Inquiry-based history instruction is rare in most school settings, but particularly in classes of students who are perceived to be "low achieving." Students with low reading abilities or test scores typically receive instruction focused on rote recall of historical information. Teachers and students face great obstacles in inquiry based learning,…

The purpose of this study is to provide descriptive portraits of how two elementary teacher candidates incorporated historical photographs when teaching history. In an effort to construct new knowledge in the field of elementary social studies teacher education, an examination into their planning, implementation, and reflection was investigated.…

This article examines how three secondary social studies teachers made meaning of global education, and how those perspectives informed their pedagogy in regards to teaching a range of topics around global education. Using data from a 9 month qualitative study, this article also analyzes the societal discourses that influenced the teachers'…

There is a timely movement afoot to secure the rightful place of social studies as a core part of curriculum at a time when it is increasingly compromised across the nation. The authors present a model that accepts the call to consider the enterprise of social studies research and broaden it to address the needs of the day. They offer a brief…

I explore Darwin and his Theory of Natural Selection from a Social Science perspective and a social studies approach of inquiry into contemporary issues. This approach augments the more common natural science focus on the mechanics of natural selection and evolution in favor of a focus on social issues, controversy, and dialog necessary to support…

This case study examines a U.S. History class where a veteran teacher uses challenging primary source documents and a debate to encourage his students to think critically about history. The teacher is knowledgeable about the subject matter and articulates a clear purpose for teaching. Surprisingly, the author finds that the teacher's methods,…

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…

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary social studies teachers' professional characteristics and workplace perceptions in order to better understand who represents social education in the twenty-first century. Utilizing data from the National Center for Educational Statistics Schools and Staffing Survey, parametric and non-parametric…

In this research study, we undertook a content analysis of thirteen economics and business textbooks, which were examined for their coverage of the social economy, which encompasses a range of nonprofit and social enterprise organizations that put "people before profits." The goal was to understand the ways that these textbooks represent official…

This study examined an 11th grade high school class as they played the game Civilization III. Over nine class sessions students played the game in support of other activities related to several predetermined and emergent topics in U. S. history. Gameplay was whole-class oriented and involved students taking turns at the computer controlling…

This article looks at the ways in which the topic of race is treated in social studies classrooms and the conceptual application of the field of critical race theory (CRT) to the teaching of American history. The author discusses the field of the social studies in terms of its stated goals and how these goals are not met because of a lack of…

The teacher who is the focus of this interpretive case study, uses primary sources regularly with her students in ambitious ways but does so less from the current reform efforts, recent history education scholarship, or the climate of accountability and more from her individual goals for history education, most significantly, to prepare her…

Confronting the Holocaust in a classroom setting involves a complex undertaking that demands careful planning as educators develop and present curricula on the subject to their students. This article explores another problematic factor involved in teaching the Shoah, that is, several issues that exist outside the content/pedagogical framework but…

The following article is a brief history of "The Journal of Social Studies Research." As well, this article provides readers with an index of all articles published in "JSSR" from 1977-2009. The index is arranged by year. Within each year, the articles are listed alphabetically by the first author's last name. The index includes all bibliographic…

This study examined perspectives and practices of two secondary social studies teachers who participated in multiple technology integration efforts during their pre-service teacher education program. The study presents similarities and differences of the teachers' technology use during three distinct phases of their development: methods…