MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY

BEC4208 METHODS OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES

NAME: ABDINOOR ABDLLE OLLOW
REG.NO: BECD/2017/78349
1. In reference to the theory of cognitive development by Jean Piaget, Discuss how
active manipulation of information can promote mental development of learners. 10
marks
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that children move through four
different stages of mental development. His theory focuses not only on understanding how
children acquire knowledge, but also on understanding the nature of intelligence.
Piaget's stages are:
Sensorimotor stage: birth to 2 years
Preoperational stage: ages 2 to 7
Concrete operational stage: ages 7 to 11
Formal operational stage: ages 12 and up
Piaget believed that children take an active role in the learning process, acting much like little
scientists as they perform experiments, make observations, and learn about the world. As kids
interact with the world around them, they continually add new knowledge, build upon
existing knowledge, and adapt previously held ideas to accommodate new information.
According to Jean Piaget, active manipulation of information can promote mental
development of learners. This is so because of the following reasons.
Information manipulation is a way of looking at interpersonal communication. It deals with
the way a sender might assemble information packages to a receiver in order to give an
impression that is false from the perspective of the sender.
The ability to keep information in mind is essential for a variety of cognitive abilities,
including reading, mathematical calculation, and problem-solving, and working memory
capacity predicts school performance. Developmental changes in the ability to maintain
information online are observed in school-aged children
Sensory Memory – It holds the information that the mind perceives through various senses
such as visual, olfactory, or auditory information. These sense organs often receive a barrage
of stimuli all the time. However, most are ignored and forgotten by the mind to prevent
getting overwhelmed. When sensory information engages and gets the attention of the mind,
it is transferred to short-term memory.
Combining or connecting new information with stored information reveals new information
that can provide solutions to various problems.
Short-Term Memory – Information in short-term memory only lasts around 30 seconds.
Cognitive abilities affect how individuals process information in working memory.
Additionally, attention and focus on the most important information also play an important
role in encoding it into long-term memory. Furthermore, repetition significantly helps the
ability to remember details for a long time.
Long-Term Memory – It is thought that long-term memory has an unlimited amount of space
as it can store memories from a long time ago to be retrieved at a later time. Various methods
are used to store information in the long-term memory such as repetition, connecting
information, relating information to meaningful experience or other information, and
breaking up the information into smaller chunks.
However, these changes are more dramatic when children must manipulate, or work with,
this information.
2. Explain why effective teaching of social studies to primary school learners is
important in solving social issues in the society. 10 marks
One major objective of teaching social studies to primary school learners, is to enable them to
understand, participate in, and make informed decisions about their world. Effective teaching
of social studies content allows young learners to explain relationships with other people, to
institutions, and to the environment, and equips them with knowledge and understanding of
the past.
It provides them with skills for productive problem solving and decision making as well as
for assessing issues and making thoughtful value judgments.
Above all, it integrates these skills and understandings into a framework for responsible
citizen participation locally, nationally, and globally. The teaching and learning processes
within social studies are uniquely organized to develop these capacities, beginning with the
youngest learners in our schools.’
Social studies is integrative by nature. Powerful social studies teaching crosses disciplinary
boundaries to address topics in ways that promote social understanding and civic efficacy. It
also integrates knowledge, skills, and dispositions with authentic action. When children
pursue a project or investigation, they encounter many problems and questions based in
civics, economics, geography, and history. With teacher guidance, children can actively
explore both the processes and concepts of social studies while simultaneously exploring
other content areas. Specialized social studies academic vocabulary and concepts should be
developed and integrated into the curriculum. Students cannot internalize vocabulary for use
unless teachers model it and use it in classroom discussions.
While learning cooperative skills is important, learning personal skills is equally important.
Through social studies, students are able to learn both physical and cognitive skills that will
help them develop strong learning skills for life. They can also learn self-help skills that will
help them to cope with issues as they grow.
Social Studies ignites a curiosity about real-world issues. It helps students to understand
developments that are taking place in society and the world as well as their roles in shaping
the future of the nation.
It helps to enhance the social understanding of students: different topics included in the social
studies curriculum for various age groups like –different types of families, clothes we wear,
food we eat, our country, my community, socio-religious reforms, challenging the caste
system – help students to observe, learn and understand human behaviour, values and
attitudes and the interrelationships which exist among different people. They come to know
about the different religions and cultures which exist in the world other than their own. They
also learn about the societal strata and norms of society and the need of various governing
bodies and other institutions. This in turn helps the students to develop a wider perspective of
society and the human condition.
It also helps learners to Become Better Citizens: Subjects in Social Studies like Economics,
Political Science and History educate students on Political Ideologies, Constitutional Laws,
Citizenship, Rights and Duties, Morals and Virtues, Social Code of Conduct, thus making
children aware of their roles and responsibilities particularly in relation to social and civic
affairs. By providing relevant information and knowledge, skills and attitudes, the study of
Social Science prepares students to grow up as active, responsible, and reflective members of
society. It also teaches them to address societal and global concerns using literature,
technology and other identifiable community resources.
In order for social studies instruction to be meaningful, teachers must understand and meet
the needs of their students. At every grade level, teachers should capitalize on the diversity
and natural interests of their students in the world around them. By building on learner’s
skills and experiences, teachers can design learning events that challenge students to make
meaningful connections and expand their knowledge and viewpoints.
3. With relevant examples analyse teaching methods that a teacher can use to teach
social studies effectively within a lesson. 10 marks
Social studies teachers mix expansive content knowledge with innovative methods of
teaching that knowledge. Typically, social studies teachers focus on instructing students at
the elementary and middle school level, though some high schools offer courses in the
subject.
Stimulation
Simulations are instructional scenarios where the learner is placed in a "world" defined by the
teacher. They represent a reality within which students interact. The teacher controls the
parameters of this "world" and uses it to achieve the desired instructional results.
Well-designed simulations and games have been shown to improve decision-making and
critical thinking skills as well as teaching discipline-specific concepts. Active learning also
helps students develop interpersonal and communications skills.
For example, when students are assigned roles as buyers and sellers of some good and asked
to strike deals to exchange the good, they are learning about market behaviour by simulating
a market.
Field trip
Field trips involve a trip arranged by a class and undertaken for educational purposes; in
which the students go to places where the materials of instruction may be observed and
studied directly in their functional setting.
The purpose of the trip is usually observation for education, non-experimental research or to
provide students with experiences outside their everyday activities, such as going camping
with teachers and their classmates.
Field trips enrich and expand the curriculum, strengthen observation skills by immersing
children into sensory activities, increase children's knowledge in a particular subject area and
expand children's awareness of their own community. And everyone you speak with has a
field trip memory.
Discussion
Discussion methods are a variety of forums for open-ended, collaborative exchange of ideas
among a teacher and students or among students for the purpose of furthering students
thinking, learning, problem solving, understanding, or literary appreciation.
It is where students work together to consider different perspectives and construct
understanding, regardless of students' social or academic status.
Discussion is important to learning of social studies because it helps student’s process
information rather than simply receive it. Leading a discussion requires skills different from
lecturing. The goal of a discussion is to get students to practice thinking about the course
material.
Project method
Project method is one of the modern method of teaching in which, the students point of view
is given importance in designing the curricula and content of studies. This method is based on
the philosophy of Pragmatism and the principle of 'Learning by doing'.
Project method of teaching has evolved from the philosophy of pragmatism. It is experience
cantered strategy related to life-situation. This teaching strategy is based on the following
principles Principle of Utility: Choose those projects which are closer to the social life.
REFERENCE
Ariel, S. (1987). An information processing theory of family dysfunction. Psychotherapy:
Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 24 (3S), 477-495.
Encyclopaedia of Sociology. New York: Macmillan, 1992. Call Number: Ref HM 17 .E5
1991.
Goldstein, E. B., & Mackewn, A. (2005). Cognitive Psychology Connecting Mind, Research,
and Everyday Experience. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
The Oxford Companion to American Law. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Call
Number: Ref KF 154 .O96 2002.