One of the most effective methods for teaching social studies events, concepts, and issues incorporates the fine arts into lesson plans. The fine arts, such as photography, architecture, paintings, tapestries, and sculptures reflect the core cultural values, political ideals, and religious beliefs of a civilization and offer excellent…

The non-violent, tolerant, pacifistic and humanistic manner of Mahatma Gandhi is a globally recognized fact. UNESCO's foundation of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development is one of the best examples that support this fact. In this study, it is aimed to present "Mahatma Gandhi", who is globally…

This article argues that in divided societies, civic education fails to fulfill one of its most important social role: creating a more inclusive society that allows a democratic dialogue to flow across different ideological, religious, and cultural communities. This failure is grounded in two main reasons. First, civics teachers are socially and…

This study aims at investigating social studies student teachers' levels of understanding sociology concepts within social studies curriculum. Study group of the research consists of 266 teacher candidates attending the Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Education, Kastamonu University during 2012 to 2013 education year. A semi-structured…

This article: 1) defines the nature of social studies and its relations with society; 2) introduces a model explaining this relationship and tests it with four social studies texts; 3) identifies major social problems looming in the future; and, 4) predicts the nature of future social studies. (Author/JB)

Discusses the concept in the context of the conceptually designed and sequentially organized social studies instructional materials developed at the University of Illinois Social Studies Curriculum Study Center in cooperation with USOE/DHEW. Copies of the final report, An Evaluation Report of the Sequential Social Science Courses for the Secondary…

Provides a biographical sketch of the author, James A. Michener. This sketch provides information on Michener's background as a student and social studies teacher. Includes an interview and bibliography of Michener's writing on education. (JDH)

Designed to help secondary students recognize that a country's music both reflects and reinforces cultural values, this unit involves students in comparing the music of the United States, China, and Japan. The unit could be used as part of an Asian history or Western history course. The approximate time required for the unit is 12 class periods.…

Analysis of the contents of textbooks is a meaningful way to examine individuals, groups and institutions, as they reflect social values, attention and interests of a society. Education as an institution reflects a society's social ideology, and examination of the sociocultural components of schools can reveal the cultural paradigm upon which a…

The lack of a sound curriculum in the social sciences in the public schools is deplored in this position paper. This lack is attributed to poor teacher training in the subject, defective communication between the school and community, and with government grant-giving agencies. It is stated that communities are fearful of introducing relevant…

This revised teacher's manual focuses on the need to develop compassionate concern in students if they are to be moved to action. The 12-step processes in the 8 units promote a personal relationship or friendship with the persons or groups involved. The units include: (1) "Of Dreams and Vision"; (2) "Interpersonal Peacemaking/Reconciliation"; (3)…

Examines Edward Bellamy's "Looking Backward" as the most popular U.S. utopian novel, and a major expander of the ideology of progress through technology. Provides an explanation for the book's popularity, and compares it to other utopian novels. Warns against using "Looking Backward" as a substitute for full-scale historical…

Population dynamics, broadly defined, can be effectively taught in an interdisciplinary fashion. This course for junior and senior undergraduates is taught by an anthropologist, biologist, demographer, economist, and geographer. It is 75 percent lecture, 25 percent panel discussion with film presentations and has been used successfully as an NSF…