Is the Sky Really Falling?: An Update on the Status of Social Studies in the K-5 Curriculum in Indiana

Autor/inn/en	VanFossen, Phillip J.; McGrew, Chris
Titel	Is the Sky Really Falling?: An Update on the Status of Social Studies in the K-5 Curriculum in Indiana
Quelle	In: International Journal of Social Education, 23 (2008) 1, S.139-182 (44 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0889-0293
Schlagwörter	Academic Standards; Social Studies; State Standards; Elementary Education; Elementary School Curriculum; Curriculum Design; Teacher Surveys; Elementary School Teachers; High Stakes Tests; Educational Trends; Teacher Attitudes; Federal Legislation; Educational Legislation; Elementary School Students; Time on Task; Student Evaluation; Educational Assessment; Data Analysis; Time Factors (Learning); Indiana + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Gemeinschaftskunde; Elementarunterricht; Lehrplangestaltung; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Bildungsentwicklung; Lehrerverhalten; Bundesrecht; Bildungsrecht; Schulgesetz; Zeitaufwand; Schulnote; Studentische Bewertung; Education; assessment; Bewertungssystem; Auswertung
Abstract	This study replicates a 2005 study of the status of social studies in the K-5 curriculum in Indiana. The current study reports the results of a comprehensive survey (33 fixed and 2 open-ended) of a stratified (by grade) random sample of K-5 teachers in Indiana (n = 385; response rate = 32%). Results indicated a continued marginalization of social studies relative to other core areas (e.g. mathematics and English/language arts) as found in the previous study. Two of the three factors reported in the previous study still seem to play a role in this marginalization: (1) perceived level of administrative support for implementing social studies standards; and (2) lack of a state-wide high stakes assessment for social studies at the K-5 level. The third factor, teachers' lack of a clear understanding of the goals and mission of social studies may also be a contributing factor, but requires further analysis and will be discussed in another report. The current study provides a second point of reference that may indicate a trend. However, the report indicated that attitudes by teachers toward the social studies may be changing. The current study finds that respondents devoted less time to social studies instruction than they did in the previous study. This occurred despite the fact that more teachers were aware of and used the Indiana Academic Standards for the Social Studies in their planning. As in the previous study, there was an association (albeit slightly weaker) between administrative support for social studies and time devoted to social studies instruction. The report concludes that the status of K-5 social studies education is worse than it was four years ago and that social studies in the Indiana K-5 curriculum is a discipline at risk. (Contains 69 notes and 7 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	International Journal of Social Education. Ball State University, Department of History, Muncie, IN 47306. Tel: 765-285-8700; Fax: 765-285-5612; Web site: http://ijse.iweb.bsu.edu/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10