The pursuit of an authentic education is important. The need to understand one's role, rights, and responsibilities within a society is paramount. Further important is to know the makeup of the society in which one lives--the history, people, and values. Much of this knowledge is gained through the social studies instruction, beginning at the…

The American Historical Association's (AHA's) Commission on the Social Studies was a compilation of prominent scholars who, from 1929 to 1934, investigated social studies education in American public schools in order to provide some cohesive recommendations for teachers. The AHA Commission had a controversial ending, with one of its members,…

This report describes the Achieve 180 Program in Year 2. The 53 participating schools received Texas Education Agency campus accountability ratings of "Improvement Required" (IR), "Not Rated," or "Former Improvement Required" at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. The 2018-2019 Achieve 180 Program's centralized…

This study documented curriculum decisions made by an eighth grade social studies teacher as he prepared students for their high-stakes test. When considering how to best meet students' needs, the teacher described tensions between the pressures of standards and testing and his commitment to cultural responsiveness. Perceptions about these…

Curriculum developments in general from 1893 through the 1960's are first discussed, followed by curriculum developments in the social studies from 1916 to the present time. Progress in standardized social studies achievement tests dates from the early 1930's, at which time a Commission on the Social Studies attempted to apply new test techniques…

Suggests that whether U.S. education is a catastrophe depends not on whether students can answer questions on the Standard Achievement Tests (SAT) but on their ability to survive in the modern world. Stresses that the challenge to the social studies is to teach students to integrate their learning not to play the testmakers game. (NL)

Discusses Pennsylvania's Tests of Essential Learning Skills (TELS) program. Suggests avoiding "teaching the test" by implementing a program to improve reading and math skills across the curriculum. Offers strategies for promoting reading skills in social studies class. Describes structured overview, anticipation guides, level guides,…

The weaknesses of standardized testing are apparent in assessing student achievement in the social studies. State mandated criterion referenced tests, aligned with objectives on the state level, may be better for assessing social studies achievement, but they also have weaknesses. The development of portfolios has been an attempt to compensate for…

The EXCELS! Project of the Anchorage School District (Alaska) was initiated in 1994 through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to demonstrate the development of a kindergarten through sixth grade instructional program reflecting state and national standards in History, Civics, Geography, and English. More than 1,200 Anchorage teachers…

As a part of the teacher licensure program at the graduate level at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), the M.Ed. Licensure candidate is required to complete an action research project during a 3-semester-hour course that coincides with the 9-semester-hour student teaching experience. This course, Education 590 Culminating…