Although inquiry-based instruction has been a centerpiece of progressive visions of social studies education almost since its inception as a school subject a century ago, teachers often struggle to conceptualize it in ways that make true inquiry possible for their students. In this essay I suggest that social educators strengthen their connection…

Background: While advocates for integrating Computational Thinking (CT) into existing K12 classrooms have acknowledged and aimed to address various barriers to implementation, we contend that a more foundational issue -- tensions between the epistemology of computing and those of existing disciplines -- has largely been overlooked. Studies of…

Purpose: The article discusses to what extent and in what ways teachers make room for students to develop their understanding of political responsibility when covering the news in social studies classrooms. The goal is to outline the conditions for a model that generates an understanding of political responsibility through news coverage.…

Background/purpose: Social Studies education holds a strategic role in fostering social, cultural, and religious values that are contextually aligned with societal challenges. In Semarang City, vulnerable communities face a dual threat of recurrent flooding and socio-economic disparities, which hinder educational processes and sustainable…

Purpose: Depoliticisation of youth risks marginalising them from political participation. When youths are labelled as politically disinterested and democratically disengaged, they may view themselves as powerless. We investigate how Social Science teachers can utilise diverse expressions relating to democracy and political issues in the classroom…

Overlapping and entangled crises that comprise and propel society require near constant (re)orientation in order to understand, explain, and address the workings of a multiplicitous world. For those invested in education, this means confronting complexity through the prism of teaching and learning. Educational scholars across fields and…

Primary sources are tricky documents. They can be excellent texts to use in the classroom to improve content knowledge and build skills, but care must be taken so they promote rather than thwart learning (Eicher, 2007; Newman, 2014). A couple of preliminary steps can eliminate pitfalls and help a primary source fulfill its promise. Traditionally,…

The study of history as part of the social studies curriculum is an important component of K-12 education. Yet, past research suggests that students perceive history as less important than other subjects (Brophy et al., 1992; Schug et al., 1984), find it boring and without purpose (Zhao & Hoge, 2005), and are unable to articulate why they…

Understanding the photosynthesis concepts is challenging due to its abstract nature, often leading to student misconceptions. This study aims to identify and analyze misconceptions among science and social studies students using the image analysis method. A total of 78 students (32 science, 46 social studies) participated, selected through a…

This study uses the Swedish Science Studies course to examine teaching approaches in sustainability education. Science Studies is an interdisciplinary course that aims to educate scientifically literate and active citizens, who are committed to environmental care and sustainability. Based on a survey of 155 teachers, the study explores the…

The study explored innovative instructional strategy: effect of computer-aided instruction on social studies students' achievement and retention outcome. The study was an experimental study. The sample of the study was 180 students. The instrument used for the study was the scholarly achievement test (SAT). Descriptive statistics were utilized to…

Background/purpose: This study aimed to investigate the degree to which social studies teachers in Jordan possess digital teaching skills and to examine whether there are statistically significant differences based on professional experience. The study highlights the increasing importance of digital competencies in education, particularly in the…

Background/purpose: This study examines the mediating variables between instructional practices and the academic achievement of Grade 10 students in Social Studies in the Philippines. The research highlights the need for effective teaching methods to improve learning results and acknowledges students' difficulties in interacting with the subject.…

Primary Objective: This study examines student reaction to a unit of instruction teaching war through a more critical lens focusing on anti-war movements and how student sense of civic agency was impacted. Research Design: A design study that centered student voice on activism and experiences of a unit of instruction of the USA at war. Design…

Educators are faced with standardized testing weighing heavily as the basis of the curriculum. Several education policies have been put in place to support accountability in education but have created a decline in social studies instruction (Gaudelli & Laverty, 2018). This transcendental phenomenological qualitative study sought to bring…