Two-Column Notes

Date:
9/7/16

Name: Devon Hundley-Beach

Class/Subject: EDTL 2760

MR Title(s):
What is Social Studies?
&
Ohio's new learning standards: Social studies standards
MR Source(s):
National Council for the Social Studies. (1994). What is Social Studies? Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum
Standards for Social Studies. Washington, DC: NCSS, 1-3.
Ohio Department of Education. (2010). Ohio's new learning standards: Social studies standards. Retrieved from
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Ohio-s-New-Learning-Standards/Social-Studies/SSPage #

Standards.pdf.aspx.
The Text Says

Page #1

Social studies is the integrated study of

the social sciences and humanities to
promote civic competence (pp. 1).

Page
#27

Ohios New Learning Standards: High

School Social Studies contain syllabi for six
high school social studies courses:
American History, Modern World History,
American Government, Economics and
Financial Literacy, Contemporary World
Issues and World Geography (pp. 27).
Within the school program, social studies
provides coordinated, systematic study

Page #1

I Say
According to this aspect of the standards, it
does seem possible that civic competence
could be achieved. If all of these standards
would be required for graduation, students
would definitely have a more firm grasp on
their roles in society and how they affect other
people.

Here, we see that not all of the courses that are

offered are required for graduation. The focus

drawing upon such disciplines as

anthropology, archaeology, economics,
geography, history, law, philosophy,
political science, psychology, religion, and
sociology, as well as appropriate content
from the humanities, mathematics, and
natural sciences (pp. 1).
Page
#27

Page #1

Page
#27

Page #1

One-half unit of American history, one-half

unit of American government and two units
of social studies are required for
graduation (pp. 27).
The primary purpose of social studies is to
help young people develop the ability to
make informed and reasoned decisions for
the public good as citizens of a culturally
diverse, democratic society in an
interdependent world (pp. 1)

of the standards seems to be more on American

aspects of social studies. But if we want
students to have more civic competence, they
need to be shown world issues and concepts.
We lose so many disciplines within social
studies by not requiring them to be taught in
schools.

By not demanding courses be offered, students

lose out on the ideas of cultural diversity and
how we are an interdependent world. American
history and government can explain how we
developed, but without that world outlook
students cannot compare how we function and
trade to other countries. Overall, this lack of
The inclusion of particular courses in the
information leads students to be uninformed
standards is not meant to require that all of citizens with the ability to make uninformed
these courses be offered or limit the choice decisions.
of courses which districts may offer in their
social studies programs (pp. 27).
NCSS has recognized the importance of As I quoted above, only one-half unit of
educating students who are committed to
American history is required within the
the ideas and values of our democratic
standards. That would make it seem like a
republic and who are able to use
difficult timeframe to cover 1877 to the
knowledge about their community, nation,
present. The aspect of the standard that I do
and world, along with skills of data
agree with is examine past events and their
collection and analysis, collaboration,
meaning today. The standard just does not
decision-making, and problem-solving.
seem to incorporate the idea of how the rest of
Students who have these commitments,
the world plays into American history.
knowledge, and skills will be the most

Page
#28

capable of shaping our future and

sustaining and improving our democracy
(pp. 1)
This course [American History] examines
the history of the United States of America
from 1877 to the present (pp. 28).

Page
#2

Page
#29

Page #2

Students in social studies programs must

study the development of social
phenomena and concepts over time; must
have a sense of place and
interrelationships among places across
time and space; must understand
institutions and processes that define our
democratic republic; must draw from other
disciplines appropriate to a more complete
understanding of an idea or phenomenon;
and must experience concepts reflectively
and actively, through reading, thinking,
discussing, and writing (pp. 2)

From my own memories of high school, these

concepts and ideas were covered but they were
not explained. Critical thinking and applying
concepts was never a focus. It was more about
memorizing and regurgitating onto a test.

Students apply skills by utilizing a variety

of resources to construct theses and
support or refute contentions made by
others. Alternative explanations of
historical events are analyzed and
questions of historical inevitability are
explored (pp. 29).
Social studies programs reflect the
changing nature of knowledge, fostering
entirely new and highly integrated

I think this aspect is sort of comical since these

standards are from 2010.

approaches to resolving issues of

significance to humanity (pp. 2)
Connections to previous MR:
My connect between why students do not enjoy social studies courses and what a social studies course
is, is that there is less of a drive behind teaching social studies. Most people do not think social studies
is an important concept to teach, and thus students do not become active learners in the classroom. If
more people showed the importance of social studies and understanding human interaction, social
studies would be more enjoyable.