This study analyzes the use of community-based pedagogy in a social studies methods course to encourage teacher candidates to initiate similar practices in the classroom. Through a culturally sustaining framework, community-based pedagogy encourages teacher candidates to center the assets, knowledge, and experiences of students, families, and…

The more than 200 years of chattel slavery in Canada is an example of the country's occluded history predicated on structural racism. This study of preservice elementary teachers in a social studies methods course helps to reveal how the history of Black enslavement in Canada has been effectively erased from the national consciousness. Using a…

Although Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has been a guiding framework for the development of novice teachers for decades, less attention has been paid to the PCK of teacher educators. This comparative case study analyzes the PCK of two social studies methods instructors as they teach the practice of facilitating historical discussions and…

This instrumental case study examines how elementary teacher candidates (TCs) came to understand citizenship and civic engagement after participating in a news group project during the 2020 presidential election season. TCs formed a binary understanding of civic engagement as "passive" vs. "active," viewing themselves as active…

This study examined preservice teachers' agreement with critically compassionate financial literacy standards and the financial literacy standards developed by The Council for Economic Education for Grade 4. The preservice teachers, enrolled in elementary social studies methods courses at two institutions, responded to surveys about their…

This research examines the preparation of middle grades social studies teachers by investigating opportunities for learning in 2 social studies methods courses in distinctive teacher education pathways: a specialized middle grades program and a secondary social studies program. The findings suggest that, although both methods course instructors…

Education has long been heralded as the key to sustaining a healthy democratic state (Dewey, 1916/1996; Jefferson & Peterson, 1984; Parker, 2003). As such, teacher educators have a responsibility to prepare teachers committed to the aims and practices of democracy. Central to this goal is helping teachers understand the relationship between…

In this article the author examines (a) preservice teachers' reactions to graphic novels featuring social studies material, and (b) the potential for using graphic novels in secondary social studies classrooms. An analysis of preservice teachers' written book reports, classroom discussions, and individual interviews revealed the range of reactions…

This article explores preservice teachers' resistance to elementary history teaching that makes explicit and accessible the construction of historical knowledge for students. Using qualitative data from a 3-semester-long critical action research study, the author examines two themes of resistance voiced by a majority of 70 preservice teachers:…

In this article we examine preservice teachers' ideas about the role of multicultural citizenship education in social studies classrooms. We use qualitative techniques to explore data collected from observations and interviews with preservice teachers enrolled in a secondary social studies methods course. The findings suggest that even when…

This article describes the findings of a five-year longitudinal study examining 23 elementary teachers' use of technology in the classroom. Specifically, it describes how these teachers' experiences in a technology-enriched elementary social studies methods course, taken in the fall of 2000, have affected their attitudes towards and use of…

Thirty-seven social studies methods texts were examined to see how concept instruction was covered. Seven provided no guidance for instruction in social science concepts, and most did not provide sufficient information and guidelines, despite the considerable body of knowledge that stresses the importance of this area. (IS)

Responds to the article "Social Studies Teacher Educators' Perceptions of Character Education" (Andrew J. Milson). Disagrees strongly with the ideas presented by Milson in his article, stating that the survey discussed is attempting to promote a certain agenda. (CMK)

Responds to Alan Singer in his "Response to Milson on Character Education." States that Singer's account is flawed because his article is based on a misunderstanding of the purpose of the study presented in Milson's original article, "Social Studies Teacher Educators' Perceptions of Character Education." (CMK)

In this article, I argue that the social studies methods course is an appropriate place to practice and reflect upon doing democracy. I review the literature on kinds of citizens the methods course might support. I consider pre-service teachers' prior and present experiences with doing democracy. I pose a framework for doing democracy centered on…