The purpose of this study was to analyze the intended allocation of social studies time based on written timetables provided by elementary classroom teachers to students completing practicum requirements in a teacher education program. The timetables specify how time is prioritized for academic learning time as well as non-academic activities. The…

This study questions the belief that little or no social studies is being taught in regular elementary education classrooms. That belief is based on time studies and a body of research that looks at curriculum and teacher interviews and concludes that the social studies time block has been decreased in elementary classrooms, therefore little or no…

How elementary pre-service teacher candidates with considerable experience in clinical field placements identified, photographed, discussed, and categorized samples of what they construed as democratic citizenship education occurring within elementary classrooms was explored in this study. Candidates discussed an initial set of captioned photos…

The large percentages of teachers in the United States are white, middle class people who may not understand or identify their own cultural connections within the American culture, let alone elaborate their own ancestral cultural elements. Educators are expected to teach a diverse student population, and preservice teachers should be prepared to…

Social studies and social studies education is in the midst of what aptly can be described as a crisis of relevancy. In today's post-"No Child Left Behind" curriculum defined by test scores and proficiency targets, social studies has, as some have said, "been placed on the backburner" to make room for seemingly more important (tested) subjects…

The purposes of this study were to determine the actual amount of instructional time spent on social studies, to determine the variety of instructional strategies used during social studies instruction, and to assess the frequency and types of technology usage during social studies instruction. As part of addressing the No Child Left Behind Act, a…

Elementary education teacher candidates identified four criteria they used to identify a "best" lesson plan they had developed and taught for posting to their electronic portfolio. Criteria include a lesson that students: liked, learned from, actively participated in, and were involved in carrying out research. Scoring with rubric focusing on…

Explores prospective social studies teachers' use of online reflective journals. Discusses the content of the journals in terms of four categories: social science, technical, pedagogical, and procedural. Includes typical and unique journal entries. Considers the classroom implications of technology as a reflective tool. (CMK)

Describes an educational testing experiment designed to measure perspectives of elementary school students in a map drawing task. Findings indicated a significant correlation between perspective ability and map conceptualization. For journal availability, see SO 505 397. (Author/DB)

Identifies variables needing research related to reading. Variables include teacher training and behavior, textbook characteristics including readability, teaching strategies and techniques, reviews of reading research, and diffusion of findings to the classroom teacher. (Author/CK)

Analyzes a rationale for inquiry instruction in elementary social studies. Includes an evaluation of its intellectual origins, clarity, consistency, and coherence. For journal availability, see SO 506 245. (AV)

Describes development of a scale for measuring fourth graders' attitudes toward various ethnic or cultural groups. Reviews item analysis, scale discrimination, analysis for unidimensionality, and reliability. Presents the scale in an appendix. (AV)

Describes a study to assess values of sixth grade children toward their peer groups and to develop an instrument to measure values. Presents the 49-item inventory which resulted from the study. (Author/DB)

Describes a study to analyze congruence between teachers' and students' perceptions of selected cognitive and affective dimensions of sixth grade social studies classes. Findings indicated little congruence between teacher and pupil perceptions. Reasons for this incongruence are discussed. (Author/DB)

The purposes of this study were to determine the social studies series adoption policies of midwestern school districts and to identify the most popular and successful series in use. Data were provided by elementary principals in 186 randomly selected school districts. Available from: Department of Social Science Education, University of Georgia,…