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social
SOCIAL SCIENCE
A group of academic disciplines dedicated to examining society.
Branch of science
Studies how people interact with each other, behave, develop as a culture, and influence
the world.
 Categorized into many branches such as Geography, History, Anthropology, Economics,
Philosophy, Political Science, etc.

SOCIAL STUDIES
 The study of people in relation to each other and their world
 Serves as an integrated study of social sciences and humanities to promote civic
comepetence.

AIM AND PURPOSE OF SOCIAL STUDIES

 It connects student thinking with real world contexts from local to global scales.
 Essential in supporting students to interact with difference within communities.
 Primary purpose: Help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the
public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent
world.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM

Explanation from the figure:
Integrated Curriculum

 Social studies is the integration of knowledge and human experience for the purpose of
citizenship.
 Students gain knowledge of history, civics and government, geography and economics.
 Understand the interaction between and among history, social sciences and humanities.
 Apply knowledge and understanding as responsible citizens.

DEVELOPMENTAL FOCUS OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN EDUCATION

1. Moral and Spiritual Development
 Moral Development
o Focuses on the understanding of morality.
o Includes values and principles, attitudes and behaviour, code of conducts and
ability to make decisions about right and wrong.
 Spiritual Development
o The process of growing the intrinsic human capacity for self-transcendence.
o It includes beliefs whether religious or not, the search for meaning or purpose,
relationships, self-knowledge and emotions.

2. Sociocultural Development
 Based on an emerging theory in psychology that looks at the important contributions that
society makes to individual development.
 It stressed the interaction between developing people and the culture in which they live.

3. Socio-economic Development
 The process of social and economic development in a society.
 Measured with indicators such as GDP, life expectancy, literacy and levels of
employment.

4. Socio-political Development
 Process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, analytical skills, emotional faculties,
and the capacity for action in political and social systems necessary to interpret and
resist oppression.

METHODOLOGY
 A system of practices and procedures that at teacher uses to teach.
 Factors in deciding how to teach includes age and experience of learners, lesson and
course objectives, expectations and resources.
Example of Methodology Effective for Teaching Social Studies:
1. Critical and Higher Order Thinking
 It is a concept of education reform based on learning taxonomies.
 The idea is that some type of learning require more cognitive processing than others,
but also have more generalized benefits.
2. Inquiry Approach
 Is an approach to learning that emphasizes the student’s role in the learning process.
 Rather than the teacher telling students what they need to know, students are
encouraged to explore the material, ask questions and share ideas.

3. Problem Solving and Student Centred

 Teaching strategy that employs the scientific method in searching information.
 It also encompasses methods of teaching that shift the focus of instruction from the
teacher to the student.