Purpose: The present study proposes action-breakdown-repair (ABR) as a pedagogical model and 3D virtual worlds as technology, to bridge the gap between curricular goals and students out of school technology experiences, referred to as the educational gap. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study combining design-based research (DBR) and a…

Glaciers are an excellent subject for elementary social studies classes. Their effects are easy for students to model with inexpensive teaching supplies, such as sand and ice. Students can conduct research nationally with virtual field trips or locally with real field trips. The models and research can be used as starting point for a discussion of…

It is obvious to any observer that today the social studies is in the process of a revolutionary change. It is axiomatic that one of the universal goals that all these changes are aimed at is to make social studies courses more meaningful and relevant to the life experiences of the student. One of the fastest developing innovations within the…

The document describes the 1972 version of the International Relations Exercise (IRE) used at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF). During the IRE, supplementary information, described in section 2.0, is also provided to participants. This supplementary information is not released for publication. The IRE is an outgrowth of continued…

The objectives and dimensions of this analysis system are described in SO 000 835. However, this document contains the actual instrument which was designed to provide a method of analyzing autotelic educational material such as games and simulations. It was created for curriculum supervisors, chairmen, and teachers who make curriculum decisions,…

A model for designing classroom simulations is proposed as a way to integrate values and social studies in the classroom. (Author/KM)

Four simulations for the junior high and high school level are presented. (Author/KM)

ARCHEOLOGICAL DATA AND INTERPRETATIONS FROM THREE INVESTIGATIONS ARE USED TO PRESENT STUDENTS WITH THE TASK OF ANALYZING A SITE AT TORRALBA, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES NORTHEAST OF MADRID, SPAIN. SITE DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND ACRYLIC MODELS OF ARTIFACTS ARE USED. STUDENTS DO NOT ENGAGE IN THE ACTUAL FIELD WORK BY WHICH DATA ARE ACCUMULATED.…

This material provides students with information to prepare for a mock trial. The defendant in this case has been accused of the crime of driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages causing severe bodily injury. Case materials include stipulated facts, jury instructions, depositions, and other related materials. (EH)

Presents a model to help teachers and students develop effective simulations. (Author/AV)

Presents a case study in simulation design based on a dispute resulting from a border incident between two imaginary nations. The steps involved with the basic design of social simulations for upper-elementary and secondary social studies classes are described. (AM)

In social studies classes, there is a longstanding interest in how societies evolve and change over time. However, as stories of the past unfold, it is often difficult to identify a direct link between causes and effects, so students are forced to accept at face value the interpretations of economists, political scientists, historians,…