Social studies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Social Studies is a term used to describe the broad study of the various fields which involve past and current human behavior and interactions. Also, the study of social groups and group dynamics. Examples of these subjects typically covered in social studies include: history, economics, geography, civics, political science, culture, psychology, sociology, and other social sciences. Social studies, also a common school study, is a study source for children given history, social sciences, and humanities.

Social studies in child protective cases

A social study is a report prepared by a youth worker or a child protection worker specifically for court hearings that outline witnessed or assumed behaviors of a youth. These behaviors may include tardiness, hostility, uncooperativeness, or delinquency. A social study also will contain a description of the child or youth's known familial histories such as their social, cognitive, and medical histories.

This report is not permissible in many courts due to being prepared in hearsay and for being an Inappropriate Report. Some courts will allow the report to pass as evidence in court provided court jurisdiction has been established.

However controversy exists surrounding the fact that the social study report is still included as evidence in child protection and custody hearings regardless.

The subject matter varies from institution to institution and includes both pure and applied social sciences. Examples of the former include sociology, psychology, and political science. Examples of the latter include business, economics, criminology, and mass media. These schools may exclude certain humanities and natural sciences (such as earth sciences and climatology) which are included in many North American social studies classes.

Citizenship and Civics

Social studies aims to educate students to become caring, well informed citizens; realizing and connecting the social studies to one's sense of freedom and everyday lifestyle; examining the "code of behavior" within one's diverse society [e.g., morals, values, rule/law].

Culture and Cosmopolitanism

• World and social views
  • Values include:
    • awareness of stereotypes,
    • bias, and point of view,
    • awareness of multiple cultures,
    • tolerance of cultural differences,
    • protecting individual right to difference.

• These values are meant to be developed through:
  • examining personal morals/values
  • comparisons
  • study of history and past experience
  • main point of the conclusion

Constructivist pedagogy

The social can be taught using the constructivist approach. This includes teaching that is intended to refine students' prior knowledge, develop inquiry skills through higher order and critical thinking, and lead to students developing opinions about the world around them.

• Instructional strategies:
  • direct teaching [not lecture]
  • problem based learning [PBL]
  • inductive thinking
  • cooperative learning
  • role playing
  • simulation
  • intelligence of history

Digital technology and current events

1. Smithsonian
2. Library of Congress
3. National Geographic
4. National Archives [1][2]
5. Documenting the American South

These websites can be aligned with Standards of Learning, curriculum, and various units of study. Digital resources can demonstrate the relationship between past and current events in various ways, for instance, comparing old pictures to recent pictures and comparing current events such as the Iraq War to past events such as the first and second World Wars.