1ST Nature Goals and Objectives of SS

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Nature, Objectives and

Approaches to Teaching
Social Studies
Intended Learning Outcome
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• state the meaning of the term 'social' studies;

• describe the present status of social studies in elementary schools;

• describe the significance of learning social studies;

• explain the general aims of teaching social studies; stale the objectives of
teaching social studies in schools in relation to learners' need and expected
outcomes;

• identify the alternative ways of approaching content organization in social


studies.
INTRODUCTION
The school is a social institution. It imparts instruction covering a variety of
subjects. Education is a lifelong process. Man is in the center of all educational activities,
processes, programs or products.

Although one can say that language learning, the arts, mathematics and the natural sciences
deal with human experiences in the form of ideas, skills and products, it is the special
function of social studies to have the people as the subject matter.

Consider, for a moment, yourself as an object of study. In order to arrive at a meaningful


understanding of you, you would have to investigate your past (history), the environment in
which you live (geography), your needs and desires (psychology), how you will place yourself
in the society in which you live (sociology), how you are supported financially (economics),
the influence you exert on others and viceversa (political science), how your culture has
influenced you (anthropology) and so on. Thus social studies reveals to the learner where
she/he is in the context of time, space and society.

Hence, definitions and the nature of social studies range from a study of human beings
favoring a separate subject approach to an integrated one in which the subject matter is
indistinguishable as history, geography, civics and so on.
Concept of Social Studies -
Some Basic Ideas
What does the term social studies mean?

• You might define social studies as something similar to any of the following:

• It is a study of the people in their environment.

• It is a study of how people live and work together at the local, national or
international, level.

• It is an inquiry to realize how the people today all over the world are
economically and politically interdependent.

SOCIAL STUDIES -is the integrated study of Social Science and humanities to
promote effective citizenry
Understanding Social Studies In Relation To Other Areas Of Study
The field of social studies is distinct from other fields of learning for the
fact that its contents well as purpose emphasize human-beings and their various
relationships.

As already stated, all other fields of study also have a social purpose
and utility. They form a significant part of the curriculum as they serve the needs
of human-beings. Arithmetic has social utility and enhances human relationships
too, but its content is not inclusive of human-beings and their relationships.
Science deals with material objects, language with communication,
and mathematics with quantity but social studies deals mainly with the
relationships among the people.

While dealing with social studies, the emphasis is always upon


relationships rather than individuals, upon social activities rather than
individual performances, stressing that society makes the individuals
and it is not merely composed of individuals.

Its three main usually stated purposes are in terms of satisfying


individual needs, acquiring academic, social, and scientific knowledge
and providing citizens education relevant to societal needs. It clarifies
that no human-being lives for himself/herself and that social studies is
devoted to a study of the life of the people with reference to and in
the context of the society where one lives.
Place of Social Studies in School Curriculum

The curriculum is the pivot of the educative process.


The subject of social studies forms that part of the school curriculum
which includes subject matter and activities that enable the child to
acquire an understanding of human relationships, a knowledge of
environment, dedication to the principles and values of society and
commitment to participate in the process through which society is
maintained and improved.
Thus, social studies serve as part of the core curriculum, the
primary purpose of which is to let a person become "a good human
being first" and a good artist, doctor. scientist, teacher, engineer,
advocate, etc., afterwards.
Place of Social Studies in School Curriculum

Social studies as core curriculum aims at enabling the student


not only to adjust himself to the environment but also to improve his
social, cultural, economic and physical environment as an active
group member. The criticism of the traditional social studies
curriculum was that it considered social studies as a bundle of
subjects, but modern social studies includes development of
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values through the activities of
reading, writing, observing, discussing, creating, practicing, playing,
problem solving, exhibiting and -developing relationships, etc.: while
living in one's own environment.

Though interest in the revision and improvement of the social studies


curriculum by expert; is continuously increasing, much remains to be
done in this regard.
Some Limitations of Social Studies Curriculum
i) The social studies curriculum has been viewed as a body of
information generally. Learning has mostly focused on memorizing facts
rather than on the development of critical and analytical thinking.
ii) Little distinction has been made between value clarification or
value inquiry and value indoctrination. It is important to teach children
the distinction between objective data collection, analyses and
interpretation of phenomena and the making of reflective value
judgments about these phenomena.
iii) We have tended to make false assumptions about the
learning potential of children and have expected too little from
them.
iv) The social studies curriculum does not adequately
represent the disciplines that deals with human-beings and the
environment. Psychology, sociology, anthropology and
economics have been largely ignored while History, Geography
and some aspects of Political Science dominate the curriculum.
There are three main approaches to education: child-centered,
society-centered and subject-centered.

Modern curriculum planners prefer a holistic view that seeks to


reconcile the needs of the child with the needs of society and the need to
pay regard to the structure of knowledge.

The three main purposes, often stated, are in terms of satisfying


individual needs, acquiring academic, social scientific knowledge and
providing citizen education relevant to societal needs.

The three purposes should not be treated separate but appropriate


integration and balance must be brought in.
A good social studies curriculum is one which helps young
individuals develop into responsible adults by relating them to
their society by means of appropriate knowledge and experiences
selected from the social sciences and other disciplines.

The task of planning a social studies curriculum is primarily one of


selecting content appropriate to this general aim.

The actual format, however, will vary from time to time and from
country to country, because assumptions about individual needs
and societal needs vary.
Also people think differently about which aspect of academic
knowledge is of greatest worth.
Society’s needs and Areas of formally
priorities organized body of
knowledge

People who make decisions about Social Studies

Curriculum planners Ministry Officials


Teachers School Officials
Students’ needs and Inspectors Publishers
priorities Test-makers (Text book Board)
Parents

-Direct Influence
,,…………Possible influence
Curricular goals and educational programs

Source: Mehlinger (ed.) 1981


Fig.1 Influencing Factors of Decision-making in Social Studies
Curriculum
What to learn'? What not to learn'? These choices are
made by whom'? All these will differ from one society
(state) to another. In some states curriculum decision-
making is done by a central agency, in others decisions
are shared among various groups like curriculum
planners, teachers. school officials, textbook boards, or
even parents. ministry officials, etc. Whoever makes the
decisions or influences the decisions should follow the
process of rational planning. The above diagram
appears to be appropriate in all settings whatever may
be the differences among societies, stales or decision-
makers
Learning Outcomes in Social Studies
Social studies can contribute to the wholesome development of the child. The
expected outcomes are laid down in terms of:
i) knowledge structure ii) relevant understandings iii), desirable attitudes iv)
essential skills
i) Knowledge structures. The subject of social studies is covered through
content based on facts and information related to human-beings and the
environment in the context of time and space. Hence, the structure of the
subject content necessitates relevant sequences that would help develop the
knowledge structure in the mind of the pupil.

ii) Relevant understandings. If the teaching of social studies is not the mere
transmission of unrelated isolated facts, understandings relevant to the
organized set of facts are very important. The teacher has to help the child to
receive this information in the proper perspective. The teacher can help in
promoting an understanding of concepts by encouraging relevant experiences
and activities inside and outside the classroom.
Learning Outcomes in Social Studies
iii) Desirable attitudes. An attitude is a feeling developed towards an object
or an event or a person or a group or anything else. The facts are forgotten
easily, while attitudes continue to last in an individual’s mind. However,
attitudes are also subject to change with circumstances. Hence, the teacher
can help develop desirable attitudes by various activities and learning
experiences. Attitudes are formed unknowingly and that is why the teacher
should be more conscious in projecting the proper attitudes through his own
model behavior, to enable the child to imbibe the same.

iv) Essential skills. The development of skills is an equally important learning


outcome among children. Skills a are relevant to the organization of facts,
development of understanding and attitudes. Skills such as observing a
phenomenon event, interacting individually or in a group, are of prime
significance. Similarly, skills like drawing a figure or illustrating an abstract
idea, listening. etc., are highly desirable. Again, there are skills related to
various disciplines, personal development and competencies
Servey (198 1) referred the following skills to be essentially developed while
teaching the Nature, Objectives and Approaches in teaching Social Studies.

i) Interaction skills; ii) Information-seeking skills; iii) Information processing


skills; iv) Group participation work-related skills.

Another classification of skills suggested is as follows:

i)' Skills in studying and learning. This means students should develop
skills which pertain to finding, comprehending, organizing, interpreting
and evaluating information. Interpreting maps, tables, charts, graphs,
timeline, reading newspapers, magazines, distinguishing facts from
fiction, and facts from opinions, building a social studies vocabulary,
classifying information, summarizing data, arranging events in a
chronological order, putting questions and ideas in a clear manner are all
such specific skills that students are expected to develop in a graded
manner
ii) Skills in enquiry and decision-making. The skills related to enquiry
and decision-making help in enhancing students' ability to think and learn.
These skills can be acquired through guided discovery learning. Guided
discovery learning occurs when students find their own answers to a
problem designed by their teacher to meet the selected specific objective.
This strategy for teaching enquiry skills include:

i) skill in recognizing a problem;

ii) skill in developing hypotheses;

iii) skill in exploring;

iv) skill in using evidence to support hypotheses; and

v) skill in drawing conclusions.


iii) Skills in responsible group participation. These skills are connected with
the studying, learning, enquiring and decision-making skills. Participating
competently in group problem-solving requires the student to apply various
types of knowledge and thinking skills. This requires the development of
group participation skills such as the abilities to lead, organize, bargain,
compromise and manage a group discussion or activities lawfully,
cooperatively and effectively. These may involve learning experiences like
small group problem-solving, role playing and participating in civic action
projects. Teachers must establish a supportive learning environment that
encourages the students to participate and contribute in group activity and to
understand and respect the efforts and contribution of all. As far as possible,
teachers should see that no one is left out of group projects.
For promoting the development of the three mentioned skills, the
teacher should develop respect for various points of views in areas having
no certain answers. Students should feel free to raise questions and explore
various types of evidence. Ultimately, group decision-making activities
require the skills of tolerance and openness to a variety of opinions and
judgements. Learning experiences may be planned in such a manner so as
to develop these skills, again according to grade levels in schools.
Role of Teacher in Developing Outlook and Competencies Needed for
Teaching Social Studies

The expectations to be from the teaching-learning of


social studies and the one who transmits 'the content are both
equally important. The teacher of social studies has different
roles to play, e.g., developing personality values and attitudes
and civic responsibility to live together in a democracy.Especially
with the lowering of the voting age to 18, schools through the
subject of social studies develop the ability of rational decision-
making.

Hence, the teacher should be equipped with cognitive, affective,


technical, professional and human competencies
Ellis (1977) listed two major roles of the teacher of social studies:
i) dispenser of information
ii) facilitator of learning

• In other words, the teacher has to integrate the role of teaching


content with appropriate conditions to develop the social
character of the pupils/students and the school into a center of
social reconstruction.
• The teacher should possess a zest for knowledge and be a
continuous learner himself to update his knowledge and skills.
To expect a thorough knowledge of the subject from a teacher
is not an over-expectation.
• For that the teacher should be competent to possess a quick,
enquiring attitude and he should rise above personal biases and
prejudices while dealing with facts.
It is interesting to compare two lists of competencies of the teacher as given under:

EDWARD PAYSON (as quoted in Indian


Yajnik 1966) Scholarships
Impartiality A dramatic instinct Scholars

Sympathy Balance Professional


Training
Culture A vigorous Personality
personality
Curiosity Ability to inspire Teaching Skills
confidence

An imperative mind Loyalty to ideals


• These qualities emphasize the teacher, his training and in-service training
as an essential component of an effective teacher of social studies.
• The teacher should be knowledgeable and continue to develop his
proficiency through the cognitive skills.
• At the same time, he should possess affective skills and functional skills of
dealing with subject matter with a proper approach method and techniques
involving various processes of inquiry, questioning illustrating, describing,
drawing, interpreting, collecting, exhibiting, discussing, evaluating,
analyzing, conducting, decision making, etc; through leadership.
• He will encourage the development of a desirable learning climate inside
and outside the classroom.
• He will try to organize, plan and execute his teaching using appropriate
school and community resources.
• While doing so he may adopt group activities, develop individualized
responsibilities and develop a comprehensive manner of evaluating these
activities in relation to development of learners' knowledge, understanding,
skills and attitudes.
Why We Should Teach Social Studies?

There are a variety of responses to the question why we should teach


social studies, there are variety of responses depending on various
societal, national and curriculum expectations.

By and large, three categories of aims emerge:

• Social studies can help students address their own individual needs.

• Students need to acquire academic, social and scientific knowledge.

• Society requires people who know their rights and responsibilities as


citizens.
In most democratic countries social studies make the greatest
possible contribution to citizenship education in the broad sense of
maximum personal development. human relationship and loyalty
to the principles and practices that support freedom.

To put this broad idea specifically the social studies, help students:

i) to strengthen human relationships;


ii) to utilize the physical world;
iii) to assume political and civic responsibilities;
iv) to exercise economic competence; and
v) to live an enriched life
As a result of the implementation of National Policy of Education (NPE) 1986, the
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) invited experts
and drew up the broad objectives of teaching social studies as given below:

Policy Framework

The child at this stage, could be initiated into the study past in all its major aspects
such as social, cultural and scientific development. He should also be helped to
appreciate the diversities in ways of living and the interdependence of various
regions of India and the world. He should know the civic arid political institutions
and understand contemporary social and economic issues and problems. Social
skills and civic competencies and a national perspective would, thus, equip him to
participate in the task of social and economic reconstruction. The direction and
expectations put before the nation for achieving these purposes is a challenging
task to be achieved through social studies.
Emerging Aims and Objectives of Teaching Social Studies

If social studies are study of the people and their interaction with one another and
their environment, some general aims of social studies instruction could be
formulated as under:

i) The teaching of social studies is aimed at helping learners to develop greater


awareness of themselves, to clarify and examine their values and to establish
a sense of self-identity.
ii) The teaching of social studies helps promote in learners concern for the
development of an understanding and acceptance of others with different
values and lifestyles.
iii) Social studies teaching helps provide learners with an understanding of past
events and persons and their roles in shaping present day lives and a
visualization of future changes.
iv) Social studies teaching helps provide learners with a knowledge of human
systems in areas of economics, government and culture.
Emerging Aims and Objectives of Teaching Social Studies
v) Social studies teaching helps provide learners the skills necessary to carry out
an independent investigation of problems and to react critically to the solutions
posed by others.
vi) Social studies teaching aims at providing learners with an awareness of
possible situations and their possible roles in shaping the future.
vii) Social studies helps provide learners with an appreciation of people's efforts
to improve human conditions through creative expression and problem-solving.
viii) Social studies teaching provides learners with an understanding of the
decision-making processes involved in human interaction and with the skills
necessary to become effective decision-makers.
ix) Social studies teaching provides learners with the ability to utilize both
cooperative and competitive circumstances for the achievement of goals.
x) Social studies teaching provides learners with a sensitivity towards their own
potential and towards the potentials of their fellow human-beings
There may be many more elaborate goals that can be listed but the real
measure of the worth of social studies instruction lies in the day-to-day
enactment of these goals or aims. Hence, it is through special short-term
objectives during the day-to-day curriculum transactions that these goals
may be attainable.
This step is often known as specification of objectives.

To develop the specific objectives,


• the first step is to state the objective and comprehend what we mean
by it and then to seek answers to what the students will be able to do
to exhibit to us by achieving the stated objectives.
• These objectives can be cognitive, affective or skill oriented, dealing
with intellectual development, development of feelings, sensitivities,
attitudes and skills in the learners.
• Formulation of instructional objectives are based on certain
guidelines/principles as listed below:
i) An objective should include:
1) the kind of behavioral outcomes expected and
2) the content.
The former is sometimes called competence or modification which is reflected in learners' behavioral
change as a result of learning, while content is the means to achieve the desirable behavior

ii) An objective should be conceived and stated in terms of pupils' behavior.


iii) Objectives should be stated in a simple and clear-cut manner to avoid vagueness and
complexity.
iv) Objectives should be stated in such a manner to avoid confusion, repetition -and
contradiction.
v) Objectives should be stated in such a manner to develop continuity of the growth process
rather than the statement terminal point.
vi) Objectives should be judged from the point of view of social acceptability.
vii) Objectives should be realistic and attainable through available resources and within a
prescribed time limit.
viii) Objectives should be comprehensive enough to cover the three major domains of
expected outcomes, i.e., cognitive, affective and psychomotor.
THE GOALS OF SOCIAL STUDIES
• To prepare student’s perspective and understanding the community, state,
nation and world.
• To provide students with knowledge, skills and abilities they need both in their
personal and private lives.
• To help students relate to and understand the subject matter content of history
and the social sciences including
knowledge, skills and values that are characteristic of social studies subject
matter.
• To contribute to the students’ understanding of what it means to live in a
complex and a complex pluralistic society.
• To provide students with understanding of the means and process of a
representative form of government.
• To encourage students to participate in the affairs of society and to work toward
establishing a “good” society.
• To promote important social goals associated with democratic living.
Philippine Social Studies Curriculum: Goals
• To develop citizens who are committed to the ideas and values of our
democratic Republic.
• To develop citizens who are able to use knowledge about their
community, nation and the world.
• Acquire skills of data collection and analysis, collaboration, decision-
making and problem solving.
• A good and effective citizen in a democratic society.
• Develops an inquiring mind and is well informed and useful.
• Participates in the solution of social, economic and political problems.
• Advances the causes of nationalism.
• Has strong moral and spiritual values.
• Respects the dignity and worth of an individua
K-12 SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM IN THE PHILIPPINES

• The basis of K-12 Social Studies Curriculum is to achieve the goal


“Edukasyon para sa Lahat 2015” (Education for
All 2015) and the K-12 Philippine Basic Curriculum Framework.

• The aim of these is for students to develop 21st Century Skills to


nourish a functionally literate and developed Filipino.

• The overall objective of Social Studies is to hone learners to


become citizens who are investigative, critical thinkers, responsible,
productive, environment friendly, patriotic and values oriented with a
nationalistic and global view and value to social and historical topics.
In the Philippines, the following points are stated to be the objectives of the social
studies courses, although they are perhaps more appropriate for teaching at the
school level rather than training level.
• To gain an understanding of existing institutions through a study of social
relationships in the home, the school, the community, the country and the world.
• To develop correct attitudes towards character education, geography, history,
government, community problems, Filipino customs and traditions and morals
and spiritual values inspired by an abiding faith in God.
• To create an understanding of the interdependence of men and nations and
through such understanding develops broader social mindedness essential to
human progress.
• To encourage the study, understanding and practice of desirable human
relationships so that the child may be able to assume the responsibilities of
citizenship and become a worthy member of the society.
• To learn to love one’s country and admire the good in other lands.
• To understand and appreciate the democratic way of life.
• To cultivate an active and sustained interest in reading of content materials in
the Social Studies

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