Running Head: SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

Social Studies and Constructi is! Andre" C Le!on ETEC #$% Section &&C Dr' (o)n Egan (ul* +, -%1-

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM Social Studies and Constructi is!

.e" su/0ects are as ne/ulous and ill1de2ined as Social Studies' Language Arts, t)e Sciences, Mat), e en 3)*sical Education4 all )a e !ore concrete learning o/0ecti es and a !ore "ell de2ined curriculu! t)an Social Studies' T)is is largel* due to Social Studies /eing an a!alga!ation o2 ot)er disci5lines4 so!e o2 ")ic) are closel* related, ")ile ot)ers are not' Due to t)e a!ount o2 content to /e co ered, Social Studies instruction )as traditionall* /een taug)t ia direct teac)ing !et)ods 6lectures, reading 2ro! t)e te7t/oo8, etc'9' To !eet t)e learning outco!es o2 Social Studies and 8ee5 students engaged in t)e course, )o"e er, !et)ods ot)er t)an direct teac)ing !ust /e e75lored' Social Studies s)ould /e a/out critical t)oug)t, anal*sis, and constructing 8no"ledge using a ariet* o2 5oints o2 ie" rat)er t)an a 5assi e acce5tance o2 in2or!ation' Des5ite an )istorical reliance on /e)a iourist teac)ing !et)ods, t)ere is increasing interest in alternati e teac)ing !et)ods in Social Studies, 5articularl* constructi ist teac)ing !et)ods' T)is 5a5er "ill e7a!ine )o" t)e use o2 constructi is! can i!5ro e student learning, engage!ent, and critical t)oug)t in Social Studies, and "ill detail t)e role o2 tec)nolog* in incor5orating constructi ist !et)ods' Social Studies: A Definition :)en see8ing to de2ine Social Studies, one !ust e7a!ine t)e indi idual ele!ents o2 t)e curriculu!' It is 5art )istor*, 5art geogra5)*, 5art sociolog* and 5s*c)olog*, and also 5artl* a class on res5onsi/le citi;ens)i5' As Mintro5 6-%%<9 notes, t)ere is little consensus on t)e !ost e22ecti e routines, 5rocedures, and tas8s necessar* to deter!ine trut) in !an* o2 t)ese su/1disci5lines' Alt)oug) !ost educators /elie e t)at t)e 5ur5ose o2 Social Studies is to stud* )u!an8ind 2ro! a "ide ariet* o2 5ers5ecti es and teac)

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

learners )o" to /e glo/al citi;ens 6A*as, -%%&4 =il!a;, -%%+9, instruction still tends to /e 2act1dri en, "it) an e!5)asis on !e!ori;ation o2 na!es and dates 6A*as, -%%&4 >lai81 Hourani, -%119' T)us, Social Stud* teac)ers tend to rel* on /e)a iourist teac)ing !et)ods and t)e use o2 a te7t/oo8' T)is leads students to consu!e 8no"ledge rat)er t)an construct it4 "it) a 2ocus on !e!ori;ation instead o2 t)e de elo5!ent o2 critical t)oug)t' .urt)er clouding t)e de2inition is )o" one deter!ines ")at !a8es a ?glo/al citi;en@' T)is conce5t does little to e75lain t)e 2ocus o2 Social Studies, as ?glo/al citi;en@ is al!ost as ill1de2ined as Social Studies itsel2' Di22erent cultures !a* )a e di22ering o5inions as to ")at constitutes a ?glo/al citi;en@, and to assu!e t)at one cultures de2inition is su5erior to anot)er runs t)e ris8 o2 cultural /ias' :it)out /eing a/le to accuratel* de2ine ter!inolog* suc) as ?glo/al citi;en@, it /eco!es e en !ore di22icult to clearl* articulate ")at t)e role o2 Social Studies instruction is' Additionall*, Social Studies is an a!alga!ation o2 su/1disci5lines t)at are su/0ect to contestation' Man* o2 t)ese su/1disci5lines 65articularl* )istor* and sociolog*9 2eature dis5uted ?2acts@ de5ending on t)e cultural 5oint o2 ie"' A t)ird 5ro/le! in de2ining Social Studies is t)at t)ere is a lac8 o2 s*nc)ronicit* /et"een ")at Social Studies is !eant to teac) and ")at is actuall* /eing taug)t' In !an* Social Studies classroo!s t)e teac)er /elie es )erA)i!sel2 to /e teac)ing critical t)oug)t and glo/al citi;ens)i5, /ut are instead 2ocusing on tas8 co!5letion and learning acti it* 6Mintro5, -%%<9' Alt)oug) so!e Social Studies teac)ers /elie e t)at t)e* are using non1/e)a iourist teac)ing !et)ods in t)eir classroo!s, o2ten it "ill /e a !odi2ied /e)a iourist !et)od under t)e 6"rongl* a55lied9 title o2 a ?constructi ist !et)od@ 6O/enc)ain, 3ennington, B Orr, -%1%9' In s5ite o2 a desire to integrate ot)er teac)ing !et)ods into t)e Social Studies

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM curriculu!, !an* educators rel* on t)e !ore traditional 6/e)a iourist9 !et)od o2 teac)ing t)e course' Traditional Methods of Teaching Social Studies T)e Social Studies curriculu! co ers a ast a!ount o2 in2or!ation C an* o2 its su/1disci5lines )a e enoug) content to 8ee5 e en t)e !ost a id student occu5ied 2or *ears' In co!/ination, )o"e er, t)ese su/1disci5lines contain !ore in2or!ation and learning o/0ecti es t)an is 5ossi/le to co er at !ore t)an t)e !ost su5er2icial le el' To co!5licate !atters e en 2urt)er, educators are t)en e75ected to i!5art all o2 t)ese learning o/0ecti es in a /rie2 5eriod o2 ti!e' In !ost sc)ool districts in Nort) A!erica,

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t)e Social Studies curriculu! 2inis)es "it) an end1o21course e7a!' As t)e results o2 t)ese e7a!s can /e ie"ed as a re2lection o2 t)e teac)erDs a/ilities to teac), !an* instructors "ill 2ocus on t)e !e!ori;ation o2 dates and 2acts rat)er t)an e!5)asi;ing critical t)oug)t' As one Social Studies instructor 2ound, it is unrealistic to use student1centered !et)ods as t)ere are so !an* learning o/0ecti es t)at need to /e co ered 2or t)e course1 ending test, and t)e onl* "a* to co er t)e! all is t)roug) direct teac)ing 6lectures, reading te7t/oo8s, etc'9 "it) little or no de iation 2ro! t)e s*lla/us 6=il!a;, -%%+9' Anot)er /arrier to integrating student1centered learning in Social Studies is t)e attitude o2 t)e teac)er' As Hea2ner and .ried!an 6-%%+9 )a e noted, so!e teac)ers 2eel t)at students are not read* to learn inde5endentl*4 /elie ing t)at t)e students need t)e teac)er to !a8e sense o2 t)e !aterial 2or t)e!, and e75lain it in a "a* t)e* can 65assi el*9 understand' Ot)er Social Studies instructors 2eel t)at students are too la;* or lac8 t)e cogniti e s8ills to /e a/le to inde5endentl* learn t)e !aterial, and "ould "aste too !uc) ti!e tal8ing to t)eir 5eers instead o2 "or8ing 6>lai81Hourani, -%119' So!e

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM educators resort to /e)a iourist !et)ods ")en teac)ing, as t)e* need to ad)ere to strict 5acing guidelines and learning outco!es in order to 5re5are t)eir students 2or t)e 2inal e7a! 6Hea2ner B .ried!an, -%%+9' T)is discourages a dee5er e75loration o2 an* o2 t)e to5ics, as t)ere is no ti!e allotted 2or de iating 2ro! t)e 5rescri/ed Social Studies

curriculu!' T)ese traditional /e)a iourist !et)ods 2ocus on teac)er lectures and readings 2ro! t)e te7t/oo8, leading to a lac8 o2 !oti ation to 5artici5ate or an* sort o2 engage!ent 2ro! t)e students 6A*as, -%%&9' Anot)er 2actor 5re enting t)e use o2 alternati e teac)ing !et)ods is t)at t)ere can /e a resistance to incor5orating ot)er !et)ods o2 teac)ing' So!e 2ind t)ere is !uc) !ore 5re5aration t)an standard teac)ing !et)ods and t)at t)ere are 2e"er ?allies@ 6ot)er teac)ers using si!ilar !et)ods9 to colla/orate "it) 6O/enc)ain et al', -%1%9' T)e teac)ers ")o do c)oose to incor5orate non1/e)a iourist !et)odolog* are o2ten le2t to 2end 2or t)e!sel es, and can /e under increased scrutin* 2ro! sc)ool ad!inistration 2or using non1traditional teac)ing !et)ods 6=il!a;, -%%+9' Constructivism and Social Studies Des5ite t)e reluctance o2 educators to use ot)er !et)ods ")en teac)ing Social Studies, /e)a iourist !et)odolog* !a* not /e t)e !ost e22ecti e teac)ing st*le i2 t)e goal o2 Social Studies trul* is to create ?glo/al citi;ens@' Instead, a constructi ist teac)ing !et)od, alt)oug) 5otentiall* !ore de!anding o2 teac)er and student, can lead to dee5er, !ore long lasting 8no"ledge 6Hea2ner B .ried!an, -%%+9' So!e researc)ers /elie e t)e constructi ist teac)ing !et)od to /e tailor1!ade 2or Social Studies, as it allo"s 2or less standardi;ed instruction, 5ro ides 2or !ore 2le7i/ilit* 2or student needs, and !a8es t)e course !ore engaging 6Mintro5, -%%<4 O/enc)ain et al', -%1%4 =il!a;, -%%+9' Ot)ers

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

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)a e 2ound t)at e!5lo*ing a constructi ist teac)ing st*le in Social Studies gi es students t)e a/ilit* to engage in critical t)oug)t and !a8e reasoned decisions 6Hea2ner B .ried!an, -%%+9, ta8ing t)e necessar* ste5s to ac)ie ing t)e status o2 ?glo/al citi;en@' As Mintro5 6-%%<9 noted, one o2 t)e stated ai!s o2 t)e curriculu! o2 Social Studies is to incor5orate !ulti5le 5ers5ecti es, !a8ing it a 5ri!e candidate 2or constructi ist teac)ing !et)ods' Mintro5 2ound, )o"e er, t)at teac)ers tend to rel* on ti!e1tested 6traditional9 acti ities ")en teac)ing Social Studies, 5articularl* acti ities t)at 2ocused !ore on !e!ori;ation and rote learning' T)e nature and 2or!at o2 Social Studies is "ell suited to 5ro0ect and 5ro/le! /ased learning, t"o constructi ist !et)ods o2 teac)ing' 3ro0ect1/ased learning, "it) its e!5)asis on acti e 5artici5ation /* t)e student, could /e incor5orated into t)e Social Studies curriculu!' T)is a55roac) reEuires !ore teac)er 5re5aration and !ore student 2reedo!, /ot) o2 ")ic) can /e deterrents to educators un2a!iliar "it) t)e /ene2its o2 a constructi ist !et)odolog* or accusto!ed to a /e)a iourist st*le o2 teac)ing' 3ro/le!1 /ased learning is anot)er constructi ist teac)ing !et)od t)at can /e i!5le!ented into t)e Social Studies classroo!' T)e teac)er acts as a 2acilitator and allo"s t)e students to see8 out t)e in2or!ation t)e* need to sol e t)e 5ro/le!' As /ot) o2 t)ese !et)ods 6and constructi is! in general9 rarel* )a e a single ?trut)@ 6or ans"er9, t)e* "or8 "ell in t)e conte7t o2 Social Studies as it too )as 2e" a/solute trut)s' Constructi ist !et)ods can /ene2it 2ro! t)e use o2 tec)nolog*' :it) t)e increased use o2 t)e Internet and tec)nolog* in sc)ools, a nu!/er o2 online tools )a e /eco!e a aila/le to su55ort /ot) 5ro0ect and 5ro/le! /ased learning' Un2ortunatel*, !an* educators use t)e Internet as a tool 2or content retrie al rat)er t)an as a tool 2or /uilding

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM 8no"ledge 6Hea2ner B .ried!an, -%%+4 Luce* B Grant, -%1%9' T)e e er1increasing a aila/ilit* o2 tec)nolog* and t)e ease o2 use o2 !an* o2 t)e "e/ -'% tools can )el5 trans2or! Social Studies 2ro! a course t)at 2ocuses on !e!ori;ation to one t)at encourage critical t)oug)t and t)e creation o2 t)e ?glo/al citi;en@' The Role of Technology Muc) o2 t)e researc) regarding t)e use o2 tec)nolog* in t)e Social Studies classroo! indicates t)at students 2ind t)e course !ore engaging ")en tec)nolog* is

integrated into t)e curriculu! 6A*as, -%%&4 Hea2ner B .ried!an, -%%+4 Luce* B Grant, -%1%9' A*as 2ound t)e use o2 tec)nolog* !a8es learning !ore en0o*a/le 2or students, and since students use tec)nolog* outside o2 t)e classroo!, educators s)ould stri e to integrate it into t)e classroo! as "ell' A*as also 2ound t)at Social Studies "as an e7cellent su/0ect 2or t)e integration o2 tec)nolog*, as t)e nu!/er o2 educational tec)nologies t)at could /e used in t)e teac)ing o2 Social Studies are ?al!ost countless@ 65'1<9' Ot)er researc)ers )a e 2ound t)at t)ere is enor!ous 5otential 2or t)e use o2 tec)nolog* in Social Studies, /ut it is *et to /e 2ull* e75lored 6Martorella, 1HHF9' T)ere is a ris8 o2 !isusing tec)nolog* ")en integrating it into a constructi ist Social Studies classroo!' Teac)ers !ust /e "ar* o2 using it as anot)er !eans o2 5ro iding traditional instructional !et)ods 6Hea2ner and .ried!an, -%%+4 Luce* B Grant, -%1%9 or using it ")en it is not necessar* to ac)ie e t)e learning o/0ecti es o2 t)e lesson 6Mole/as), -%%-9' Tec)nolog* and t)e Internet s)ould not /e ie"ed as dis5ensers o2 in2or!ation4 instead t)e* s)ould /e loo8ed u5on as tools to /e used in constructing 8no"ledge a/out Social Studies 6Luce* B Grant, -%1%9' Anot)er 5ro/le! "it) integrating tec)nolog* into t)e Social Studies curriculu! is a lac8 o2 resources' So!e

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

sc)ool districts cannot a22ord t)e necessar* )ard"are or so2t"are to allo" 2or !an* o2 t)e 5otential /ene2its tec)nolog* can /ring to Social Studies' Conclusion Social Studies and constructi is! /ot) reEuire t)e use o2 critical t)oug)t and )a e increased 5otential ")en co!/ined "it) tec)nolog*' Social Studies )as traditionall* /een taug)t "it) an e!5)asis on rote !e!ori;ation rat)er t)an critical t)oug)t or in1de5t) anal*sis4 teac)ers !ust teac) to a standardi;ed test due to t)e enor!ous a!ount o2 learning o/0ecti es to co er' Man* Social Studies teac)ers understand t)e conce5t o2 constructi is! /ut are unsure or una/le to i!5le!ent it into t)eir 5ractice' To co!/at t)is, t)ere is a need 2or 5ro2essional de elo5!ent o55ortunities 2or Social Studies teac)ers centering on t)e integration o2 /ot) constructi ist !et)odolog* and t)e e22ecti e use o2 tec)nolog* in t)e Social Studies classroo!' T)ere is also a need 2or !ore researc) on t)e e22ecti eness o2 constructi ist !et)ods and Social Studies in creating long1lasting learning in students' I2 t)e goal o2 Social Studies trul* is to create criticall*1t)in8ing glo/al citi;ens, t)en constructi ist !et)ods !a* /e an e22ecti e "a* o2 ac)ie ing t)is goal'

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

Re2erences

A*as, C' 6-%%&9' An E7a!ination o2 t)e Relations)i5 /et"een t)e Integration o2 Tec)nolog* into Social Studies and Constructi ist 3edagogies' Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 5 (1), 1<1-#' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%1 searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ1H$+<+<&BsiteJe)ost1 li e >lai81Hourani, R' 6-%119' Constructi is! and Re itali;ing Social Studies' History Teacher, 44 (2), --F1-<H' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AAsearc)'e/sco)ost'co!Alogin'as57I directJtrueBd/JaH)BANJ#H$$<&1<BsiteJe)ost1li e Doolittle, 3'E', B Hic8s, D' 6-%%$9' Constructi is! as a T)eoretical .oundation 2or t)e Use o2 Tec)nolog* in Social Studies' Theory & esearch in !ocial Education, "1 (1), F111%$' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%1 searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ$&-<---<BsiteJe)ost1 li e Hea2ner, T'L', B .ried!an, A'M' 6-%%+9' :i8is and Constructi is! in Secondar* Social Studies: .ostering a Dee5er Understanding' #o$%uters in the !chools, 25 ("&4), -++1$%-' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%1 searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM

1%

directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ$&-+H$F1BsiteJe)ost1 li e Luce*, T'A', B Grant, M' 6-%1%9' Using Tec)nolog* to 3re5are Criticall* T)in8ing Glo/al Citi;ens' !ocial !tudies esearch & 'ractice, 5 ("), 11H11$+' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AAsearc)'e/sco)ost'co!Alogin'as57I directJtrueBd/Je))BANJ&H++%---BsiteJe)ost1li e Martorella, 3' H' 61HHF9' Tec)nolog* and social studies or ")ic) "a* to t)e slee5ing giant' Theory and esearch in !ocial Education, 246<9, #111#1<' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA"e/'e/sco)ost'co!'e;5ro7*'li/rar*'u/c'caAe)ostA5d2 ie"erA5d2 ie"erI sidJcFda&2-%1--##1</a#1/d+$1-a1/F#/Hd-FeK<%session!gr1#B idJ-B)idJ1# Mintro5, H' 6-%%<9' .ostering constructi ist co!!unities o2 learners in t)e a!alga!ated !ulti1disci5line o2 social studies' Journal of #urriculu$ !tudies, "( (2), 1<111#+' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ1-<H$1$&BsiteJe)ost1 li e Mole/as), 3'E' 6-%%-9' Constructi is! Meets Tec)nolog* Integration: T)e CU.A Tec)nolog* Guidelines in an Ele!entar* Social Studies Met)ods Course' Theory and esearch in !ocial Education, ") ("), <-H1<##' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%1 searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ$&-&1H+1BsiteJe)ost1 li e O/enc)ain, L'M', 3ennington, ('L', B Orr, A' 6-%1%9' Angela: On a Critical Cur e' Theory and esearch in !ocial Education, "* (4), <+&1#1<' Retrie ed 2ro!

SOCIAL STUDIES AND CONSTRUCTIVISM )tt5:AAsearc)'e/sco)ost'co!Alogin'as57I directJtrueBd/Je2tBANJ#%+1++<#$BsiteJe)ost1li e Rice, M' L' B :ilson, E'L' 61HHH9' Ho" tec)nolog* aids constructi is! in t)e social studies classroo!' !ocial !tudies, +) (1), -+1$<' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%1 searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ1#1+1$HBsiteJe)ost1 li e =il!a;, L' 6-%%+9' Social studies teac)ersM ie"s o2 learner1centered instruction'

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Euro%ean Journal of Teacher Education, "1 (1), $#1#$' Retrie ed 2ro! )tt5:AA%1 searc)'e/sco)ost'co!'au5ac'li/'at)a/ascau'caAlogin'as57I directJtrueBAut)T*5eJurlK-ci5K-cuidBd/Je))BANJ$%%F#H&-BsiteJe)ost1 li e