Research on Social Studies Teacher Education in the

United States

Sherry L. FieldArkansas Tech University

Pathways to Teacher Preparation

Traditional-university or college baccalaureate (in colleges of education, colleges of liberal arts, or collaborative programs) or a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree

Alternative Certification Programs (ACPs)− University-based− School district− Regional state-funded education service center − Community college− Privately-managed programs

Social Studies Teacher Preparation-Traditional

Pathway

Distinguished by organization of courses

Requirements for field work

How students assessed and by whom

The Social Studies Methods Course− Pedagogy− Theory− Practice

Questions about the Social Studies Methods Course

What should be the depth versus breadth of methods taught?

How much emphasis should be given in this class to the needs of diverse learners?

How much time should be spent preparing preservice teachers to work with state-mandated assessments?

What emphasis should be placed in the methods course on developing a sufficient background in the social science disciplines?

Other Ontological Considerations During the Course

What is the nature of knowledge?

Is knowledge transmitted by experts or is it constructed by each learner?

How does the course embrace social construction of knowledge and what opportunities will there be to see this in practice?

Construction of the Course

What readings and assignments will be required for the course?

How much of an emphasis will be placed on the diverse needs of learners?

How will lesson plans be constructed and assessed?

What disciplinary emphases will be made?

Issues Related to Social Studies Teacher Preparation

Integrated curriculum

Content coverage

Resources

Technology

Integrated CurriculumDecades-old concept to integrate social studies

content with content from another subject area (Hinde, 2005)

Integration popular in primary grade classrooms, especially social studies with English-language arts

Problem arises in already-marginalized content when social studies goals and aims become secondary to the lessons (Alleman & Brophy, 1993)

Content integration can be done skillfully and successfully (Field & Bauml, upcoming; Field & Bauml, 2012; Bellows, Bauml, Field, & Ledbetter, 2012)

Content CoverageWhat curriculum should be taught?

Breadth vs. depth?

How are the NCSS and state social studies standards to be considered? Common Core State Standards?

What happens to content coverage when teaching in a high-stakes tested grade level?

Resources for TeachingTextbook

Ancillary materials

Digital resources: music, video, on-line

Primary and secondary sources

Literature

Community resources

Social Studies Teacher Preparation: Three

Universities

Arizona State University

The University of Georgia

The University of Texas at

Austin

Arizona State University

ASU Students

White 61%

African American 5%

Hispanic 19%

Asian 6%

American Indian 2%

Other 7%

SS Teacher PreparationElementary (Grades 1-8)

Social Studies Methods course

Service Learning course

Junior year: 75 hours/semester in field (two placements)

Senior year residency (one year student teaching)

Supervision by School Site Coordinators/Mentor Teacher

Four performance assessments and eight walk-though assessments during the year

SS Teacher PreparationSecondary (Grades 7-12)

• Two Social Studies Methods courses

• Junior year: 75 hours/semester in field (two placements)

• Senior year residency (one year student teaching)

• Supervision by Clinical Professors/Mentor Teachers

• Four performance assessments each semester

The University of Georgia

UGA Students

White 76%

African American 7%

Asian 8%

Hispanic 4%

Other 5%

UGA SS Teacher Preparation

Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5)

• Social Studies Methods course

• Semester two and three: short placements (two and four weeks)

• One semester student teaching

• Supervision by University Supervisor/Mentor Teacher

• Approximately five to six assessments during student teaching

UGA SS Teacher Preparation

Secondary (Grades 6-12)

Social Studies Methods course, Social Studies Curriculum course, Social Studies seminar

Initial Field Placement and Senior Field Placement: short placements (three to four hours a week)

One semester student teaching

Supervision by University Supervisor/Mentor Teacher

Approximately three to four assessments during student teaching

The University of Texas at Austin

UT StudentsWhite 50%

African American 5%

Hispanic 20%

Asian 18%

Other 7%

UT SS Teacher PreparationElementary (Pre-K through Grade 6)

Social Studies Methods course

ESL endorsement

Semester one: 12 hours/week

Semester two: 16 hours/week

Semester three: full semester student teaching

Supervision by University Facilitator/Mentor Teacher

Approximately six to seven assessments during student teaching

UT SS Teacher PreparationSecondary (Grades 7-12)

Social Studies Methods course and Advanced Social Studies Methods seminar

Semester one: (10 hours elementary)

Semester two: (20 hours middle school)

Semester three: (45 hours high school)

Semester four: full semester student teaching

Supervision by University Facilitator/Mentor Teacher

Approximately five assessments during student teaching

Comparison of ProgramsELEMENTARY

Schools ASU UGA UT

Required coursesSocial Studies MethodsService Learning Social Studies Methods Social Studies Methods

Fieldwork/Student teaching

75 hrs./semester (2 placements)Senior year student teaching

Semester two: 2 weeksSemester three: 4 weeksOne semester student teaching

Semester one: 12 hrs./weekSemester two: 16 hrs./weekSemester three: full semester student teaching

SupervisorsSchool Site CoordinatorMentor Teacher

University SupervisorMentor Teacher

University FacilitatorMentor Teacher

Assessments4 performance 8 walk-through 5 to 6 during student teaching 6 to 7 during student teaching

Comparison of ProgramsSECONDARY

Schools ASU UGA UT

Required courses 2 Social Studies Methods

Social Studies MethodsSocial Studies CurriculumSocial Studies Seminar

Social Studies MethodsAdvanced Social Studies MethodsSocial Studies Seminar

Fieldwork/Student teaching

Junior Year: 75 hrs./semester (2 placements)Senior Year: one year student teaching

Initial Field PlacementSenior Field Placement(3-4 hrs./week)One semester student teaching

Semester one: 10 hrs. elementarySemester two: 20 hrs. middle schoolSemester three: 45 hrs. high schoolSemester four: full semester student teaching

SupervisorsClinical ProfessorsMentor Teacher

University SupervisorMentor Teacher

University FacilitatorMentor Teacher

Assessments 4 each semester 3-4 during student teaching 5 during student teaching

Role of Doctoral Students in Teacher Preparation

As valued employees of the university, they may:Supervise student teachersTeach methods coursesLead seminarsOften conduct research related to

social studies teacher education

Research on SS Teacher Education

How student teachers make curricular decisions

How Latino student teachers understand and teach about citizenship

How a new learning program is implemented

How and why do preservice teachers use discussion in their classrooms

How do preservice teachers apply historical thinking skills in their classrooms

How do preservice teachers teach about controversial issues

Research on SS Teacher Preparation

Castro, A.J., Field, S.L., Bauml, M. & Morowski, D. (2012). I want a multicultural classroom:” Preservice teachers’ perspectives on teaching social studies in a culturally diverse world. The Social Studies 103(3), 97-106.

Webeck, M.L., Field, S.L. & Salinas, C. (2004). Tell me more: Boundaries, expectations, challenges and possibilities for civic education in preservice methods of teaching courses. In Gregory E. Hamot, John J. Patrick, & Robert S. Leming (Eds.), Civic learning in teacher education: International perspectives on education for democracy in the preparation of teachers, Vol. 3 (pp. 147-166). Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies.

Kohlmeier, J. & Saye, J. (2012). Justice or care? Ethical reasoning of preservice social studies teachers. Theory & Research in Social Education 40(4); 409-435.

ConclusionTraditional SS teacher preparation programs vary across the country.

Social studies methods courses vary in number required from 1-3.

Field experiences range from 2 to 4 semesters and in amount of time required each semester; Student teaching ranges from 1 semester to 1 year.

Number of assessments varies from program to program.

Doctoral students play an important role in the preparation of social studies teachers and in research being generated on social studies teacher education.

Future Questions to Consider

Following the excellent work already being done by Japanese researchers, such as that of yourselves, other questions for consideration might be:

How do preservice teachers in Japan understand the social studies curriculum?

What methods and/or resources do preservice teachers in Japan use to teach the curriculum and for what purposes?

How do preservice teachers in Japan understand their roles to teach civic understanding and engagement? How are these roles enacted in the classroom?

How do preservice teachers in Japan learn about historical thinking and how to teach historical thinking?

What role does discourse play in the learning experiences of preservice teachers and in how they eventually teach?

How do preservice teachers in Japan learn about multicultural issues, and how do they teach about them?

Thank you JERASS

Thank You to My Collaborators

Dr. Kazuhiro Mizoguchi and Dr. Hiroko Taguchi: Investigation of elementary textbook content about the “other”

Dr. Kazuhiro Mizoguchi and Dr. Hiroko Taguchi: Future investigation planned on Japanese and U.S. children’s thinking about economics, geography, and government

Dr. Masato Ogawa: Investigations of middle grades history textbook content and elementary schooling in Japan