As former elementary classroom teachers and current teacher educators, the authors teach, research, and advocate for anti-oppressive elementary social studies education. In their current role as teacher educators, they consider it our responsibility and mission to facilitate a social studies methods course that prepares pre-service teachers (PSTs)…

While schools are necessary spaces for democratic education, more analyses are needed that unpack their limits. Drawing from ethnographic research in U.S. Government classrooms in two predominantly White schools in politically conservative communities in central Ohio, findings show that teachers and students idealize a politically neutral…

Out-of-class learning activities are educational activities that enable students to have learning experiences outside the classroom, beyond the traditional classroom environment. These activities can help students make learning more effective, develop their interests and increase their skills. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of…

The problem of the lack of teacher innovation in learning is the main factor in the occurrence of a boring classroom atmosphere, so students often experience difficulties in learning certain materials. The objective of this study is to determine the cognitive abilities of elementary school students by using media and a cooperative learning model…

Despite the increasing focus on incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into education through curriculum mainstreaming, related research remains lacking. This study explored the representation of SDGs in Taiwan's national curriculum in terms of selection and organization. Through a content analysis of the social studies and natural…

Living and learning in the United States in 2023 is different than it was decades ago. The proliferation of mis/disinformation vis-a-vis digital means is causing "truth decay," with an increase in disagreement amongst citizens about what is opinion and fact. Such disagreements constrain opportunities for healthy democratic dialogue. To…

Recognizing that our preservice teachers are experiencing a euro-centered teacher preparation curriculum, this study aimed to explore Chicana preservice teachers' interactions with an array of criticalities focused on a bioregional context that highlighted critical and resistant resources. Chapter 1 surveyed the literature on growing critically…

Success in social studies is imperative, as civic literacy skills are used by students to become critical consumers of information and support making informed decisions. The problem is that teachers are making instructional shifts to support literacy performance and provide instruction for struggling readers in third and fourth grade to read,…

Data literacy, an important goal for social studies education, involves teaching students how to comprehend, analyze, interpret, evaluate, create, and argue with data and data visualizations such as timelines, maps, and graphs. Digital data visualizations support rapid inquiry and explorations that would be difficult on paper - such as adding data…

This article discusses a partnership with two different civic education organizations to study three different student-centered discussion designs. In one study, the authors worked with the Close Up Foundation. Close Up is a non-profit that annually brings 20,000 high school and middle school students from all 50 states and U.S. territories to…

The article presents the results of a 2022 study involving students training to be civic studies teachers. Three research goals were set: to determine which gender and family stereotypes burden the interpretation of a photograph; to identify qualitative differences in the perception, analysis, and interpretation of the photograph depending on the…

As evidenced by national data, a large proportion of students in middle school, content area classrooms in the United States (U.S.) may be considered developing readers. Evidence-based literacy practices and explicit instructional practices can support these students' literacy development. Yet, research suggests that teachers often miss…

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between political discussions and ideological composition in the classroom. Design: The effects of class patriotism and within-class differences in it are analysed using the Russian data from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study. Findings: Students in more patriotic and…

This qualitative phenomenological study examines faculty perceptions of generative AI in the social sciences and humanities in the United States. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more widely available on higher education campuses, concerns have arisen about faculty's preparedness to manage and address the use of these…

Engaging pre-service teachers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) challenges offers active learning experiences that promote an understanding of the significance of STEAM in early childhood education. By integrating community, cultural, and personal assets, STEAM becomes a versatile approach with endless opportunities for…