Ed 6671

Research In Social Studies

Memorial university of Newfoundland
WHAT DO EACH OF THE MODULE’S READINGS/VIEWINGS REVEAL TO YOU
ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY AND CHALLENGES OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES,
TODAY? CONCLUDE YOUR ESSAY WITH ONE OR MORE EXAMPLES OF HOW
YOU MIGHT CHANGE/DESIGN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR
STUDENTS
Introduction
Young people in a multicultural, democratic, and interdependent world need to be equipped with
the knowledge and skills they need to make good decisions for the common good, and this is
what social studies are all about. Studying social studies helps students make sense of the world
around them. Students gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of the world's locales,
cultures, and events, as well as the factors that have contributed to their current configurations.
Many elementary and higher education institutions throughout the world now include social
studies in their required curriculum, recognizing its importance and reflecting the field's growth
and vitality. But grasping the big picture of social studies is one thing, and really being able to
teach it is something else. Seeing how important social studies is to students, it is something that
ought to be taught properly. However, there are a lot of challenges with teaching social studies
and we will be examining many of these challenges as well as some of the solutions proffered.
First, in the field of social studies, curriculum has traditionally been viewed as the source of
inspiration for lessons. Eisner (2002) distinguishes between three distinct pedagogical
approaches utilized by educational institutions: the explicit, implicit, and null. According to
Eisner (2002), an explicit curriculum is one that has been deliberated over, created, and is then
delivered to students. Books, curriculum requirements, and teacher-implemented lesson plans all
contribute to this program. Many people have pointed out that this same social studies
curriculum pays little attention to racial and ethnic issues, and this is a complaint leveled towards
the field of social studies education as a whole. As opposed to explicit curricula, which are
shared by all educators, implicit curricula are produced through the thoughts and behaviors of
particular teachers, and can reveal specific preconceptions that those educators may have (Eisner,
2002). Increasingly, people are referring to implicit curriculum as the "secret curriculum" of
institutions (Skelton, 1997).
What is often referred to as null curriculum refers to subject matter that is not covered in
classrooms (Eisner, 2002). Students' constitutional rights are violated, and their ability to
experience and negotiate different points of view on controversial issues is stunted, when null
curriculum appears as the absence of learning about specific topics and concepts (Tedesco,
2009). Despite the widespread acknowledgement that social studies curricula are often utilized to
advance racist and sexist stereotypes about marginalized groups and white supremacist
narratives, there is also widespread concern that what students aren't learning in social studies is
just as problematic. With the understanding of social studies and the different types of
curriculums used to teach social studies, we will be examining some of the challenges with
teaching social studies today.
The inability of curricula and textbooks to cover local history
It's safe to say that, across the board, social studies has the broadest curriculum. For Stanley and
Nelson, social studies is "the examination of all human effort throughout time and space. Social
studies is defined by choices about what kinds of social knowledge are most useful, what kinds
of skills and conduct are most necessary, what kinds of values are most significant, and what
kinds of a progression of material and abilities is most appropriate for students (Stanley &
Nelson, 1994). For this reason, it's not unexpected that ever since it was introduced as a school
topic in the early 20th century, social studies has been at the center of heated debates about its
goals, methods, and content.
The impact of slavery on African-Americans is one such example of the inability of curricula to
correctly cover local history. Textbooks no longer gloss over the effects of slavery on African
Americans, but white culpability is often downplayed. Slavery is portrayed as a tragic accident
rather as an injustice perpetuated by some against others. The new approach to Reconstruction in
textbooks is a sea change, like the previous one to slavery; it is long overdue, more accurate, and
less controlled by white supremacy than previous versions. Most textbooks, however,
nevertheless implicitly hold a white supremacist stance due to the way they frame their topic.
Their language portrays black people as the "problem," rather than white people, and assumes
that assimilating black people into the economy and government was the primary challenge of
reconstruction. It is in scholastic discussions of Reconstruction that the stereotype of African
Americans as helpless, reliant people first takes shape. The fundamental issue during
Reconstruction was white brutality, not black illiteracy (Loewen, 1995).
The foundation of the multicultural approach to curriculum creation is the recognition that our
diverse cultural backgrounds are essential to our continued existence and flourishing (Solomon,
1988). The first step in developing a curriculum in social studies is for educators to reflect on the
status quo of their teaching and ask themselves deep, probing questions (Solomon, 1988). The
role of the teacher is to guide students away from snap decisions and toward more nuanced,
considerate evaluations of situations. The techniques of instruction already available to educators
should be utilized (Farmer, 1985). The vast majority of educators know exactly what they should
be doing in the classroom. They need to show love to their kids and educate them how to treat
one other with respect. There is a need to teach them the painful lesson that hatred brings. Kids
will have more opportunities for growth and discovery if they are taught critical thinking skills in
the classroom. Teachers have the responsibility of providing students with the means for
transformation and fostering an intimate, supportive learning environment (Bullard, 1991). A
teacher's job is to guide a student to a comfortable space in a multiethnic society. Teachers must
accomplish this without engaging in their own stereotyping, racial separatism, indoctrination, or
blaming. As a group, educators have a responsibility to address the societal issues of racism and
sexism that manifest in their classrooms (Bullard, 1991).
Another challenge is the difficulties of white teachers in grappling with antiracist method of
teaching. This is the white prospective teachers frequently use to lessen their relationship with
their whiteness (Matias,2016, quoted in Hawkman, 2020). Hawkman presents the argument for
social studies teacher education, arguing that since social studies curricula are ideally positioned
to handle complex social issues, including race/ism and whiteness, one should expect to find an
easy place for direct challenges to these ideologies. However, as many academics have noted,
social studies have been slow and occasionally unwilling to concentrate on race/ism as a
theoretical or analytical framework, despite the continuous defining presence of race/ism in
every facet of society. In order to engage white preservice teachers in discussions about
whiteness, Crowley and Smith (2015) highlighted three pedagogical tensions: difficulties
comprehending the structuration of Whiteness, the boundaries of one's own experience, and
understanding systemic problems while acting in local classroom settings are all factors.
Similarly, Buchanan (2015) followed preservice teachers' earliest understandings and
experiences with racism and race.
The study discovered that preservice teachers frequently avoided racist talks to the greatest
extent possible because they were "controversial, troublesome, unpleasant, and deeply offensive"
(p. 11). Hawkman discovered that white preservice social studies teachers engaged in four
different types of racial micro defence: supposing that only people of colour should study or
teach about race, claiming that racism is a geographical phenomenon, offering quick fixes to
racism's problems and showing that antiracism is not a top priority. Additionally, instances of
racial micro defence were used in covert ways that were difficult to spot but revealed a lack of
commitment to antiracism; this demonstrates that whiteness has a variety of defensive strategies
to shield itself from antiracism. By being emotionally (dis)invested in racial justice, refusing to
move past the recognition of their whiteness as an identification edifice, indulging in white guilt,
and espousing hegemonic whiteness, white preservice teachers, according to Matias et al. (2014),
embrace the white imagination within teacher education.
Hawkman declared unequivocally in her concluding remarks that embracing and embodying
antiracism is challenging. "Racist" and "antiracist" are like peelable name tags that are placed
and removed depending on what someone is doing or not doing, supporting or expressing at any
given time, according to Kendi (2019). No one course or research project can produce a group of
antiracist teachers, despite the co-instructors’ best efforts to encourage a critical awareness of
whiteness and antiracism. In order to help students reach the deep end of the pool, antiracist
social studies teacher education must coach them as they tread water. It takes consistent attention
to behaviours of distance in order to make this strenuous effort (Elder & Irons,1998). The "good
white person" worldview and the white imagination must be taken into account by social studies
teacher educators, who must also be willing to challenge their hold on whiteness and antiracism
in educational settings. One suggestion is to officially address antiracism wherever feasible in the
context of field or clinical experiences.
Remote areas not having enough materials and equipment needed for education
Vodniza begins his Essay by emphasising the ineptness of modern textbooks and curriculum in
providing much knowledge about students' life experiences and traditional knowledge of parents,
grandparents, and great-grandparents. However, the fact still remains that availability of these
textbooks and other resources for teaching social studies is low.
Thus, rural education is characterized by the daily struggle to make ends meet in the face of
inadequate funding, excessive workloads, low pay, and a lack of access to even the most
fundamental educational materials. Most educators also lack the skills to effectively create their
own materials to use in the classroom when they did not have access to enough.
Recruiting and retaining qualified educators and other workers in rural areas has historically
proven challenging (Lock, 2008; Miller, 2012). As the difficulty of finding and retaining skilled
teachers persists, the quality of education in rural institutions continues to decline (Heeralal,
2014). The location and economic status of schools in rural areas are significant obstacles to
recruiting, keeping, and supporting highly qualified educators (Elfers & Plecki, 2006).
However, Vodniza (2016) created a solution in oral history and storytelling. As seen from his
paper, he created lesson plans based on fun memories, customs, the lives and experiences of the
students, cultural events, memories and stories from the parents, grandparents, and great-
grandparents of the students, and the history of the neighbourhood. This shows that everyone has
a story to tell or a story that matters. Parents' involvement in their children's education rose as a
result of this teaching strategy, as did the cooperation, dialogue, and respect among group
members of the community.
Vodniza first teaching experience introduced him to an alternative way of education: "a
documentation of oral knowledge normally passed down from generations by indigenous people
through storytelling. A look at the modern school curriculum and structure reveals that it will
take a concerted effort on the part of districts, schools, and instructors to adapt this type of
teaching that can bring society together and make children active participants in planning the
social side of their education.
He created and instructed an English and Social Studies fifth and sixth grade combined unit on
memories and identity titled' How can I act as a hero or role model?'. The Social Studies
component was created to investigate the value of students' cultures and identities. The lesson's
purpose was to allow pupils to investigate global concerns by studying the courageous Pakistani
girl Malala Yousafzai's life. He began the class by presenting a personal account of his
experiences, the obstacles he overcame to pursue a career in education, and the encouragement
he received from his grandmother. He then allowed the students to brainstorm and discuss who a
hero was. In the next lesson,
According to Parsons & Taylor (2011), students are more inclined to learn when they feel
connected to the study and this is what Vodniza’s oral learning brings to the table. This brings
forth a shift away from worries which includes students not feeling like they are getting quality
education, teachers looking for ways to get new textbooks and parents not even prioritizing
social studies. This gives everyone a chance to focus on what is important which is focusing on
teaching an imparting knowledge which will be useful for years to come.
Society and Education as a Whole Being Covered in White Supremacist Ideas
Despite living in a more and more varied society, many institutions still teach from a Eurocentric
and White supremacist perspective, denying oppressed groups the space they need to make sense
of society from their own perspectives. Because of the persistence of White supremacy, White
students are not provided with the opportunity to develop an enriched appreciation for, or
familiarity with, the diversity of the world. White supremacy is the driving force behind what
gets to count as "important" in world history and the relationships between the notable players
(Dozono, 2020).
But social studies education also plays a significant role in moulding worldviews. Teachers can
bring together individuals of a community who otherwise might not have met, and allowing us to
envision the kind of world we would like to live in. Education's vulnerability to exploitation by
those who seek to use it for personal gain is due to its potential to mould values and ideas.
Therefore, this strength is what we need to harness in our struggle against racism and inequality.
White supremacy ideas have been in existence for a long time and one of the best ways social
studies teachers can wipe out the existing rot of this idea is fostering the possibility of unity even
in the classroom. According to Brown (2004), educational institutions house a variety of
audience many of which are overlooked even when it comes to social studies and other essential
topics related to history. However, this can be fixed by taking on a new way of teaching social
studies which involves showing the beauty in a diversity of cultures and making everyone visible
and important. This way the stereotypes most students have in their heads can be challenged and
changed since they have been given a chance to see first-hand how great other cultures are. This
not only paves the way for possible fixes with the person in question, but it also gives the student
the chance to sit back and question variably everything he/she has had at the back of their mind
especially when it comes to white supremacy and the resulting effects.
Part 2
DESIGN A TEACHING SCENARIO BASED ON LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE
LITERATURE
As a social studies teacher, I look back at some of my lessons back in Nigeria and see so many lost
opportunities for me to have taught social studies in a way that appreciated my student’s culture. I do not
currently teach social studies in the UK (this is not a subject in the UK); hence I will create a lesson
experience that can be used in teaching social studies in a culturally diverse class in Nigeria. It should be
noted that the new generation of Nigerians are beginning to lose indigenous culture in a bid to blend with
western culture. As a social studies teacher, in year 8 we teach a unit on culture and teach it as an abstract.
Students are mostly disinterested and just learn for the sake of it. To tackle this issue, I will create a 6
weeks experience that will be merged within the theoretical framework of the curriculum.
Week 1 – Sharing my Cultural Heritage
Firstly, as with Vodniza, I will share my cultural heritage in written form with posters and videos in the
first week. This is to model to students that I have a story and my culture can be shared so beautifully in
the classroom. I will show my traditional attire, tell them some folklores and show how much culture
means to me. I will then let them know that each one of them will be creating a media of choice at the end
of the 6 weeks about their culture. I will highlight to them how much my grandmother taught me about
my culture. Then I will teach them how to gather information about their individual culture. This will be
done through teaching them creative writing skills, how to do interviews and all. One thing about students
is that they are inquisitive and always ready to do things they see older individuals do and this is
something I will be taking advantage of. With proper understanding of how to gather information and of
course how to interview those they need to for their research, there is definitely going to be a fair amount
of information easily gathered and what’s more, it is going to be fun and exciting for them. In the second
to sixth week, we will touch on individual aspects of culture and how this may inspire ideas on
information they need to gather.
Week 2 – Heroes in their culture or family
With the understanding of my cultural heritage in different forms from the first week, and also the students doing the
same within the same week, we move on to the point where students get to talk about their heroes (cultural and
family heroes) within the next. The images of heroes and the acts of bravery speak to social ideals, standards, and
morals of today, forming a connection between the former and a prospective future. This helps us understand the
things that are of value to some or most of the students. It also helps to understand the cultural views that need to be
fostered and those that need to be challenged in social studies.

However, this will preferably be acted out as a drama rather than a presentation as some students would find it
difficult to just express themselves outrightly without any form of representation. What I plan to achieve with this
individualised drama is to ensure that the process is fun and enjoyable. So, this drama would involve each student
dressing like their heroes – they could change before class to avoid distorting other classes – and expressing what
those heroes have done which makes them cherish them so much.

Skits, dramas, television programs, songs, news broadcasts, adverts, radio programs, discussions, etc.,
should be created and performed by all students and presented in class. When students give presentations
to one another, I give them a form to fill out while they watch. Using a simple table with two columns
labelled "What I liked" and "What I learnt," for instance, students can easily reflect on their educational
experiences. This allows each of these students to express themselves and also allows me to understand
what they enjoyed as well as what they learnt from each of these creative and dramatic presentations
showing how much progress has been made over the course of the first two weeks. Of course, students
would also have something to look forward to over the coming four weeks and this of course is great for
what I would love to achieve.
Week 3 – Foods and feasts in culture
By the third week, I've made the decision to incorporate a comprehensive multicultural theme into the
social studies curriculum as a way to celebrate and appreciate the rich diversity of our student body. I've
compiled a list of some of my personal favourite classroom exercises for bringing cultural studies to life
for students. I plan to provide a variety of dishes in class to promote curiosity about other cultures and
culinary traditions and to encourage students to try new things. This is a great way to ease into learning
about cuisines from around the world. During our snack time, kids will sample a variety of finger foods
while we explore the demographics of these foods' consumers and the states where they are most
common. I will also have parents assist in making together culturally influenced dishes. Students will
bring a meal that depicts their heritage. As we feast, we'll talk about the countries that gave rise to their
respective cuisines. Once this is complete, I will put the family recipes into a multicultural cookbook and
send it home with each student before the end of the week.
The students have a wonderful time and learn a lot over this week, and it's not just because they get to try
new dishes; they also get to learn about various cultures, which dispels many of the stereotypes they may
have previously held. This isn't only an issue for the kids; it affects the grownups, too. If a parent has
cultural biases owing to their own upbringing, they can gain new knowledge and dispel old beliefs by
engaging in cross-cultural education. Finally, there is a chance for social science to be free of the
prejudice that has long pervaded many societies.
These are just a few examples of how you might use cultural foods and celebrations to teach your
students about other countries and cultures. Without resorting to manipulation or misrepresenting the
point of social studies, I will use my expertise, resources, and creativity to come up with alternative, more
genuine ways to introduce kids to the beautiful diversity that different cultures hold. We have already
established that the pupils will be extremely involved, which will provide for a pleasant learning
environment. My lesson plan is meant to supplement the last few years of work to ensure that social
studies is not presented in an abstract manner.
Week 4- Language… how to greet and origin of their language
Without language there is no communication and when languages are not understood there is a barrier
between different cultures making it difficult to see past the line that has been drawn. However, this is a
line I am going to be breaking in the fourth week of the teaching scenario. Just as the literature
highlighted a multicultural approach to curriculum helps us see past the things we have been taught from
a self-preservative cultural perspective. It allows us to understand how the diversity in cultural
backgrounds is essential to survival as humans.
Learning languages can be somewhat tricky, especially languages from totally different backgrounds.
This is why this week will be based on learning greetings and salutations from different languages. Each
student will also be expected to ask their parents, guardians or siblings about the origin of their languages
so it can be documented and pointed out in class. Students of similar languages would be grouped and
tasked with creatively writing down a greeting in their language as well as the response on their cardboard
where it can then be brought to class and then expressed. The origins of these languages are also going to
be expressed in these classes as well pointing out how intertwined some of these so-called different
cultures are in the first place.
This is going to be exciting because each group is going to have a representative who is going to come
out with the group, teach the language and of course the response to it. This is of course going to be
recited by the students who do not understand the language and this will go full circle. At the end of an
exciting day, each of these greetings in these languages are going to be documented and shared. Hence,
for that week and even other weeks if time permits, we are going to be greeting each other and responding
in languages far different from ours as taught in class. This means that even when these students find
themselves in a place with tribes other than theirs, they offer a nice greeting which in turn would break
the language barrier giving room for more communication. Automatically, social studies is getting the job
done as it should.
Week 5 - cultural attires and masquerades in their culture
It is simple to overlook the fact that the clothes we adorn have a rich and varied past. Dress codes for
men, women, and youngsters, as well as how members of different cultural classes and tribes, are strictly
enforced in all civilizations. People's identities, both as they view themselves and as they hope others see
them, are shaped by these expectations. This is something we are going to be taking advantage of in the
fifth week of the social studies teaching. These students would be tasked with doing their research just as
they have been taught to find out more about the attire and the history behind it.
Then each of the students are going to be dressing in their culturally diverse attires and masquerades if
they have any. This will help point out the richness in each culture and highlight the similarities in our
different clothes. Students including myself would take time to explain the heritage behind the attire, what
it is made of, how it is made and of course why it is taken seriously in the family.
Once this is done pictures would be taken individually as well as in a group with each individual picture
having the name of the student, the tribe, and other information related to the attire as researched from
their parents and other authorities within their culture. I would document this, and of course distribute this
amongst them so they can show it to their parents as part of their social studies experience.
Pictures hold a lot of memories and this is surely one that would be appreciated for a long time. These
students would have the chance to relish social studies and have fun memories they can look back on for a
long time. Aside from the black and white images to be printed, parents can request the coloured ones to
reduce the cost on me.
Week 6: Presentation
The week of presentation is one where we put everything we have done together. From the time of
showing my cultural heritage to talking about heroes, foods and feasts, greeting in new languages, and
wearing new attires from different cultures. We will have an overview of all we have learnt pointing out
the fact that social studies is supposed to help our cultures unite and not get divided in the first place.
Social studies is the study of social relationships and how it helps society to function.
This would have laid the foundation for what social studies stands for and how it should be taught. This
would also open the minds of these students to the possibility of talking and interacting with other
students irrespective of the individual cultural biases which have been laid out since inception. It is fun,
exciting, thrilling and for once compared to before, not abstract as it has been for a long time now. My
teaching scenario as designed is something students are going to be looking forward to because it is more
of an experience rather than something they are forced to listen to in school.
Conclusion
The problems of social studies as revealed from our literature points out that when learners are permitted
to be active participants in gathering stories (especially about their family history), they learn more and
develop a sense of belonging and even a desire to learn more. Furthermore, this teaching method
promotes family and community cohesion. Thus, teaching social studies from the perspective of letting
students know that their stories matter and being intentional in making them gather those stories must be
promoted. The importance of documenting people's oral histories is emphasised by this comment from
J.J. Baker (quoted in Vodniza), "We are reminded that stories are powerful and that once expressed, they
cannot be forgotten." To enhance students' sense of identity and belonging, it is crucial to incorporate oral
history and practicality into classroom instruction. The idea is that if you draw on students' prior
knowledge to reveal what they already know about a subject, they can establish significant connections
between their historical inquiries, previous family experiences, and currently lived experiences when
investigating their chosen topic.
Brockmann advises teachers to compare students' practices before and after the storytelling exercise. In
order to expose students to models of expression and validate the uses of oral history in the broader
world, incorporate and identify examples of oral history regularly. This can be accomplished by sharing
anecdotes in class as part of the get-to-know-you exercises. Then, highlight them as examples and
applications of oral history in the larger community are revealed in current events. Teachers must
introduce their pupils to interviewing procedures and techniques to equip them with the right skill of
asking questions and listening carefully. Teachers should also assist students in developing and applying
the criteria for what constitutes successful storytelling. This comprises overall organisation, a strong
introduction and finishing phrases, and the use of descriptive and precise language. These stories should
then be shared with the rest of the class. This act alone teaches students presenting skills at an early age
and instils pride in their work and individuality. This is something I put into practice in my teaching
scenario and this is something that would definitely yield great results. While we can agree that six weeks
is a small amount of time compared to how long these historical misconceptions have been in play. It only
takes a small amount of effort to start a movement which would change the course of history for good and
this is the ideal mentality for teachers should have in mind. If we want to make a change it ought to start
with us in the hope that at some point, there would be a movement that would change the course of
history for the better good.
References
Dozono, T. (2020). The passive voice of White supremacy: Tracing epistemic and discursive violence in
world history curriculum. Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 42(1), 1-26.

Parsons, J., & Taylor, L. (2011). Improving student engagement. Current issues in education, 14(1).

Yunkaporta, T. (2020) Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World.
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Ø Vodniza, Guillermo (2016). Stories that are not told: Everyone has a story, or a story that matters. In
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