ERIC Number: EJ1224887
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1056-0300
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Available Date: N/A
Using Social Studies to Lead Project-Based Learning: An Innovative Teacher's Story
Brooks, Patti; Rock, Tracy C.
Social Studies and the Young Learner, v31 n2 p4-10 Nov-Dec 2018
Both the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework and Problem Based Learning (PBL) pedagogy encourage the use of compelling and supporting questions as a central element of the teaching and learning process. Some researchers, however, assert that the ideals of constructivist PBL may fall short of intended outcomes by leaving too much at the discretion of novice learners. It is suggested that leaving students to "self direct" their own learning can result in inaccurate assumptions, misconceptions, and "moving in wrong directions." Researchers have concluded that teacher involvement and guidance is needed for optimal learning. How do elementary school teachers plan, organize, and facilitate for effective learning experiences using PBL? How can social studies content be integrated within PBL to support meaningful and powerful teaching and learning experiences? What are the challenges that emerge as teachers engage in this complex interplay of integrating curriculum across content areas with goals of higher level thinking and problem solving as outcomes? Can students show growth on standardized assessments in reading, math, and science as they also develop historical thinking skills? This article addresses these questions, and may raise additional ones, as one innovative teacher shares her lived experience of implementing PBL in an elementary school classroom.
Descriptors: Social Studies, Active Learning, Student Projects, Teaching Methods, Inquiry, Elementary School Teachers, Grade 5, Elementary School Students
National Council for the Social Studies. 8555 Sixteenth Street #500, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Tel: 800-683-0812; Tel: 301-588-1800; Fax: 301-588-2049; e-mail: membership@ncss.org; Web site: http://www.socialstudies.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 5; Intermediate Grades; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A