Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have developed knowledge and understandings of the need for and value of social studies in the primary school curriculum; the relationship between social studies and the social science disciplines; the major concepts and generalisations in social studies; the key elements of knowledge, skills and values as they apply to social studies curriculum; the various teaching techniques, curriculum possibilities, teaching aids and equipment suitable for developing primary school social studies; the competing traditions and movements within social studies in particular the national curriculum movement and the new State Curriculum and Standards Framework series. Students should have developed skills which will enable them to construct behavioural objectives for primary school social studies units; employ the inductive teaching model in a classroom setting; demonstrate understanding of social studies curriculum by developing a teaching unit for a primary school grade; construct a sequence of social studies lessons based on the above teaching unit. Students should have developed values or attitudes which value the need for social studies programs in the primary school to make understandings about their own society accessible to all students; appreciate the need for students to participate effectively in society and the need for a defensible value system in order for students to achieve this; have developed confidence in their ability to design, teach and evaluate primary social studies programs.
Synopsis Students will examine the relationship between the social science disciplines and social studies; analyse and practise inquiry-teaching strategies applicable to social studies; plan and teach sequences of lessons which aid children to develop concepts, skills, values and action; examine critically various programs of social studies specifically developed for primary schools.
Assessment Written: 30% + Examinations: 70%