school boards. This is in contrast to smaller countries; thus making it difficult for the United States to embrace any national educational policies. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the opinions of social science teachers in two of the nation's largest school districts regarding whether they sense a need for systematic study of the media at the high school level. A second concern was determining whether the social science curriculum is the most appropriate place for such study. The researchers also attempted to determine which elements or topics the surveyed teachers think would be most useful to include in a study of the media. In their study, Sneed, Wulfemeyer, Van Ommeren, and Riffe (1990) concluded that American high schools, like many of their counterparts around the world, need to ensure that literacy is achieved in three areas: print, computer, and media. …

Implementing Elementary History and Social Science: A Three-Step Plan of K-4 Curriculum Design

Massachusetts' History and Social Science Curriculum Framework emphatically describes history and social science as a core academic subject at the elementary school level, devoting a separate section to its study in primary grades. It carries out a provision of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act for standards-based improvement, calling for more substantive study in elementary schools. The Framework's appearance should result in serious new attention being given an area of school study that, as social studies, has had little or no demonstrable academic effect and has left students largely indifferent. But teachers and schools charged with bringing existing elementary curricula into alignment with the Framework's Core Knowledge requirements in history and social science may face both a departure from what is currently done and an encounter with unfamiliar subject matter and resources. “What's a teacher to do?” The author addresses curriculum and course design by organizing some chief considerations of elementary history and social science study into a three-step plan for implementation that discusses the selection and organization of topics for elementary study, their classroom presentation, and the resources available to support the alignment effort.

Improving History Education for All Students: The Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework

The commitment of Massachusetts to strive for the highest standards in history education is now inextricably linked to the implementation of the History and Social Science Curriculum Framework completed in 1997. The author writes that teachers and other educators, parents and students, should consider carefully the concepts and principles contained in the Framework and, particularly in American history, try to understand how the Massachusetts Framework differs in substance and approach from the controversial national history standards first proposed in 1994.

Teaching the West and the World from the Massachusetts Framework

This article summarizes how teachers may implement the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework as they design and teach courses in Western civilization and world history. It discusses the integration of history, geography, and the social sciences, together with suggested approaches to common problems such as the balance between Western and world studies, selection of main topics and questions, professional development, student assessment, and challenges teachers may confront.

Integration of Environmental Education in Social Science Curricula at the Secondary School Level in Nigeria: problems and prospects

Summary Nigeria is one of the developing world countries that are committing themselves to the importance of environmental education (EE) as a means of improving the environment, which has suffered from considerable pollution and degradation. As part of the strategies’ for raising the level of awareness and engendering attitudes amongst the population through the formal school system, the Federal government has designed curricula with strong EE elements for a brand new subject called citizenship education to be introduced at the primary and secondary levels. As a response to this situation, this paper examines the existing elements in and the various approaches to integrating EE in social science with reference to Nigeria. This is followed by an analysis of the constraints and the support systems which are likely to be helpful to EE at the secondary school level. Some measures and guidelines that could enhance the effective integration of EE at the secondary school, if practised, are suggested.

The quantitative methods component in social sciences curricula in view of journal content

The quantitative methods component in social sciences curricula in view of journal content

The quantitative methods component in social sciences curricula in view of journal content

What level of quantitative methods (or applied statistical analysis) should graduate students in the social sciences be prepared to master, if they are to be competitive in the job market? In the age of information technology, more data, in survey or other form, about any imaginable topic exist than ever before. Empirical analysis on the basis of more advanced quantitative methods becomes more common. This study takes the perspective that graduate students in the social sciences must be prepared to read a literature that makes extensive use of quantitative methods. To quantify this dimension of the literature, top journals in economics, political science, public administration, and sociology are examined for their quantitative complexity.

The Relationship between Tourism Education and Studies : A Proposal of a Social Science Curriculum for Tourism Education

The Relationship between Tourism Education and Studies : A Proposal of a Social Science Curriculum for Tourism Education

Curriculum Reform: Forwards or Backwards?

In April 1993, the Minister of Education launched the New Zealand Curriculum Framework, which sets out the essential skills and achievement objectives to be developed in every school. During the year, also, the detailed national statements of aims and standards for Mathematics and Science were published, along with suggested instructional activities and assessment tasks. In addition the draft statement for English was released in October, for comment, and work was well advanced on the Technology and Social Science curricula. The Government’s hope is that these various documents would “specify clear objectives” and identify “for boards of trustees, teachers, students, parents and the wider community a progression of desirable standards of learning – against which students’ progress can be assessed” (Ministry of Education, 1993a). This is the hallmark of the reformed curricula – that the progression in each subject be clearly specified. The standards are spelled out in the form of eight successive levels in each learning area and students’ progress is to be assessed in relation to these levels. These statements are the first curriculum documents to be developed under the Ministry’s new contract system, and it remains to be seen whether they will acquire sufficient levels of teacher ownership and attract sufficient resourcing and teacher development to be successfully implemented, as intended....

School Knowledge for the Masses: World Models and National Primary Curricular Categories in the Twentieth Century.

Part 1 The worldwide institutionalization of primary school curricula: background - a perspective on the curriculum sand curricular research description of the curriculum database and the methodologies employed knowledge for the masses - world models and national curricula, 1920-1986 the origins and expansion of primary school curricula - 1800-1920 variant forms - cases of countries with distinct curricula. Part 2 Studies of specific subject areas: language instruction in national curricula, 1850-1986 - the effect of the global system a comparative and historical analysis of mathematics and science curricula, 1800-1986 the evolution and organization of the social science curriculum values education in the curriculum - some comparative empirical data the formation of new subjects in mass schooling - 19th century origins and 20th century diffusion of art and physical education conclusion - accounting for a world curriculum.