Controversial Issues And Social Problems For An Integrated Disciplinary Teaching

The scientific literature has been showing that the teaching of controversial topics constitutes one of the most powerful tools for the promotion of active citizenship, the development and acquisition of critical-reflective thinking skills (Misco, 2013), and education for democratic citizenship (Pollak, Segal, Lefstein, and Meshulam, 2017; Misco and Lee, 2014). It has also highlighted, however, the complexities, risks and interference of emotional reactions in learning about sensitive, controversial or controversial historical, geographical or social issues (Jerome and Elwick, 2019; Reiss, 2019; Ho and Seow, 2015; Washington and Humphries, 2011; Swalwell and Schweber, 2016). Recent studies have advanced in the analysis of strategies employed by teacher educators in teaching controversial issues (Nganga, Roberts, Kambutu, and James, 2019; Pace, 2019), and in the curricular decisions of teachers about this teaching (Hung, 2019; King, 2009). These developments confirm the appropriateness of discussing or developing deliberative skills and conversational learning as the most appropriate strategy for the didactic treatment of controversial issues (Claire and Holden, 2007; Hand, 2008; Hess, 2002; Oulton, Day, Dillon and Grace, 2004; Oulton, Dillon and Grace, 2004; Myhill, 2007; Hand and Levinson, 2012; Ezzedeen, 2008). The promotion of discussion on specific social justice issues has also been approached from the use of controversial or documentary images in teacher education contexts, in order to question what is happening or has happened in present and past societies (Hawley, Crowe, and Mooney, 2016; Marcus and Stoddard, 2009). In this context, the aim of this contributed volume is, on one hand, to understand the discourses and decision-making of teachers on controversial issues in interdisciplinary educational contexts and their association with the development of deliberation skills. On the other hand, it seeks to offer studies focused on the analysis of the levels of coherence between their attitudes, positions and teaching practices for the teaching and learning of social problems and controversial issues from an integrated disciplinary perspective.

The scientific literature has been showing that the teaching of controversial topics constitutes one of the most powerful tools for the promotion of active citizenship, the development and acquisition of critical-reflective thinking skills (Misco, 2013), and education for democratic citizenship (Pollak, Segal, Lefstein, and Meshulam, 2017; Misco and Lee, 2014). It has also highlighted, however, the complexities, risks and interference of emotional reactions in learning about sensitive, controversial or controversial historical, geographical or social issues (Jerome and Elwick, 2019; Reiss, 2019; Ho and Seow, 2015; Washington and Humphries, 2011; Swalwell and Schweber, 2016). Recent studies have advanced in the analysis of strategies employed by teacher educators in teaching controversial issues (Nganga, Roberts, Kambutu, and James, 2019; Pace, 2019), and in the curricular decisions of teachers about this teaching (Hung, 2019; King, 2009). These developments confirm the appropriateness of discussing or developing deliberative skills and conversational learning as the most appropriate strategy for the didactic treatment of controversial issues (Claire and Holden, 2007; Hand, 2008; Hess, 2002; Oulton, Day, Dillon and Grace, 2004; Oulton, Dillon and Grace, 2004; Myhill, 2007; Hand and Levinson, 2012; Ezzedeen, 2008). The promotion of discussion on specific social justice issues has also been approached from the use of controversial or documentary images in teacher education contexts, in order to question what is happening or has happened in present and past societies (Hawley, Crowe, and Mooney, 2016; Marcus and Stoddard, 2009). In this context, the aim of this contributed volume is, on one hand, to understand the discourses and decision-making of teachers on controversial issues in interdisciplinary educational contexts and their association with the development of deliberation skills. On the other hand, it seeks to offer studies focused on the analysis of the levels of coherence between their attitudes, positions and teaching practices for the teaching and learning of social problems and controversial issues from an integrated disciplinary perspective.

Teaching about controversial issues is crucial, but also very challenging. This text dissects the nature of a specific controversy and offers practical strategies for helping students work through possible solutions.

Education for democratic citizenship encompasses cognitive as well as moral characteristics. The responsibility for cultivating these democratic virtues is placed upon the shoulders of educators who are required to create and encourage democratic social life. These characteristics are constantly challenged in present society, in which subject-matter goals and instrumental skills are gaining more importance than socially-valued goals, thus tipping the scales in favour of cognitive skills. Promoting cognitive skills by itself cannot sufficiently influence the formation of a social disposition and could ultimately create, in Dewey`s words, ‘egoistic specialists’ who lack the moral and democratic virtues needed for the creation of genuine social life. This book emphasizes the pedagogical task of education in this regard, and strives to pay greater attention to the obligations of education as a moral socializing agent. This book offers four perspectives on which the education system needs to focus its attention in order to enhance democratic and moral values: Teachers’ and students’ concepts of moral and democratic education; curriculum design; democratic teaching instructional methods; and teacher education. This volume provides a valuable text for a wide audience of students, teachers, policy-makers, curriculum designers and teacher educators to use as an updated reference book for pedagogical and research purposes.

Active participation in processes of change are an essential aspect of community participation, and proper recognition of opportunities for participation facilitate community engagement nationally and internationally. Education and its relation to citizenship in recent years has become one of the most important fields of research. From different areas and contexts, it has been revealed that there is a prevailing need for education for citizens to take part actively in the processes of change and improvement that the current global situation requires. The Handbook of Research on Education for Participative Citizenship and Global Prosperity is a pivotal reference source focusing on the productions and fields of study that are carried out all over the world on education for citizenship, namely the devices that provide young people with the consciousness and highlight the aspects of an active democratic life. While highlighting topics such as citizenship identity, educational policy, and social justice, this publication explores participation instruction, as well as the methods of community involvement. This book is ideally designed for educational administrators, policymakers, researchers, professionals, and educators seeking current research on instructional methods for teaching active community and political involvement.

Ronald Evans describes and interprets the continuing battles over the purposes, content, methods, and theorectical foundations of the social studies curriculum. This facinating volume: addresses the failure of social studies to reach its potential for dynamic teaching because of a lack of consensus in the field; links the ever-changing rhetoric and policy decisions to their influence on classroom practice; and helps to clarify the meaning, direction, and purposes of social studies instruction in schools.