FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES EDUCATION

STUDENT GUIDE

YEAR: 2024
Purpose

This module seeks to enable students to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes
required for the teaching and learning of Social Sciences in the Intermediate
Phase/ GET and FET.

The module is included in the programme to enable pre-service teachers to

develop the knowledge and skills required for classroom teaching of Social
Sciences in the Intermediate Phase.

The module is offered at the level that correlates with school-based experience.
Module outcomes
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the foundations of teaching and learning in Social Sciences.

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relevant policies in Social Sciences teaching and learning.

Select and use appropriate strategies, methods and techniques in the teaching and learning of Social Sciences.

Design appropriate lesson plans in Social Sciences taking into account theories of teaching, learning, child
development and curriculum needs.

Design appropriate assessment strategies in Social Sciences.

Design, select and adapt appropriate teaching and learning support materials for Social Sciences.
Prerequisite

The prerequisite required for the module is a pass in the following

modules:

Social Sciences 1A – EESS111 and HMS 111

Social Sciences 1B – EESS112 and HMS 112

Social Sciences 2B – EESS212 and HMS 212

LECTURER’S CONTACT DETAILS

LECTURER : Mrs. J. Mdakane

Office Number : Thandanani Complex office no 23

: KwaDlangezwa Campus

Telephone No. (Office) : not yet available

E-mail address : [email protected]

Consultation times

Days of the week Times Venues

Wednesday 11h30-12h20 Thandanani office 23

Thursday 15h00 -16h00 Thandanani office 23

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
(a) LECTURER

To place an emphasis on effective pedagogy and paying attention to the needs of the students

To develop students’ learning abilities

To empower students on issues of justice and Human Rights

To focus on community learning opportunities and community service learning

To provide effective instruction to the students

To create a conducive environment for teaching and learning

To promote inquiry and advance knowledge and skills

(b)
STUDENT

To attend all lectures regularly and to be on time

To work independently as individuals and also work in teams/groups

To do all assessment activities in the form of tests, assignments, tasks, projects etc. and submit them on stipulated dates and time

To acknowledge all sources appropriately in assignments, tasks and projects and avoid plagiarism

To be actively involved in class activities, to think critically and creatively, ask logical questions, interpret, analyse, evaluate, debate,
argue, etc.

To read extensively on various themes covered in the module, to be critical and creative when doing assignments, projects and

tasks

To participate in the evaluation of the lecturer and the module for effectiveness and improvement
) LEARNER SUPPORT AVAILABLE

Consultations

Resources centre and Library

Moodle
Learning Unit breakdown.

Learning Unit 1: Foundations of teaching and learning in Social Sciences.

Learning Unit 2: Teaching and Learning Strategies in Social Sciences.

Learning Unit 3: Assessment Strategies in Social Sciences.

Learning Unit 4: Lesson Design in Social Sciences

Learning Unit breakdown contined

Unit 5: Teaching and Learning Support Materials in Social Sciences

Unit 6: Social Science Education Documents (additional)

Assessment

Assignment

Class presentation

Individual tasks

Group Tasks

Research/ Projects

Test

Examinations
Learning Unit 1: Foundations of teaching and
learning in Social Sciences. Assessments 1

1. In groups, prepare a presentation on the foundations of learning and teaching of social sciences.

The popular perception of social sciences is that it is not a useful subject in job securing. The low status
accorded to social sciences in formal education is the reason behind this perception. In your opinion,
should Social Science be eliminated from our curriculum? Defend whichever stand you take.

DUE DATE: Present in class on 18 March 2024. Please submit your preparation notes, the PowerPoint
presentation online Moodlie and names of group members to submit to my email. Closing time is 14h00

2. Individual task on Moodlie- submitted on 18 March 2024 by 19h00. The task to be available by 8 March
2024.
Note

The group will get good marks based on the following:

Submission of clean notes.

How the presentation is planned and designed. Do not exceed 8 slides

Give the stance of the group first, then basis of your argument.
Learning Unit 2: Teaching and Learning
Strategies in Social Sciences Assessment 3

(GROUP ASSIGNMNENT), 10 members per group.

Use the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for

Intermediate Phase document to identify one specific topic in
Geography.
Assessment for unit 2

Select at least three methods or techniques you can use to teach the topic of your
choice.

Explain why each of the chosen teaching and learning method or techniques is
appropriate for the selected topic.

Describe how these methods and techniques could be used for the teaching and
learning of the selected topics.

NB: More on this activity will be communicated in lecture hall. DUE DATE: 22/4/2024
Assessment for unit 3 Assessment 4

Quiz on Assessment Strategies in Social Science

Assessment for unit 5: Group Assignment

Refer to Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document

– SOCIAL SCIENCES – INTERMEDIATE PHASE (download from
Department of Basic Education website.

Choose a specific grade (e.g. Grade 5), specific school term and
Geography component.

Select and formulate two specific topic in the chosen Grade and Term
continued

Design one detailed ONE HOUR Geography lessons for a specific term and grade

N.B. Use the GENERIC LESSON PLAN FORMAT/TEMPLATE available on

Moodle for both lesson plans.

For each lesson plan the following should also be included and attached:

ONE page summary of the content.

ONE page assessment activity for learners. Due date is 2/7/2024

Rules and requirements during assessment activities

Learners will not be allowed to leave the venue while an assessment is being conducted.

Plagiarism is a serious offence, and disciplinary action will be taken should a learner be found guilty.

Make provision for a table of contents.

Reference all outside sources that you use

(b) Failing to submit an assignment or project on the due date without valid evidence and supporting
documents will result in deduction of 5 marks per day and refusal to take the assignment after one week.
(a) All assignment must be typed out as follows:

Arial to be used.

Use 12 Point font,

1.5-line spacing,

Insert Page numbers.

Use the university approved assignment front page as provided in Annexure A, this should
reflect your personal information.
Consideration when writing an assignment:

Title/Main Heading

Each assignment should have a title that emanates from the question or problem given. It is
your responsibility to formulate a title or heading for the assignment which should be in the form of
a statement and not a question.

(b)Table of Contents

All headings and subheadings to be included in the assignment should be briefly and clearly
indicated in the table of contents.
Continued

(c) Paragraphing

Headings and subheadings should be clearly indicated, numbered and

underlined. The discussion under each heading and/or subheading
should be presented in the form of reasonable paragraphs as this
ensures a systematic presentation of the assignment.
(d) Format

An assignment should reveal three important parts:

i) Introduction

The aim of the introduction is to orientate the reader with regard to the topic under discussion and to clearly give the
aim of the discussion. A broad outline of the ground to be covered in the discussion should be given. One paragraph is
usually sufficient to introduce the topic.

NB. Do not rewrite the table of contents but the introduction should explain what the discussion or the topic is
about.

(
ii) Exposition/Main Discussion

The main discussion explores the topic under consideration in a logical

and systematic way. It presents ideas on the topic from various sources
including texts. The discussion also includes your views, arguments and
ideas on the topic.
iii) Conclusion

The conclusion of an assignment like the introduction is brief (about a

paragraph) and it presents a consolidation of the ideas presented in the
assignment. A brief summary of the discussion should be given and
should focus on important points in the assignment.
(e) Reference style

Harvard method of referencing should be used in writing essays.

Visit: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/harvard
_quick_guide_tcm44-47797
Assignment evaluation

Typing (5%)

All learners are encouraged to submit typed assignments. It is

unthinkable at this stage that learners can submit the work that is hand
written.
Technicalities (17%)

This involves the following:

Giving appropriate topic to your assignment.

Page numbering

Correct numbering of headings

Justification or alignment- recommended is full

Technicalities

Spacing – recommended is 1.5.

Font size recommended is 12

Arrangement of paragraphs

Referencing System

Acknowledgment of authors in the assignment e.g. Brille (2003) asserts that

……… or Brille (2003: 17) maintains: “……………”
Assignment Arrangement and Outlook (5%)

The outlook of your cover page with all the necessary information like your personal
information, topic of the assignment, correct name of the module, lecturer offering the
module, date of submission etc.

Assessment Table Page

Table of Contents

Text Arrangement
Originality (40%)

In this section, a learner is assessed whether he or she can be original in terms of the following:

Formulation of the assignment topic.

Introducing the topic to be tackled

Formulation of headings and subheadings

Learners are further encouraged to make a sense out of any material or information that they
have received from any information source before they commit themselves in including it in
their assignment.
CUT AND PASTE IS UNACCEPTABLE unless it is acknowledged. In
essence cut and paste can subject your assignment to 0%. PLAGIARISM
IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED
Coherence (20%)

A good assignment is characterized by the logical flow of thoughts from

one sentence to another and from one paragraph to another etc. In
some cases you have to show how the paragraph is related to the main
topic
Reference List/ Bibliography (17%)

At the end of an assignment you should give a list of all the sources you
have referred to.

It is the policy of the department that any written assignment or written

group activity must have at least ten references from different sources. It
is also important that all referenced books must have been
acknowledged in the body of the assignment
Please acquaint yourselves with the correct method of referencing. There
are two crucial rules that relates to referencing when it comes to the
Department of Social Sciences. The rules as adapted from

http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/sources
READINGS

Prescribed Readings

Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) – Social Sciences – Intermediate Phase

Recommended Readings

Thornton, S.J. (2005). Social Studies that matters: Curriculum for active learning, Colombia University, Teacher
College

van Sledright, B and Limon, M (2006). Learning and Teaching Social Studies: A Review of Cognitive Research
in History and Geography in P.A

Alexander & A.H. Winnie (Eds), Handbook of Educational Psychology, (pp 545-570) Mahwa, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates.