To support preservice teacher education and in-service professional development for rural social studies teachers, I examine the degree to which rural teachers, students, and communities are reflected in social studies education research. I first developed a theoretical framework for analyzing the rural research quality in the articles I found. I…

Educators increasingly recognize the importance of disciplinary literacy for student success, beginning as early as the primary grades. This cutting-edge volume examines ways to help K-12 students develop the literacy skills and inquiry practices needed for high-level work in different academic domains. Chapters interweave research, theory, and…

The idea of storytelling goes beyond the borders of language, culture, or traditional education, and has historically been a tie that bonds families, communities, and nations. Digital storytelling offers opportunities for authentic academic and non-academic literacy learning across a multitude of genres. It is easily accessible to most members of…

In comparing one public school to another, discussions frequently include talk concerning the socio economics of a school or district, which then leads to talk about the advantages that one socioeconomic setting has over another. Educators tend to agree that low academic achievement frequently associated with a low socioeconomic status is a…

Discusses the 1916 Committee on Social Studies report. Describes the preparation of the report, who was involved and some of the social welfare and efficiency ideas of its authors. Observes that the report culminated in the introduction of the social studies into the U.S. secondary school curriculum. (SG)

The Bradley Commission on History in Schools was created in 1987 specifically in response to the widespread concern over the inadequacy, both in quantity and in quality, of the history taught in elementary and secondary school classrooms. This book explores the conditions that contribute to, or impede, the effective teaching of history in schools.…

Metadiscourse is the author's intrusion into the discourse, either explicitly or nonexplicitly, to direct rather than inform the readers. Nine social studies texts written for students in grades 5-12 and nine for adults no longer in school were evaluated to determine if they contain informational and attitudinal subtypes of metadiscourse. (RM)

Examines the unpopularity of social studies among students. Suggests that the source of the problem may be found in textbooks. Discusses textbooks written by Samuel Griswold Goodrich, a.k.a. "Peter Parley," a nineteenth-century U.S. social studies textbook writer. Underscores his belief in using literature to connect social studies to…

Implications of the radical perspective for social studies are examined. This perspective suggests that (1) emancipation should be the guiding social ideal; (2) social life should be understood in terms of such concepts as domination, autonomy, contradiction, and the social construction of knowledge; and (3) teaching should emphasize the…

The purpose of this project was to design and implement a visual art course parallel to the U.S. history course required of all 11th grade students at the John F. Kennedy High School in New York City, New York. The study also attempted to determine if a non-linguistic, instructional methodology, such as that used in visual arts instruction, could…

This project began when the Philadelphia Folklore Project (PFP) initiated a residency partnership with the Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial in traditional Cambodian arts. The PFP anticipated raising issues that might help in the understanding of the cultural dynamics and elements that were likely to shape and effect the residency. The PFP imagined…

The multi-faceted assessment of the teaching of religious history in the elementary and secondary schools of Indiana developed from a need for the assessment, a concept and procedure for the assessment, and the applications to educational practice. Textbooks have neglected religious history, and a national movement exists to improve the curricular…

"Give and Take" is a series of 12 15-minute television/film programs and related print materials on economics and consumer economics designed for 13- to 15-year-olds. The series purposes are to improve economics' knowledge and decision-making skills. This booklet contains reviews of six research studies that examined the impact of the…

A discussion of geography's place in the curriculum and suggested methods for teaching geography are presented in this paper. Geography may be included in the curriculum in a variety of ways, such as infusing it throughout the curriculum or designing an integrated curriculum with geography as the core. Principles of learning derived from…

In this ongoing debate, Egan still maintains that because social studies is based on incorrect theories of child learning and aims to socialize and because the idea of social studies is confusing, the discipline should be allowed to die. (RM)