Technology in Social Studies Instruction Session Six EDT 612

Social Studies n Focuses on the interconnections of people and the earth n Information about the world is changing constantly and dramatically n Fortunately, the same technologies that created this more complex world can also help teach about it.

Social Studies Instruction Standards n Ten major themes n Address overall curriculum design and comprehensive student performance expectations n Use the standards to create the overall framework and then fill in the detail using the discipline standards.

Ten Major Themes of Standards n Culture: what is common among us? How do belief systems influence us? n Time, continuity, and change: The past gives us clues as to who we are and how we are connected to the past. n People, places, environment: helps people create spatial views and geographic perspectives of the world beyond their personal locations

Ten Major Themes of Standards n Individual development and identity: personal identity is shaped by culture, groups, and institutional influences n Individuals, groups, and institutions: play an integrated role in our lives n Power, authority, and governance: essential for developing civic competence and individual rights

Ten Major Themes of Standards n Production, distribution, and consumption: people often have wants that exceed available resources n Science, technology, and society: modern life would be impossible without technology and the science that supports it; raises the question if new technology is always better than the old

Ten Major Themes of Standards n Global connections: must understand the increasingly important and diverse global connections among world societies and the frequent tension between national interests and global priorities n Civic ideals and practices: critical to full participation in society and is a central purpose of social studies

Issues and Problems n Depth versus Breadth n Perils of the “Information Explosion”: may alter the traditional relationship between teacher and student because the teacher is no longer the primary source of facts or opinions n The “History Wars”: battle over world and American history standards

How is Technology Integrated into Social Studies Education? n Simulations n Map Utilities n Global Positioning Systems n The Internet (of course) n Spreadsheets n Databases n Multimedia and Hypermedia

Useful Web Sites for Social Studies Instruction n National Council for Social Studies n Smithsonian Institute n Library of Congress n Edsitement

Useful Web Sites for Social Studies Instruction n The History Channel n Census Bureau Data Maps n Current Events CNN Interactive n National Weather Service