A discussion of the current position of social studies in relation to teaching technique and method leads to advocating a social studies curriculum that provides for relevance to students' lives, examination of social issues, and strategies to help students deal with values and value conflicts. (Author/ND)

Explores problems involved in the quantitative verification of independent variables in investigations of the effects on student outcomes of planned variations in instructional behavior. Specifically addresses (1) gathering of data through direct systematic observation, and (2) analysis of those data through the use of inferential statistics. (GC)

The author is concerned that teaching strategies based on the values clarification approach (VCA) and on Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development might be premature. The VCA has been adopted widely despite concerns about threats to privacy of participating students, infringement on rights of parents to shape their children's values, and…

Generalizations and implications of results from three National Science Foundation studies of elementary and secondary social studies education are reported. Results indicate that the teacher's beliefs, values, knowledge, and techniques are the key to what happens in the classroom and that textbook content rather than inquiry tends to be the…

The reference text is designed to help junior and senior high school teachers to integrate teaching about the handicapped into their social studies curriculum. An initial chapter distinguishes between handicaps and disabilities. Chapter 2 gives the major reasons for including handicapism in the social study curriculum: to understand the potential…

This paper defines, inquires into the relationships, and analyzes the terms social sciences and social studies. Too often social studies are a simplified instructional adaptation from the social sciences in which curricular decisions are made on the basis of dictates of the social science disciplines and of college prerequisites. A social studies…

Part I of this social studies report presents the results of curricular research, at Utah State University, to develop a set of "critical thinking" concepts appropriate for the analysis of political-ethical public issues, and to prepare materials and suggestions for teaching those concepts. The analytic concepts, presented in both outline and…