In twenty years of teaching, the author has never been involved in a project that sparked as much enthusiasm from students, parents, the administration, and other teachers as the Entrepreneur Fair. In an effort to challenge students to become entrepreneurs, the author developed a one-day market called the Entrepreneur Fair at Stonewall Elementary…

There is a recognized need for theoretical frameworks that can guide designers and educators in the development of engagement-rich learning experiences that incorporate emerging technologies in pedagogically sound ways. This study investigated one such promising framework, adventure learning (AL). Data were gathered via surveys, interviews, direct…

With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, teachers across the United States are expanding their integrated approach to social studies instruction and literacy studies. They are challenged to infuse text and narratives linked to…

A case study was conducted to learn about the formation of social justice teachers, and the methods used by radical educators to engage students in social change. Interviews conducted with eight junior and senior high school social studies teachers identified several types of formative experiences inspiring teachers to become radical educators.…

At a time when the power of schools and both state and federal education authorities to guide young people's sense of belonging is being challenged by multilingualism, by the claims of supra- and subnational regions and minorities, by memories of national catastrophes and crimes, and by out-of-school educational media, this collection of essays…

This research examines the Vietnam War as a topic of study in the era of standardized curricula. Standards for teaching the Vietnam War, both state and national, are often ambiguous. They may, therefore, allow teachers to interject their own thoughts and biases into the classroom. To better understand what may actually inform one state's social…

Schools are the significant places where new information and skills are obtained and practised. There are some problems in the social and educational development of organizational activities learned at schools. Change, share and distribution of knowledge, transfer of knowledge to students, fruitful and effective use of organizational aims,…

This qualitative study investigated preservice social studies teachers' thinking about personal agency. This study used a case study design and was conducted in a semester long undergraduate social studies methods course. The findings drew upon data from eight participants. The participants were selected based on their stated purpose for teaching…

This study in the context of National Curriculum Framework (2005) and constructivist approach to learning and critical pedagogy, gauges the attainment of upper primary students in Malayalam, science, social studies and mathematics in 2011 and compares it with that of their age group during 1999, in Kerala, India. Overall achievement of students…

Focusing on a suburban Philadelphia high school's social studies classes, this research study investigated the influence of tracking on student achievement, on teachers' and students' perceptions of self-efficacy, and on teachers' instructional practices in the classroom. In order to address these research questions, the researcher used a…

Issues of diversity and social justice are critical for teacher education as the student population in the United States becomes increasingly diverse ethnically, racially, socially, and linguistically. It has been traditionally assumed that social studies, more than other curricular areas, should deal with these issues, especially in raising good…

Numerous studies have shown how elementary social studies instruction has been constrained or curtailed in states that do not test social studies as part of their mandated accountability system. South Carolina is a state that tests social studies as well as English, mathematics, and science in grades three through eight as part of its…

Ernest Horn was a curriculum professor at The University of Iowa in the early to mid-twentieth century. Predominantly known at the time for his spelling research, Horn also made important contributions to the field of social studies education. This historical inquiry illuminates one of Horn's contributions to social studies education by examining…

Adults in the United States have been migrating to ideologically homogenous communities, a phenomenon that researchers have called "the big sort." Thus, the need for young Americans to engage in civil discussion of controversial issues has never been greater. Public schools are an ideal place to undo the big sort because controversial issues fit…

A study of court cases dealing with church and state conflicts may explain why some teachers avoid teaching about religion rather than risk legal action or misinterpretation of their lessons. However, if students are to receive a complete education, educators must reach some reconciliation between church and state. Instead of skirting religious…