Topic is : Using literature to teach social studies.
Literature Review
Integrated Learning in Social Studies Education
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Based on the literature reviewed for this assignment, there seems to be a fairly widely-held consensus (though largely anecdotal (see Research Methodology Issues)) among many education professionals that social studies, when integrated with other subjects, increases one’s ability to learn more effectively across a broad range of subject matter. Nuthall (1999), for example, analyzed the learning habits of five students in an integrated science and social studies unit on Antarctica. His study concluded that the integration of these two subjects allowed students to acquire new knowledge in each of the disciplines that may not have been similarly acquired had the courses been taught separately. Educators in other areas of study have conveyed similar anecdotal results concerning their respective areas of study as well.
Matheus’ (2000) study on using an integrated content social studies class as a means of developing problem-solving skills also cites the validity of integrated social studies curriculum. The author concludes that the integration of social studies curriculum with other subject matter creates connecting pathways between each which can apply across disciplines and even beyond the classroom.
Theodore Kaltsounis (1990) also concludes that, although there could be more research to establish the validity of this widely-held claim, integrated social studies units can indeed enhance higher-level skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.
Trend 1
Integrating social studies with other curriculum as a means of acquiring knowledge and problem solving
Research Methodology Issues: Although, as stated previously, there does indeed seem to be a consensus among educators in the affirmative, the value of integrated social studies curriculum as a means of promoting successful learning across disciplines seems to be lacking the substantive research with which to definitively validate such a claim. As Kaltsounis (1990) noted in his own research, “Although there is a considerable amount of research in the various individual subjects…there is limited research on how to integrate the various subjects in order to enhance teaching and learning in social studies.” Although such research may indeed exist elsewhere, given his limited resources and knowledge, this author was unable to locate any current evidence that this research has indeed been conducted.
Knowledge Gaps: Though admittedly slightly dated, the aforementioned work by Kaltsounis concerning the interrelation between social studies and other curriculum areas is an excellent starting point for further research and investigation. The author himself states as much when he says, “There is no question that the publication of this section can assist in an effort to fill this gap.”
Trend 1 (Cont’d)
Integrating social studies with other curriculum as a means of acquiring knowledge and problem solving
Trend 2
The prevalence of social studies and science integration
As this author perused the available literature discussing social studies integration, science seemed to be more prevalent than many other areas of study. Examples of this include the following:
Nuthall (1999) authored a journal article entitled, “The Way Students Learn: Acquiring Knowledge from an Integrated Science and Social Studies Unit.” In this article, the author speaks of a study involving five students who conducted a study of Antarctica utilizing an integrated social studies/science approach. The results of this study indicate that students were able to learn a great deal more about Antarctica using the integrated approach as opposed to students who learned via the non-integrated, single-subject method. Using a three-model approach to understanding how students learn, the author was able to leverage the differences in how students learn differently from a variety of classroom activities in which they are exposed to new information. By integrating social studies and science, students were shown to possess the ability to tap into what they knew from their exposure to science in order to help them understand the new social studies information and vice-versa.
Kirkwood-Tucker and Bleicher (2004) also studied the effectiveness of the integration of social studies and science by examining how pre-service elementary teachers integrated the two subjects from a global perspective. The term “global perspective” is based on the authors’ interest in infusing Science, Technology, and Society (STS) curriculum into social studies curriculum as a means of teaching students about the people and places of the world in which they live (social studies) with, among other things, an awareness of the “state-of-the-planet,” and knowledge of global dynamics (science).
Trend 2 (Cont’d)
The prevalence of social studies and science integration
In her journal article entitled “A River Runs through Science Learning,” Stanley (1995) provides an excellent example in which fourth and fifth grade students were taken beyond the classroom and taught about the history of their local community (social studies) while simultaneously learning important skills concerning ecosystem management.
Many other articles citing the integration of social studies and science were noted during this author’s research.
Research Methodology Issues: As stated elsewhere in this assignment, this author has had very limited exposure to all of the available research done in this area. His assertions, therefore, concerning the seeming prevalence of social studies and science integration is based purely on what he was able to glean in the time given.
Knowledge Gaps: On a humorous note, as one anonymous armchair philosopher put it, “You don’t know what you don’t know until someone who knows tells you about it. That’s when you know that there is more to know than you’ll ever know.” This author believes that more research needs to be done in order to ascertain exactly how prevalent integration is in each subject area.
Trend 3
Social studies and multi-discipline integration
While completing another class in which the concept of subject matter integration was only briefly touched upon, this author was very interested to learn how multiple disciplines can actually be combined into a meaningful curriculum emphasizing a single subject. The examples below reflect how social studies can indeed be taught through multi-discipline integration.
Koirala and Goodwin (2002) describe how middle school teachers integrated mathematics and social studies using a U.S. map to determine the respective areas of the states. In this five day assignment, in addition to learning about the states, students also learned about the concepts of ratio, percentage, and mean by examining each state in relationship to the other. They were also introduced to graphing using Microsoft Excel as they recorded the results of their studies. Thus, in a single social studies unit, students learned about social studies, math, and technology.
In another journal article entitled, “Threading Mathematics into Social Studies,” Smith (1995) describes how she helps students “experience mathematics as it applies in the real world” by using popular historical literature. Some examples of the books used in this exercise were “Jumping Broom,” “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt,” “The Patchwork Quilt,” and “Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky.” In this integration of language arts, mathematics, and social studies, the author states that there are mathematical themes subtly imbedded into the historical story lines which help students to “develop an awareness for ways in which mathematics has played an important role throughout history.”
Trend 3 (Cont’d)
Social studies and multi-discipline integration
Another very interesting article on the integration of mathematics and social studies is “Ten Black Dots and September 11: Integrating Social Studies and Mathematics through Children’s Literature.” As the title aptly describes, in this particular example, children were able to learn valuable concepts in these three disciplines.
Lockett (1996) also provides several good examples of how to prepare lessons across multi-disciplinary platforms in her journal article entitled, “Reaching out to Make Connections: Engendering Efficacy through Interdisciplinary Thematic Units in the Social Studies.”
Research Methodology Issues: In each of the examples cited, it must be understood that the results therein are to be considered as largely anecdotal. In other words, what may have indeed worked in what are obviously limited and controlled circumstances (including very small sampling groups) may not meet with the same level of success in every instance. While he is sure that there must be some in existence, this author was unable to find any truly comprehensive studies reflecting concrete empirical data gleaned from the employment of thorough research methods.
Knowledge Gaps: Each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.
Trend 4
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
As Kirkwood-Tucker and Bleicher (2004) point out, “there exists great confusion in the literature as to what integration of two subject areas means.” Citing Berlin (1991), the authors indicate, “In her review of 555 articles pertaining to integration, Berlin noted that terms such as thematic, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary, among others, were used to refer to a concept akin to integration.” This lack of clarity at the very outset of the discussion on subject matter integration seems to be indicative of the larger problem of the resistance of some educators to accept integrated curriculum as a viable option.
In their journal article entitled, “The Dark Side of Curriculum Integration in Social Studies,” university professors in curriculum planning and integration, Schug and Cross (1998) express the opinion that the integration of social studies with other disciplines has yielded unfortunate results in terms of meeting stated educational goals. Indeed, they consider the entire concept of integrated curriculum to be the unfortunate byproduct of the mid-20th century progressive movement in education. To make their point, the authors cite and expound on what they refer to as the “myths” surrounding integration. These eight myths include:
Myth 1 – Curriculum Integration Has Much Empirical Support
Myth 2 – Separate Disciplines Reduce Academic Achievement
Myth 3 – Elementary Schools Do It Better
Myth 4 – Integration Leads to More Time for All Subjects
Myth 5 – Integration Leads to Better Curriculum Planning
(Continued)
Trend 4 (Cont’d)
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
(Continued from previous slide)
Myth 6 – Integration Results in Better Pedagogy
Myth 7 – The Real World is Not Organized around Disciplines
Myth 8 – Curriculum Integration Encourages Higher Levels of Thinking
The authors also raise the question of whether the benefits of curriculum integration are actually worth the costs saying, “the costs of curriculum integration are high, real, and certain. The benefits of integration are low, vague, and difficult to measure.”
More recently, Stern (2005), in her journal article entitled, “Debunking the Myth,” seeks to refute the idea that an integrated approach to social studies, namely history, results in a deficient content knowledge being gained by students, a claim reportedly made by the Fordham Foundation publication, “Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?” At issue in this publication is the assertion that “the rigorous study of history through primary source documents and readings would be the answer to the lack of content knowledge of American students.” The mere fact that Stern wrote the article indicates that there is indeed an undercurrent of dissension among some educators concerning subject matter integration.
Trend 4 (Cont’d)
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
Research Methodology Issues: Schug and Cross (1998) relate that their research is based on their interaction with “hundreds of teachers who have done their best to follow the prescriptions of progressive leaders who advocate the integration of the school curriculum.” In this author’s opinion, the authors’ work is very compelling as it contains numerous citations indicating that extensive research has indeed been conducted in this area. Ironically, as pointed out above, they also state that the benefits of integration are “difficult to measure.” This contradiction makes this author wonder if there actually is enough research available sufficient to render a verdict on the success of integrated social studies curriculum.
Stern’s (2005) refutation of the aforementioned Fordham Foundation publication, “Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?” is also fairly deficient in true research as it is based largely on both personal conjecture and the opinions of others who agree with her.
Knowledge Gaps: While each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise, meaningful research into the subject at hand in which empirical data is gathered and examined would no doubt replace much of the conjecture with real knowledge.
Trend 5
Social Studies education is enhanced when integrated with language arts studies
Social studies and language arts are very compatible disciplines and are therefore often combined in the interest of meeting various subject matter integration goals. Evidence of this particular trend was observed in several journal articles.
In “The Great American Prairie: An Integrated Fifth Grade Unit,” Stange and Wyant (1999) relate how children’s literature can broaden students’ views and understanding of the past. The authors also provide a sample integrated unit which makes the literature/social studies connection through a focus on the great American prairie during the pioneer period. The authors also provide a list of other children’s literature that supports integration with social studies.
In her article entitled, “An English and Social Studies Interdisciplinary Program,” Moss (1991) also provides some valuable insight concerning social studies/English integration by giving an example of a program developed by the Coconut Creek High School in Florida.
In an article entitled, “Mingling ‘Fact’ with ‘Fiction’: Strategies for Integrating Literature into History and Social Studies Classrooms” (2007), authors Turk, Klein, & Dickstein offer teachers a series of strategies designed to assist them with integrating literature into their social studies classes “without losing the flavor or essence of either the literature they are using or the history they are trying to teach.” The various techniques offered can be used separately or combined depending on the particular emphasis or goal of each lesson.
Trend 5 (Cont’d)
Social Studies education is enhanced when integrated with language arts studies
Other interesting articles dealing with the integration of language arts and social studies include Beyer, Barry, and Gilstrap’s “Integrating Writing and Social Studies, K-6,” and Madole, Fry, Phillips, and Lobaugh’s “Halliday’s Functions of Language: A Framework to Integrate Elementary-level Social Studies and Language Arts.” The former work focuses on what the authors cite as a 20 percent decline in the ability of students to analyze, interpret, and express views of written prose. This decline led to critical changes in elementary school social studies curriculum which now requires students to practice writing and analytical skills. The latter work presents the argument for integrating language arts and social studies curriculum through the use of pen pal letters and journals.
Research Methodology Issues: As stated previously, each of the articles reviewed by this author contained ample evidence that the programs/approaches in question were successful. What seems to be lacking in each of them is the rigorous research that he has grown accustomed to seeing in relation to other educational issues. Granted, some of them contained impressive research, however, most did not.
Knowledge Gaps: Each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.
Literature Review
Integrated Learning in Social Studies Education
Based on the literature reviewed for this assignment, there seems to be a fairly widely-held consensus (though largely anecdotal (see Research Methodology Issues)) among many education professionals that social studies, when integrated with other subjects, increases one’s ability to learn more effectively across a broad range of subject matter. Nuthall (1999), for example, analyzed the learning habits of five students in an integrated science and social studies unit on Antarctica. His study concluded that the integration of these two subjects allowed students to acquire new knowledge in each of the disciplines that may not have been similarly acquired had the courses been taught separately. Educators in other areas of study have conveyed similar anecdotal results concerning their respective areas of study as well.
Matheus’ (2000) study on using an integrated content social studies class as a means of developing problem-solving skills also cites the validity of integrated social studies curriculum. The author concludes that the integration of social studies curriculum with other subject matter creates connecting pathways between each which can apply across disciplines and even beyond the classroom.
Theodore Kaltsounis (1990) also concludes that, although there could be more research to establish the validity of this widely-held claim, integrated social studies units can indeed enhance higher-level skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.
Trend 1
Integrating social studies with other curriculum as a means of acquiring knowledge and problem solving
Research Methodology Issues: Although, as stated previously, there does indeed seem to be a consensus among educators in the affirmative, the value of integrated social studies curriculum as a means of promoting successful learning across disciplines seems to be lacking the substantive research with which to definitively validate such a claim. As Kaltsounis (1990) noted in his own research, “Although there is a considerable amount of research in the various individual subjects…there is limited research on how to integrate the various subjects in order to enhance teaching and learning in social studies.” Although such research may indeed exist elsewhere, given his limited resources and knowledge, this author was unable to locate any current evidence that this research has indeed been conducted.
Knowledge Gaps: Though admittedly slightly dated, the aforementioned work by Kaltsounis concerning the interrelation between social studies and other curriculum areas is an excellent starting point for further research and investigation. The author himself states as much when he says, “There is no question that the publication of this section can assist in an effort to fill this gap.”
Trend 1 (Cont’d)
Integrating social studies with other curriculum as a means of acquiring knowledge and problem solving
Trend 2
The prevalence of social studies and science integration
As this author perused the available literature discussing social studies integration, science seemed to be more prevalent than many other areas of study. Examples of this include the following:
Nuthall (1999) authored a journal article entitled, “The Way Students Learn: Acquiring Knowledge from an Integrated Science and Social Studies Unit.” In this article, the author speaks of a study involving five students who conducted a study of Antarctica utilizing an integrated social studies/science approach. The results of this study indicate that students were able to learn a great deal more about Antarctica using the integrated approach as opposed to students who learned via the non-integrated, single-subject method. Using a three-model approach to understanding how students learn, the author was able to leverage the differences in how students learn differently from a variety of classroom activities in which they are exposed to new information. By integrating social studies and science, students were shown to possess the ability to tap into what they knew from their exposure to science in order to help them understand the new social studies information and vice-versa.
Kirkwood-Tucker and Bleicher (2004) also studied the effectiveness of the integration of social studies and science by examining how pre-service elementary teachers integrated the two subjects from a global perspective. The term “global perspective” is based on the authors’ interest in infusing Science, Technology, and Society (STS) curriculum into social studies curriculum as a means of teaching students about the people and places of the world in which they live (social studies) with, among other things, an awareness of the “state-of-the-planet,” and knowledge of global dynamics (science).
Trend 2 (Cont’d)
The prevalence of social studies and science integration
In her journal article entitled “A River Runs through Science Learning,” Stanley (1995) provides an excellent example in which fourth and fifth grade students were taken beyond the classroom and taught about the history of their local community (social studies) while simultaneously learning important skills concerning ecosystem management.
Many other articles citing the integration of social studies and science were noted during this author’s research.
Research Methodology Issues: As stated elsewhere in this assignment, this author has had very limited exposure to all of the available research done in this area. His assertions, therefore, concerning the seeming prevalence of social studies and science integration is based purely on what he was able to glean in the time given.
Knowledge Gaps: On a humorous note, as one anonymous armchair philosopher put it, “You don’t know what you don’t know until someone who knows tells you about it. That’s when you know that there is more to know than you’ll ever know.” This author believes that more research needs to be done in order to ascertain exactly how prevalent integration is in each subject area.
Trend 3
Social studies and multi-discipline integration
While completing another class in which the concept of subject matter integration was only briefly touched upon, this author was very interested to learn how multiple disciplines can actually be combined into a meaningful curriculum emphasizing a single subject. The examples below reflect how social studies can indeed be taught through multi-discipline integration.
Koirala and Goodwin (2002) describe how middle school teachers integrated mathematics and social studies using a U.S. map to determine the respective areas of the states. In this five day assignment, in addition to learning about the states, students also learned about the concepts of ratio, percentage, and mean by examining each state in relationship to the other. They were also introduced to graphing using Microsoft Excel as they recorded the results of their studies. Thus, in a single social studies unit, students learned about social studies, math, and technology.
In another journal article entitled, “Threading Mathematics into Social Studies,” Smith (1995) describes how she helps students “experience mathematics as it applies in the real world” by using popular historical literature. Some examples of the books used in this exercise were “Jumping Broom,” “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt,” “The Patchwork Quilt,” and “Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky.” In this integration of language arts, mathematics, and social studies, the author states that there are mathematical themes subtly imbedded into the historical story lines which help students to “develop an awareness for ways in which mathematics has played an important role throughout history.”
Trend 3 (Cont’d)
Social studies and multi-discipline integration
Another very interesting article on the integration of mathematics and social studies is “Ten Black Dots and September 11: Integrating Social Studies and Mathematics through Children’s Literature.” As the title aptly describes, in this particular example, children were able to learn valuable concepts in these three disciplines.
Lockett (1996) also provides several good examples of how to prepare lessons across multi-disciplinary platforms in her journal article entitled, “Reaching out to Make Connections: Engendering Efficacy through Interdisciplinary Thematic Units in the Social Studies.”
Research Methodology Issues: In each of the examples cited, it must be understood that the results therein are to be considered as largely anecdotal. In other words, what may have indeed worked in what are obviously limited and controlled circumstances (including very small sampling groups) may not meet with the same level of success in every instance. While he is sure that there must be some in existence, this author was unable to find any truly comprehensive studies reflecting concrete empirical data gleaned from the employment of thorough research methods.
Knowledge Gaps: Each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.
Trend 4
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
As Kirkwood-Tucker and Bleicher (2004) point out, “there exists great confusion in the literature as to what integration of two subject areas means.” Citing Berlin (1991), the authors indicate, “In her review of 555 articles pertaining to integration, Berlin noted that terms such as thematic, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary, among others, were used to refer to a concept akin to integration.” This lack of clarity at the very outset of the discussion on subject matter integration seems to be indicative of the larger problem of the resistance of some educators to accept integrated curriculum as a viable option.
In their journal article entitled, “The Dark Side of Curriculum Integration in Social Studies,” university professors in curriculum planning and integration, Schug and Cross (1998) express the opinion that the integration of social studies with other disciplines has yielded unfortunate results in terms of meeting stated educational goals. Indeed, they consider the entire concept of integrated curriculum to be the unfortunate byproduct of the mid-20th century progressive movement in education. To make their point, the authors cite and expound on what they refer to as the “myths” surrounding integration. These eight myths include:
Myth 1 – Curriculum Integration Has Much Empirical Support
Myth 2 – Separate Disciplines Reduce Academic Achievement
Myth 3 – Elementary Schools Do It Better
Myth 4 – Integration Leads to More Time for All Subjects
Myth 5 – Integration Leads to Better Curriculum Planning
(Continued)
Trend 4 (Cont’d)
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
(Continued from previous slide)
Myth 6 – Integration Results in Better Pedagogy
Myth 7 – The Real World is Not Organized around Disciplines
Myth 8 – Curriculum Integration Encourages Higher Levels of Thinking
The authors also raise the question of whether the benefits of curriculum integration are actually worth the costs saying, “the costs of curriculum integration are high, real, and certain. The benefits of integration are low, vague, and difficult to measure.”
More recently, Stern (2005), in her journal article entitled, “Debunking the Myth,” seeks to refute the idea that an integrated approach to social studies, namely history, results in a deficient content knowledge being gained by students, a claim reportedly made by the Fordham Foundation publication, “Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?” At issue in this publication is the assertion that “the rigorous study of history through primary source documents and readings would be the answer to the lack of content knowledge of American students.” The mere fact that Stern wrote the article indicates that there is indeed an undercurrent of dissension among some educators concerning subject matter integration.
Trend 4 (Cont’d)
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
Research Methodology Issues: Schug and Cross (1998) relate that their research is based on their interaction with “hundreds of teachers who have done their best to follow the prescriptions of progressive leaders who advocate the integration of the school curriculum.” In this author’s opinion, the authors’ work is very compelling as it contains numerous citations indicating that extensive research has indeed been conducted in this area. Ironically, as pointed out above, they also state that the benefits of integration are “difficult to measure.” This contradiction makes this author wonder if there actually is enough research available sufficient to render a verdict on the success of integrated social studies curriculum.
Stern’s (2005) refutation of the aforementioned Fordham Foundation publication, “Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?” is also fairly deficient in true research as it is based largely on both personal conjecture and the opinions of others who agree with her.
Knowledge Gaps: While each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise, meaningful research into the subject at hand in which empirical data is gathered and examined would no doubt replace much of the conjecture with real knowledge.
Trend 5
Social Studies education is enhanced when integrated with language arts studies
Social studies and language arts are very compatible disciplines and are therefore often combined in the interest of meeting various subject matter integration goals. Evidence of this particular trend was observed in several journal articles.
In “The Great American Prairie: An Integrated Fifth Grade Unit,” Stange and Wyant (1999) relate how children’s literature can broaden students’ views and understanding of the past. The authors also provide a sample integrated unit which makes the literature/social studies connection through a focus on the great American prairie during the pioneer period. The authors also provide a list of other children’s literature that supports integration with social studies.
In her article entitled, “An English and Social Studies Interdisciplinary Program,” Moss (1991) also provides some valuable insight concerning social studies/English integration by giving an example of a program developed by the Coconut Creek High School in Florida.
In an article entitled, “Mingling ‘Fact’ with ‘Fiction’: Strategies for Integrating Literature into History and Social Studies Classrooms” (2007), authors Turk, Klein, & Dickstein offer teachers a series of strategies designed to assist them with integrating literature into their social studies classes “without losing the flavor or essence of either the literature they are using or the history they are trying to teach.” The various techniques offered can be used separately or combined depending on the particular emphasis or goal of each lesson.
Trend 5 (Cont’d)
Social Studies education is enhanced when integrated with language arts studies
Other interesting articles dealing with the integration of language arts and social studies include Beyer, Barry, and Gilstrap’s “Integrating Writing and Social Studies, K-6,” and Madole, Fry, Phillips, and Lobaugh’s “Halliday’s Functions of Language: A Framework to Integrate Elementary-level Social Studies and Language Arts.” The former work focuses on what the authors cite as a 20 percent decline in the ability of students to analyze, interpret, and express views of written prose. This decline led to critical changes in elementary school social studies curriculum which now requires students to practice writing and analytical skills. The latter work presents the argument for integrating language arts and social studies curriculum through the use of pen pal letters and journals.
Research Methodology Issues: As stated previously, each of the articles reviewed by this author contained ample evidence that the programs/approaches in question were successful. What seems to be lacking in each of them is the rigorous research that he has grown accustomed to seeing in relation to other educational issues. Granted, some of them contained impressive research, however, most did not.
Knowledge Gaps: Each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.
Literature Review
Integrated Learning in Social Studies Education
Based on the literature reviewed for this assignment, there seems to be a fairly widely-held consensus (though largely anecdotal (see Research Methodology Issues)) among many education professionals that social studies, when integrated with other subjects, increases one’s ability to learn more effectively across a broad range of subject matter. Nuthall (1999), for example, analyzed the learning habits of five students in an integrated science and social studies unit on Antarctica. His study concluded that the integration of these two subjects allowed students to acquire new knowledge in each of the disciplines that may not have been similarly acquired had the courses been taught separately. Educators in other areas of study have conveyed similar anecdotal results concerning their respective areas of study as well.
Matheus’ (2000) study on using an integrated content social studies class as a means of developing problem-solving skills also cites the validity of integrated social studies curriculum. The author concludes that the integration of social studies curriculum with other subject matter creates connecting pathways between each which can apply across disciplines and even beyond the classroom.
Theodore Kaltsounis (1990) also concludes that, although there could be more research to establish the validity of this widely-held claim, integrated social studies units can indeed enhance higher-level skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.
Trend 1
Integrating social studies with other curriculum as a means of acquiring knowledge and problem solving
Research Methodology Issues: Although, as stated previously, there does indeed seem to be a consensus among educators in the affirmative, the value of integrated social studies curriculum as a means of promoting successful learning across disciplines seems to be lacking the substantive research with which to definitively validate such a claim. As Kaltsounis (1990) noted in his own research, “Although there is a considerable amount of research in the various individual subjects…there is limited research on how to integrate the various subjects in order to enhance teaching and learning in social studies.” Although such research may indeed exist elsewhere, given his limited resources and knowledge, this author was unable to locate any current evidence that this research has indeed been conducted.
Knowledge Gaps: Though admittedly slightly dated, the aforementioned work by Kaltsounis concerning the interrelation between social studies and other curriculum areas is an excellent starting point for further research and investigation. The author himself states as much when he says, “There is no question that the publication of this section can assist in an effort to fill this gap.”
Trend 1 (Cont’d)
Integrating social studies with other curriculum as a means of acquiring knowledge and problem solving
Trend 2
The prevalence of social studies and science integration
As this author perused the available literature discussing social studies integration, science seemed to be more prevalent than many other areas of study. Examples of this include the following:
Nuthall (1999) authored a journal article entitled, “The Way Students Learn: Acquiring Knowledge from an Integrated Science and Social Studies Unit.” In this article, the author speaks of a study involving five students who conducted a study of Antarctica utilizing an integrated social studies/science approach. The results of this study indicate that students were able to learn a great deal more about Antarctica using the integrated approach as opposed to students who learned via the non-integrated, single-subject method. Using a three-model approach to understanding how students learn, the author was able to leverage the differences in how students learn differently from a variety of classroom activities in which they are exposed to new information. By integrating social studies and science, students were shown to possess the ability to tap into what they knew from their exposure to science in order to help them understand the new social studies information and vice-versa.
Kirkwood-Tucker and Bleicher (2004) also studied the effectiveness of the integration of social studies and science by examining how pre-service elementary teachers integrated the two subjects from a global perspective. The term “global perspective” is based on the authors’ interest in infusing Science, Technology, and Society (STS) curriculum into social studies curriculum as a means of teaching students about the people and places of the world in which they live (social studies) with, among other things, an awareness of the “state-of-the-planet,” and knowledge of global dynamics (science).
Trend 2 (Cont’d)
The prevalence of social studies and science integration
In her journal article entitled “A River Runs through Science Learning,” Stanley (1995) provides an excellent example in which fourth and fifth grade students were taken beyond the classroom and taught about the history of their local community (social studies) while simultaneously learning important skills concerning ecosystem management.
Many other articles citing the integration of social studies and science were noted during this author’s research.
Research Methodology Issues: As stated elsewhere in this assignment, this author has had very limited exposure to all of the available research done in this area. His assertions, therefore, concerning the seeming prevalence of social studies and science integration is based purely on what he was able to glean in the time given.
Knowledge Gaps: On a humorous note, as one anonymous armchair philosopher put it, “You don’t know what you don’t know until someone who knows tells you about it. That’s when you know that there is more to know than you’ll ever know.” This author believes that more research needs to be done in order to ascertain exactly how prevalent integration is in each subject area.
Trend 3
Social studies and multi-discipline integration
While completing another class in which the concept of subject matter integration was only briefly touched upon, this author was very interested to learn how multiple disciplines can actually be combined into a meaningful curriculum emphasizing a single subject. The examples below reflect how social studies can indeed be taught through multi-discipline integration.
Koirala and Goodwin (2002) describe how middle school teachers integrated mathematics and social studies using a U.S. map to determine the respective areas of the states. In this five day assignment, in addition to learning about the states, students also learned about the concepts of ratio, percentage, and mean by examining each state in relationship to the other. They were also introduced to graphing using Microsoft Excel as they recorded the results of their studies. Thus, in a single social studies unit, students learned about social studies, math, and technology.
In another journal article entitled, “Threading Mathematics into Social Studies,” Smith (1995) describes how she helps students “experience mathematics as it applies in the real world” by using popular historical literature. Some examples of the books used in this exercise were “Jumping Broom,” “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt,” “The Patchwork Quilt,” and “Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky.” In this integration of language arts, mathematics, and social studies, the author states that there are mathematical themes subtly imbedded into the historical story lines which help students to “develop an awareness for ways in which mathematics has played an important role throughout history.”
Trend 3 (Cont’d)
Social studies and multi-discipline integration
Another very interesting article on the integration of mathematics and social studies is “Ten Black Dots and September 11: Integrating Social Studies and Mathematics through Children’s Literature.” As the title aptly describes, in this particular example, children were able to learn valuable concepts in these three disciplines.
Lockett (1996) also provides several good examples of how to prepare lessons across multi-disciplinary platforms in her journal article entitled, “Reaching out to Make Connections: Engendering Efficacy through Interdisciplinary Thematic Units in the Social Studies.”
Research Methodology Issues: In each of the examples cited, it must be understood that the results therein are to be considered as largely anecdotal. In other words, what may have indeed worked in what are obviously limited and controlled circumstances (including very small sampling groups) may not meet with the same level of success in every instance. While he is sure that there must be some in existence, this author was unable to find any truly comprehensive studies reflecting concrete empirical data gleaned from the employment of thorough research methods.
Knowledge Gaps: Each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.
Trend 4
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
As Kirkwood-Tucker and Bleicher (2004) point out, “there exists great confusion in the literature as to what integration of two subject areas means.” Citing Berlin (1991), the authors indicate, “In her review of 555 articles pertaining to integration, Berlin noted that terms such as thematic, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary, among others, were used to refer to a concept akin to integration.” This lack of clarity at the very outset of the discussion on subject matter integration seems to be indicative of the larger problem of the resistance of some educators to accept integrated curriculum as a viable option.
In their journal article entitled, “The Dark Side of Curriculum Integration in Social Studies,” university professors in curriculum planning and integration, Schug and Cross (1998) express the opinion that the integration of social studies with other disciplines has yielded unfortunate results in terms of meeting stated educational goals. Indeed, they consider the entire concept of integrated curriculum to be the unfortunate byproduct of the mid-20th century progressive movement in education. To make their point, the authors cite and expound on what they refer to as the “myths” surrounding integration. These eight myths include:
Myth 1 – Curriculum Integration Has Much Empirical Support
Myth 2 – Separate Disciplines Reduce Academic Achievement
Myth 3 – Elementary Schools Do It Better
Myth 4 – Integration Leads to More Time for All Subjects
Myth 5 – Integration Leads to Better Curriculum Planning
(Continued)
Trend 4 (Cont’d)
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
(Continued from previous slide)
Myth 6 – Integration Results in Better Pedagogy
Myth 7 – The Real World is Not Organized around Disciplines
Myth 8 – Curriculum Integration Encourages Higher Levels of Thinking
The authors also raise the question of whether the benefits of curriculum integration are actually worth the costs saying, “the costs of curriculum integration are high, real, and certain. The benefits of integration are low, vague, and difficult to measure.”
More recently, Stern (2005), in her journal article entitled, “Debunking the Myth,” seeks to refute the idea that an integrated approach to social studies, namely history, results in a deficient content knowledge being gained by students, a claim reportedly made by the Fordham Foundation publication, “Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?” At issue in this publication is the assertion that “the rigorous study of history through primary source documents and readings would be the answer to the lack of content knowledge of American students.” The mere fact that Stern wrote the article indicates that there is indeed an undercurrent of dissension among some educators concerning subject matter integration.
Trend 4 (Cont’d)
An undercurrent of dissention still exists among some educators concerning subject matter integration
Research Methodology Issues: Schug and Cross (1998) relate that their research is based on their interaction with “hundreds of teachers who have done their best to follow the prescriptions of progressive leaders who advocate the integration of the school curriculum.” In this author’s opinion, the authors’ work is very compelling as it contains numerous citations indicating that extensive research has indeed been conducted in this area. Ironically, as pointed out above, they also state that the benefits of integration are “difficult to measure.” This contradiction makes this author wonder if there actually is enough research available sufficient to render a verdict on the success of integrated social studies curriculum.
Stern’s (2005) refutation of the aforementioned Fordham Foundation publication, “Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?” is also fairly deficient in true research as it is based largely on both personal conjecture and the opinions of others who agree with her.
Knowledge Gaps: While each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise, meaningful research into the subject at hand in which empirical data is gathered and examined would no doubt replace much of the conjecture with real knowledge.
Trend 5
Social Studies education is enhanced when integrated with language arts studies
Social studies and language arts are very compatible disciplines and are therefore often combined in the interest of meeting various subject matter integration goals. Evidence of this particular trend was observed in several journal articles.
In “The Great American Prairie: An Integrated Fifth Grade Unit,” Stange and Wyant (1999) relate how children’s literature can broaden students’ views and understanding of the past. The authors also provide a sample integrated unit which makes the literature/social studies connection through a focus on the great American prairie during the pioneer period. The authors also provide a list of other children’s literature that supports integration with social studies.
In her article entitled, “An English and Social Studies Interdisciplinary Program,” Moss (1991) also provides some valuable insight concerning social studies/English integration by giving an example of a program developed by the Coconut Creek High School in Florida.
In an article entitled, “Mingling ‘Fact’ with ‘Fiction’: Strategies for Integrating Literature into History and Social Studies Classrooms” (2007), authors Turk, Klein, & Dickstein offer teachers a series of strategies designed to assist them with integrating literature into their social studies classes “without losing the flavor or essence of either the literature they are using or the history they are trying to teach.” The various techniques offered can be used separately or combined depending on the particular emphasis or goal of each lesson.
Trend 5 (Cont’d)
Social Studies education is enhanced when integrated with language arts studies
Other interesting articles dealing with the integration of language arts and social studies include Beyer, Barry, and Gilstrap’s “Integrating Writing and Social Studies, K-6,” and Madole, Fry, Phillips, and Lobaugh’s “Halliday’s Functions of Language: A Framework to Integrate Elementary-level Social Studies and Language Arts.” The former work focuses on what the authors cite as a 20 percent decline in the ability of students to analyze, interpret, and express views of written prose. This decline led to critical changes in elementary school social studies curriculum which now requires students to practice writing and analytical skills. The latter work presents the argument for integrating language arts and social studies curriculum through the use of pen pal letters and journals.
Research Methodology Issues: As stated previously, each of the articles reviewed by this author contained ample evidence that the programs/approaches in question were successful. What seems to be lacking in each of them is the rigorous research that he has grown accustomed to seeing in relation to other educational issues. Granted, some of them contained impressive research, however, most did not.
Knowledge Gaps: Each of the authors whose articles were reviewed seemed to be quite knowledgeable in their respective areas of expertise.
