Book Description

This volume, one in a series resulting from Project SPAN (Social Studies/Social Science Education: Priorities, Practices, and Needs), reviews and analyzes the current state of K-12 social studies. A major purpose of the review and analysis was to form a basis for recommendations for future directions that might be taken to improve social studies. The report contains six sections. The first section provides a broad and integrative analysis of the interrelated topics of rationales, definitions, approaches, goals, and objectives of social studies. The second section, "Curriculum Organization in Social Studies," describes the typical pattern of social studies programs from kindergarten through grade 12, stating that despite numerous variations that have occurred, the dominant pattern throughout the nation is one that was established more than 60 years ago. "Social Studies Curriculum Materials," the third section of the volume, describes the great extent to which students, teachers, administrators, and the public accept and rely on curriculum materials as essential aids to teaching, learning, and classroom management. Foremost among curriculum materials being used are textbooks. The topic of the fourth section is "Social Studies Teachers." There is general agreement that the teacher is "the central figure," the "key," or "the magic ingredient" in the learning process. The fifth section, "Instructional Practices in Social Studies," presents a detailed report on what teachers do. The last section, "Barriers to Change in Social Studies," focusing on the fact that the new social studies had relatively little impact on the schools, explores reasons for lack of change in schools. (Author/RM)