Despite the endorsement of problem solving by social studies educators as an important process for students to learn, research shows that most social studies teachers do not include such higher level intellectual processes in their teaching. This paper specifically deplores the lack of attention to inquiry problems. The authors suggest that social…

Discusses the disparity between social problems and problem solving as practiced in sociology theory and in the classroom. Problem definition is lacking due to fuzziness in this area historically. Recommends emphasis on student problem identification, integration of knowledge, and decision-making skills. (CK)

Asserts educators have argued about meaning and purpose of social studies since the field's inception in the early 1900s. Contends that reform efforts associated with the America 2000 program focus on teaching factual information from history and geography. Maintains that the proper content of social studies must be persistent and contemporary…

Three teaching traditions of social studies are examined and compared: (1) social studies taught as citizenship transmission (traditional), (2) social studies taught as social science and history, and (3) social studies taught as reflective inquiry (reform). (ND)

Aims of conceptual clarity of scope and aims of social studies by offering a definition of social studies as a way of organizing, selecting and teaching content related to citizenship, and by describing the three competing traditions within the social studies. A related article is SO 500 189. (JB)

Different concepts of the terms problem, problem solving, and social problem have created philosophical confusion in the social studies movement. The three approaches in social studies history--social science, citizenship transmission, and reflective inquiry--exemplify the incompatibility of the terms. A brief examination of the history of social…