Session Information
10 SES 9.5 PE/PS, Poster Exhibition / Poster Session
Contribution
The primary purpose for teaching social studies is to prepare efficient future citizens and “to help young people to develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good …” (The National Council for the Social Studies Curriculum Standards 1994, 3). In regards to attaining this goal, NCSS identified teaching of controversial issues as one of the essential strategies. Available research indicates that studying controversial issues helps students to develop critical decision-making skills, to gain civic knowledge, to develop empathy to others, learn to communicate effectively, learn to be tolerant and respectful to different views as well (Han, 1996; Harwood & Hahn, 1990).
Despite the widely recognized importance of controversial issues, research findings confirm that controversial issues are not usually part of the social studies classrooms. Some scholars indicated that one of the reasons for this, is that social studies teachers themselves. For instance, Stradling (1984) found that the social studies teachers lack the knowledge and experience on teaching of such issues. In parallel lines, others indicated that social studies teachers simply neglect or do not include controversial issues in their classrooms and even if they do, they prefer local issues or some certain issues with low public sensitivity (Gayford, 2002; Oulton, Dillon, & Grace, 2004; Wilson, Hass, Lauglin, & Sunal, 2002).
In regards to successful and effective teaching of controversial issues, scholars pointed out that social studies teacher candidates not only should know the nature of these issues (Oulton, Dilon, et al., 2004) but also should be exposed to such activities that provide a through study of social problems in the classroom (Patrick & Vantz, 2001). Although many would agree that pre-service education plays an important role in the teachers’ professional competence on the teaching of controversial issues, a study involving pre-service social studies teachers in Turkey reported that even though teacher candidates believe the importance of discussing controversial issues in classrooms these issues were not sufficiently included in social studies teacher education program (Ersoy, 2010).
Based on the available literature, it might be argued that the fate of controversial issues whether or not they make their way into social studies classrooms partially depends on social studies teachers – their attitudes, experience, knowledge, and competencies – thus depends on teacher education programs. Therefore, understanding pre-service teachers’ attitudes or experiences has the potential to improve not only social studies teacher education programs but also social studies instruction in classrooms. The fact remains that, if we, as teacher educators, are able understand our students’ attitudes and needs beforehand, we might have a better chance to develop a plan / adopt our teacher education program accordingly.
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine social studies teacher candidates’ attitudes about and perceptions of teaching controversial issues in social studies classrooms. More specifically, this study aimed to attempt to answer the following questions: (a) Do pre-service teachers value teaching controversial issues? (b) What do they say about the education they receive about preparing them to teach controversial issues?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Ersoy, A.F. (2010). Social studies teacher candidates’ views on the controversial issues incorporated into their courses in Turkey. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26 (2), 323-334. Gayford, C. (2002). Controversial environmental issues: a case study for the professional development of science teachers. International Journal of Science Education, 24, 1191-1200. Guyton, E., and A. Hoffman. (1983). Teaching controversial issues in social studies. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED242625. Han, C.L. (1996) Research on issues-centered social studies. In R. W. Evans, & D. W. Saxe (Eds.), Handbook on teaching social issues (pp. 25-41). Washington, DC: National Council for Social Studies. Harwood, A. M., & Hahn, C. L. (1990). Controversial issues in the classroom. (ERIC Documentation Reproduction service No. ED327453). Hess, D.2001b. Teaching do public controversy in a democracy? In J.J. Patrick & S. Roberts (Eds.), In principles and practices of democracy in the education of social studies teacher: Civic learning in teacher education (pp. 87-110). (ERIC Documentation Reproduction Service No. ED460064) NCSS (National Council for the Social Studies). (1994). A vision of powerful teaching and learning in social studies: building social understanding and civic efficacy. Oulton, C., Dillon, J., & Grace, M. M. (2004). Reconceptualizing the teaching of controversial issues. International Journal of Science Education, 26, 411-423. Patrick, J.J., & Vantz, T.S. (2001). Components of education democratic citizenship in the preparation of social studies teachers? In J.J. Patrick & S. Robert (Eds.), In principles and practices of democracy in the education of social studies teacher: Civic learning in teacher education (pp. 39-64). (ERIC Documentation Reproduction Service No. ED460064) Stradling, R. (1984). The teaching of controversial issues: an evaluation. Educational Review, 36, 121-129. Wilson, E. K., Hass, M. E., Lauglin, M.A., & Sunal, C.S. (2002). Teacher’s perspectives on incorporating current controversial issues into the social studies curriculum. The International Social Studies Forum, 2, 31-45.
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