Teaching of Social Sciences Test - 1

Social Science is a branch of science that deals with human behaviour and social relationships, which rely primarily on empirical approaches.

• It aims at enabling the students to adjust to their social environment which includes the family community state and nation and in fact the entire humanity.
• Social Science is the study of the people and their interactions with one another.
• It covers the study of communities at all levels, local, regional, national, and international with a focus on man and his social environment.

Teaching Learning Material in Social Science: Teaching learning materials (TLM) in social science is a set of tools that facilitate learning by providing the required input that meets the objectives. For example, Maps, Models, story-boards, Overhead Projectors, Charts, Video lessons, etc.

• TLM helps in making learning fun in the classroom. Students enjoy the novelty of handling new objects and learn new concepts through them.
• A storyboard is a graphic organizer that plans a narrative.

Story-Boards: It is a series of diagrams that show a sequence of displays. 

• Storyboards can be used in almost any production application that requires visualization of a scene.
• Story-boards in social science teaching is used in encouraging discussion on the given narrative.
• Storyboards are an effective way to quickly tell a story.

Hence, from the above-mentioned points, it becomes clear that Story-boards in social science teaching is used in encouraging discussion on the given narrative.

The teaching method refers to the general principles, pedagogy, and management strategies used for classroom instruction. Your choice of teaching method depends on what fits you- your educational philosophy, classroom demographic, subject area(s), and school mission statement. It can be organized into four categories based on two major parameters: a teacher-centred approach versus a student-centred approach, and high-tech material use versus low-tech material use.

Different methods of teachings:

• Flipped Classrooms: In this approach, students watch or read their lessons on computers at home and then complete assignments and do problem-solving exercises in class.
• Blended learning is another strategy for teachers looking to introduce flexibility into their classrooms. This method relies heavily on technology, with part of the instruction taking place online and part in the classroom via a more traditional approach, often leveraging elements of the flipped classroom approach detailed above. At the heart of blended learning is a philosophy of taking the time to understand each student’s learning style and develop strategies to teach to every learner, by building flexibility and choice into your curriculum.
• Discussion method is a method of considering various facts about the topic under consideration; understanding of these facts by studying their relationships and drawing out conclusions of the facts and their relationship studied.

• Demonstration is defined as a method of teaching by exhibition and explanation. It implies the presence of an organized series of events or equipment to a group of students for their observation. Salient features, utility, the efficiency of each article, each step of a procedure, experiment are explained.

• Roleplay is defined as the spontaneous acting of roles in the context of clearly defined social situation(s) by two or more persons for subsequent discussions by the whole class". The role-play is the medium to express one's opinion and feelings about certain social situations, what people can think, feel and why do they behave and what can be done to handle the situations through presentation and discussion in the group. 

• Project method of teaching is one of the modern methods of teaching in which the curriculum content is considered from a child's point of view and is related to his needs and interest in the context of real-life situations.

Hence, we conclude that the Method is related to classroom activity.

Pedagogy refers to the study of teaching methods, including the aims of education and the ways in which such goals may be achieved. The appropriate mix and match of technology and pedagogy make technology better than another.

Social Science Pedagogy is the set of principles that influence the approaches to teaching-learning in social science. It consists of a learning environment, teaching-learning arrangements, methods, general educational principles, etc.

Contemporary Understanding of Social Science Pedagogy Encourages the Teacher to:

• Link classroom to real-life situations to facilitate effective learning.

• Involve children in constructing their own knowledge through hands-on activities.

• Encourage learners to learn by reading the local experiences of others and finding of their own.

• Give opportunities to learners to use their knowledge developed in the classroom in concrete situations.
• Appreciate learners ability to make questions on the given subject content and accepting it as a valid test of learning.

Note: Pedagogy doesn't encourage teachers to promote learners to give identical answers as each child learns and progresses at different pace and style.

Hence, from the above-mentioned points, it becomes clear that contemporary understanding of social science pedagogy does not promote learners to give identical answers to questions so that all improve.

Genealogy chart: 

• These charts are also used by the fieldworker to prepare as part of his data depending upon his research interests.
• Genealogy also facilitates the process of rapport establishment with people. 
• Genealogy charts are used to represent the growth and development of an empire and dynasty. Such charts are used to show the functional blood relationships among families. These Charts present information about family relations in chronological order.
• It shows sequence and functional relationships.

Teaching Through Genealogy Charts:

• It helps to point out the similarities and differences in the content.
• Develop a sense of investigating their own ethnic and cultural heritage (Cultural Diversity).
• Develop a research attitude among learners.
• Develop Organization skills.

Hence, from the above-mentioned points, it becomes clear that the Genealogy chart is not used to develop a sense of space in learners.

Whatever may be the subject specialization of the teacher, they must infuse enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessment approach to the classroom, addressing different student needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student. 

• By using a variety of instructional, assessment, and teaching strategies, teachers provide numerous opportunities for students to develop and refine their critical-thinking 
• Problem-solving and communication skills while engaged in social sciences activities, projects, and exploration.
• The teacher should use resource material in the form of audiobooks and other need-based material such as tactile, Braille, etc. may be utilized in order to enhance the learning abilities of students.
• The teacher needs to make the teaching-learning environment inclusive.

Hence, apart from subject contents, a social study teacher should have knowledge of techniques of teaching, objectives and methods of teaching.

The environment is a sum of values that constitutes a common asset of human beings. Human beings are in an interaction with their environment as from the moment of their existence. This interaction aims to meet the requirements necessary for their living. However, excessive consumption and misuse lead to deformation of nature, which is capable of renewing itself

Environmental education :

• It has complementary objectives both in cognitive and affective areas.
• While the cognitive objectives try to make individuals literate, the affective objectives create values and attitudes regarding the environment and environmental issues (Erdogan, 2007).
• Within this scope, environmental awareness, knowledge, attitude, skills, participation, and consciousness constitute the components of environmental education.
• Importance of the environmental education rapidly increases in the changing world, and in education, it emphasized more and more.

Case-Study Method:

• The case-based learning method in a social studies course positively improves students’ attitudes towards the environment. 
• The case-study method should be used effectively in learning-teaching processes to improve environmental awareness among the students
• Furthermore, some objectives of the social studies course can be achieved more effectively and, the objectives of this course also include improvement of environmental awareness of students towards environmental issues.  
• This method had made contributions to the development of students’ emphatic, creative, critical, analytical, and reflective thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills and increased the responsibility, solidarity, participation, cooperation, respect, and value levels of students. 
• One of the examples of case study method is when the teacher asks students about their water usage and later she discussion how water can be conserved.

Problem-Solving Method:

• Problem-solving is an essential process in learning generalization.
• It is a complex form of learning and is considered to be at the apex of hierarchies of human learning.
• Develops a brainstorming approach in learning concepts.
• The students think about the problem and understand the science behind it is based on common sense.
• It does not base on textual knowledge. Instead, it moves from experiencing to slowly forming concepts through books at a later stage.
• It is a process from practice to theory, not vice versa.
• Here, knowledge is not a goal, however, a natural out came of working on tasks.
• In this process, students stay and work in the real world and like to deal with concrete things where they are allowed to touch, feel, and handle things.

Enquiry Method:

• It is a learner-centred method that focuses on asking questions
• It involves a process of investigating the natural or material world that leads to asking questions
• It allows students to make discoveries in the hunt for new understandings

Deductive Method:

• It is an instructor-centred approach.
• Concepts and generalizations are introduced first and then examples and activities in order to support learning.
• Lessons are presented in lecture form with less interaction between teachers and learners.

From the above, we can conclude that the case-study method is encouraged in the class.

Social Science is a branch of science that deals with human behaviour and social relationships, which rely primarily on empirical approaches. Teachers play an interactive role in fostering the potential of young seedlings to grow and bloom.

• There are various kinds of teaching methods in fashion to facilitate learning and the 'Project method' is one of them. It was propounded by John Dewey and was later popularized by W.H. Killpatrick.
• The project method is inspired by a pragmatic perspective as it emphasizes active learning by association and mutual co-operation of a group of peers to complete a specific project.
  The project method of teaching imparts practical knowledge to the students because the basis of knowledge of the student is his personal experiences. 

In Ensuring the Effective Teaching-Learning of Social Science, the project method:-

• relates learning with real-life.

• turns learners into a discoverer.

• imparts practical knowledge to learners.

• allows learning through self-directed activity.

• develops abstract and concrete scientific skills.

• ensures both individual and collective development.

• promotes active and voluntary participation of students.

Note: In the context of the project method, the child-centered method as it gives primacy to learner's needs and experiences.

Hence, from the above-mentioned points, it becomes clear that project method is not entirely a teacher-centered method.

Social Science is a branch of science that deals with human behaviour and social relationships, which rely primarily on empirical approaches. Social science includes disciplines of History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, and Sociology.

Activity-Based Questions in Social Science Lessons:

• It indulges students in activities by stimulating their senses, such as sight, smell, vision, or feeling, and getting them involved in the subject.
• In activity-based learning, students are involved in learning activities more than listening, and less emphasis is placed on transmitting information and more on developing student’s skills.
• Activity-based questions make social Science lesson joyful, interesting for the students.
• Students are involved in higher-order thinking such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Hence, from the above-mentioned points, it becomes clear that Activity-based questions make Social Science lessons joyful.

     Information sources are many and varied. Since time immemorial human beings are generating information by observation, experimentation, imagination, reasoning, and experiencing through sensory organs. The information they generated were generally communicated to others for their own interest and survival.

• Primary Sources: A source will be considered as a primary source in case it carries newly generated information, original work of research, or a new interpretation of already known facts. The document is the first and often the only published record of original research. The information contained in primary sources is generally scattered and unorganized.
  • Take, for example, the case of swine flu, a new disease for human beings. Ever since the first case was reported in Mexico in April 2009, a lot of research work is going on in the world to find out a vaccine to contain it, medicines to cure those who are already affected, etc. 
  • As per the scenario given in the to know about government schemes through primary sources, the teacher will assign the assignments to the students: These assignments will be:
    • An interview with a Block Development Officer
    • A survey of schemes in the students' neighborhood
    • A report on expenditure incurred, on various schemes in the student's neighborhood.
• Secondary Sources: A source which is more or less completely dependent on primary sources for its existence is a secondary source. Information in secondary sources is organized and arranged according to a definite plan. Indexing and abstracting periodicals, government documents are examples of secondary sources. 

NOTE: A review of a book on government schemes is a secondary source.

Hence, we can conclude that A review of a book on government schemes is not appropriate to take knowledge of primary sources.

Social Science as a discipline has the unique capability of being able to look at both developmental and normative issues of the society. It includes disciplines of History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, and Sociology.

National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 is one of the four NCF published in India by NCERT. It seeks to provide a framework for the betterment of educational purposes and experiences.

Key Points

Social Science According to NCF 2005:

• The objective of teaching the social sciences is to develop an understanding of the earth as the habitat of humankind and other forms of life.
• It helps to initiate the learner into a study of her/ his own region, state, and country in the global context.
• Social Science must link a child's life at school with life outside the classroom.
• It helps to initiate the learner into a study of India’s past, with references to contemporary developments in other parts of the world.

Hence, it becomes clear that according to NCF 2005 Social Science must link a child's life at school with life outside the classroom.