The Role of Social Studies in Education

Social Studies education is responsible for creating good citizens; which are necessary in a democratic society.

Social studies curriculum covers a wide array of subjects including history, sociology, psychology, and geography. Despite covering several different content areas, the core of all social studies courses remains the same: human interaction. The role of social studies in education is to enable students to explore how people relate to each other and also what the consequences of these relationships will be. Through this exploration of human interaction, social studies provides students with the critical thinking and reasoning skills that are necessary for them to become productive members of society.

Citizenship

Social Studies is responsible for teaching students the citizenship skills that are required as people living in a democracy. Educating students on the importance of citizen involvement is the first step in creating a better society. Learning about citizenship includes topics like voting, volunteering, and being politically active. In history classes students also learn about the background on current issues, like health care, so that they can make more informed decisions when they enter society as adults.

Social Studies Skills

The skills developed in social studies are used across all curriculum. These skills include reading, writing, research, and analytical thinking. Social studies requires students to perform higher order thinking skills, like making inferences and forming opinions. These skills are invaluable not only in primary and secondary schooling, but also in higher education and life.

Human Interaction

Whether it be psychology, history, or geography, human interaction is the foundation of social studies. Understanding how humans interact is an important aspect of understanding life as a whole. The past, present, and future are all connected. While learning about how humans interact, students are able to start to form their own belief system. They will interpret what they learn about the past and present as good or bad and this will form the values that they have for their own lives.

Cultural Awareness

With each day that passes the world is growing more diverse and modern technology is bring those people closer together. A social studies education is responsible for teaching students about how people live in all parts of the world. This knowledge enables students to have better relationships with their peers who may be from a different cultural or ethnic background than they are. A better understanding of different cultures will also help students see current events from a global perspective.

Interpreting Information

Many students spend hours every day watching television, which is bombarding them with a multitude of images and ideas. Social studies teaches students how to understand the information that they are constantly receiving. Social studies teachers explain to students how to think, rather than what to think. Teachers present information and students then have to decide how they feel or what their own personal interpretation is. People who are able to practice pragmatism are valuable members of society and are more likely to come up with solutions to problems.

References

• About National Council for Social Studies
• Social Studies for Elementary Education
• The Role of Social Studies in International Education