The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards calls upon social studies teachers to enhance the rigor of civics, economics, geography, history and the other social studies disciplines while building the critical thinking, problem solving, and participatory skills of students to help them become actively…

Using literature in the social studies classroom is a useful pedagogy that is particularly well-suited in human rights education. Literature can give voice to people who cannot speak for themselves and gives students an opportunity to consider perspectives that are often foreign to them. When used with delicacy and care, these literary…

The "College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: State Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History" will soon be released. The C3 Framework was developed to serve two audiences: for states to upgrade their state social studies standards, and for…

An innovative program for schools that promotes respect and understanding between major religions enables students to engage with peers around the world via videoconferencing. Using videoconferencing and online community, "Face to Faith" enabled students from across the globe to learn from, with, and about one another. In the 2013-2014…

Most teachers will endorse "standards" of authentic instruction, including deep knowledge, higher order thinking, substantive conversation, and connections to the world beyond the classroom. When it comes to putting such endorsements into practice, however, they too often accept a standardized view of content that is dull and doctrinaire and…

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills places an important emphasis on fundamental social science subjects including history, geography, government and civics, and economics as well as a stress on other important subjects such as English, foreign languages, arts, and science in the school curriculum. It has also identified what it calls 21st…

In this article, the authors discuss podcasting and provide ways on how to create podcasts. A podcast is an audio or video file that is posted on the web that can easily be cataloged and automatically downloaded to a computer or mobile device capable of playing back audio or video files. Podcasting is a powerful tool for educators to get students…

Four outstanding elementary teachers from different parts of the United States talk about instructional innovations that have worked for them. (RM)

In the future, videodiscs will be used in social studies classrooms as teaching tools, tutors, and storage devices or data banks. Although the videodisc is now available, educational materials using the medium are just beginning to become available. (RM)

Social studies educators who are seeking to combine the power and utility of microcomputers with the new generation of video technologies have a sophisticated instructional tool at their disposal in the form of interactive video systems. Three current social studies projects employing such systems are described. (RM)

Advocates an inquiry perspective in high school economics rather than concentrating on economic theory. Describes the assumptions for such an approach and discusses ways to apply them to problematic cases. Benefits of this approach would stimulate interest in economics and increase students' ability to analyze problematic situations. (GG)

Provides guidelines for implementing portfolios in the social studies classroom that focus on the Vietnam era and incorporate Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences. Outlines the portfolio project, lists eleven portfolio components, and addresses the intelligence of each. (CMK)

Focuses on the use of student self-assessment in the classroom. Considers using evaluative questions that enable students to think about their work and their growth as learners. Addresses self-evaluation forms for student use. Provides example evaluative questions and self-evaluation forms. (CMK)

Argues that the illuminating, conceptual, and contextual qualities of literature make it an excellent resource for teaching social studies concepts, especially those concerning multiculturalism. Advocates reading the books as complete works rather than piecemeal assignments. Includes suggestions for selected books and related topics. (MJP)

Argues that historical knowledge is socially constructed, dependent upon the interplay of past, and current accepted theories and research. Maintains that history instruction should both reflect and promote this through the inclusion of multiple points of view, student centered instruction, and experiential learning. (MJP)