In Defense of the Social Studies: Investigating Social Studies Programs in STEM Schools

• In Event: Roundtable Session 40
  In Roundtable Session: Technology and the Social Studies

Abstract

Understanding social studies programs at Science, Technology, Math and Engineering (STEM) schools are becoming increasingly important as the number of STEM schools grows (OSLN, 2010). This study undertook a qualitative investigation into social studies programs a two STEM high schools. Interviews from social studies teachers, principals, and students were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Furthermore, additional data was collected through observation and document analysis. Findings highlighted the social studies teachers’ perceptions that a strong social studies is essential to STEM Education, the opportunities of interdisciplinarity and technology integration afforded to social studies STEM teachers, and some of the challenges of teaching the social studies in a STEM school. The researcher discusses the implications of these findings for stakeholders in the social studies.

Author

• Brad M. Maguth, The University of Akron