Date of Award
1-1-1986
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education, Health & Behavior Studies
Abstract
Although there is much research on classroom practices in social studies there is little if any research which describes day-to-day life in social studies classrooms and none at all which describes it from students' perspectives. The intent of this study is to describe social studies instruction from students' perspectives, to document students' attitudes about social studies instruction and to formulate hypotheses about the causes of student attitudes based on children's descriptions and reported attitudes.Thirty-six fifth and sixth grade students were interviewed for the study. The interview consisted of eleven open ended questions designed to elicit descriptions of social studies instruction and student attitudes about social studies. The teachers in each of the 18 classrooms studied were asked to complete a questionnaire describing social studies instruction in their classrooms.The study describes eight models of social studies instruction differentiated by what teachers and children do in an average social studies period. The models include one classroom in which the teacher reads the text aloud, four classrooms in which the students read the text, four classrooms in which the teacher lectures, one classroom in which the students copy the teacher's notes from the blackboard, one classroom in which the students spend their social studies time outlining sections of the text, three classrooms in which instruction focuses on completing packets of worksheets, three classrooms in which instruction focuses on correcting the previous day's assignment and working on the next, and one classroom in which social studies typically includes a wide range of activities.The study also describes student research projects, map work, small group work, hands-on activities, and work with values, feelings and beliefs. Teachers' descriptions of social studies often differ in emphasis from those of their students.Students' attitudes described by the study are similar to those found in other studies in that many students dislike social studies. Based on the data from this study, it is hypothesized that the reason children often dislike social studies is that they dislike the majority of the activities which typify social studies instruction.
Recommended Citation
Hornstein, Stephen Ellis, "Children'S Perceptions Of Social Studies: A Descriptive Study Of The Social Studies Experiences Of Selected Fifth And Sixth-Grade Students." (1986). Theses and Dissertations. 8643.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/8643