Toward Improving Research in Social Studies Education

📖 The Scoop

Social studies research has been criticized for sampling bias, inappropriate methodologies, incorrect or inappropriate use of statistics, weak or ill-defined treatments, and lack of replication and/or longitudinal follow-up. In an effort to ascertain whether past criticisms were true of current research as well, a review was conducted of 118 studies published in "Theory and Research in Social Education" (TRSE), the "Journal of Social Studies Research" (JSSR), and the research section of "Social Education" (SE) for the years 1979-1986. This monograph, the first in a series designed to provide "cutting edge" information to the social studies profession, presents the results of this investigation. Chapter 1 critiques the 118 studies. Chapter 2 offers some observations, based on the analysis in chapter 1, about the nature of current social studies research. Chapter 3 discusses how the quality of social studies research might be improved. The remarks in this chapter are directed to three groups of social studies educators: (1) professors who direct master's theses or doctoral dissertations, but who do not teach courses in educational research, (2) graduate students who intend to do research, and (3) classroom teachers who have an interest in research. Chapter 4 contains an in-depth evaluation of a single study using the same criteria discussed in chapter 1. Chapter 5 presents some ideas about how classroom teachers of social studies might become more involved in research in their classrooms and schools. Chapter 6 lists the studies reviewed. A 99-item bibliography is included. (JB)

Genre: Education / General (fancy, right?)