Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

6-1987

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Curriculum and Instruction

Major Professor

Thomas N. Turner

Committee Members

Larry Coleman, Lynn Cagle, Lester Knight

Abstract

This study was a descriptive analysis of elementary social studies methods courses in teacher education programs in Tennessee and a comparison of those courses with similar courses taught at colleges and universities outside of Tennessee. Ancillary to these purposes, the study attempted to identify the similarities and differences in course content, instructor background and instructor methodology.

Eighteen instructors in 18 colleges and universities in Tennessee completed a ten-page Faculty Questionnaire. Data derived from the .questionnaire were described and analyzed in the following seven major areas defined by the survey: (1) general background; (2) academic and professional background; (3) course description; (4) course design; (5) course content; (6) instructional strategies; and (7) evaluation of the elementary social studies methods course. Additional data were collected from course outlines and syllabi.

Data were analyzed using the t test, the Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) and the Pearson r Moment Correlation Coefficient at a .05 level of confidence. It was found that no consistent relationship existed between the content of the course, instructor methodology and such factors as location, size and type of institution.

In profile the typical instructors of the courses were males, between 36 and 55 years of age with 11 or more years experience in college teaching and an academic ranking of associate or full professor. Typical subjects had 1-6 years experience teaching full time in an elementary classroom, occurring prior to 1975. However, one-third of the instructors had no full time experience in the elementary classroom.

The majority did not belong to the National Council of Social Studies, yet consider elementary social studies methods as their primary teaching assignment. The researcher found that instructors teaching outside of Tennessee spent more time on research projects than instructors teaching at institutions inside of Tennessee. Females spent more time on administrative tasks than male instructors.

All of the institutions included in the study required the elementary social studies methods course for one or more groups of education majors. Twelve different textbooks were used by the twenty-six subjects with three subjects stating they did not use a textbook and two subjects stating that they used teacher prepared packets.

The subjects indicated that their professional training and philosophy had more influence on the way they designed the elementary methods course than state and institutional mandated requirements, the elementary social studies methods textbook or current social studies curricula. Subjects stated that state legislation affected the elementary social studies methods course indirectly through, (1) state certification requirements, (2) the total number of hours required of students in the college of education, (3) state mandated curriculum frameworks for social studies in the elementary school, (4) the total number of hours required for methods courses, and (5) mandatory inclusion of multiculturalism.

A review of the subjects syllabi revealed that the majority of subjects structured their courses in the traditional lecture, discussion format of most college courses. Course requirements included an emphasis on student-centered activities such as preparation of an instructional or resource unit, and observing or teaching in an elementary classroom. Approximately one-third of the subjects specifically required students to present one or more social studies lessons to peers during the methods class.

Approximately 90% of the subjects strongly agreed that when students are actively involved in teaching, desired teaching behaviors are more likely than when students listen to lectures and participate in discussions about the act of teaching. Type or location of the institution did not affect the elementary social studies methods course content. Fifty-five topics of instruction were identified in five major categories: (1) Historical Background, (2) Learning Theories, (3) Understanding Social Studies Concepts, (4) Teaching Social Studies Content in the Elementary School, and (5) Instructional Techniques. There were no significant differences between subjects teaching at private and public institutions and the frequency with which they included topics in the five major topical areas. Neither was there a correlation between the size of the institution and the frequency in which topics were included in the course. There were no significant differences between institutions inside and outside Tennessee in four of the five major areas. Subjects in Tennessee included learning theory topics more frequently than did subjects teaching at institutions outside of Tennessee.

The four topics with the highest frequency ratings were: (1) Teaching map and globe skills; (2) Defining the social studies; (3) Using the inquiry process; and (4) Teaching geography. The five topics least often included in the elementary social studies methods course were: (1) Using instructional television; (2) Using computers in the social studies program; (3) Teaching career awareness in the elementary social studies program; (4) Historical review of the social studies; and (5) Teaching the exceptional student in social studies.

The majority of the subjects frequently used the chalkboard; occasionally used films, cassette tapes, filmstrips and field trips; and never used video cameras, opaque projectors, record players, cameras, and television.

Regarding perceptions of novice teachers the subjects were uncertain about whether or not novice elementary teachers were reluctant to take risks and whether or not they lacked knowledge about how students learn. Subjects were somewhat agreed that novice teachers lacked knowledge about social studies and were unable to implement a variety of teaching techniques.

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