Teaching to Transform: Examination of Preservice Social Studies Teachers' Citizenship Conceptions and Their Pedagogical Practice

• In Event: 72.058 - Research on Social Studies Teacher Education

Abstract

In this qualitative multiple case study the researcher explored secondary social studies pre-service teachers’ citizenship conceptions and how they developed during a social studies methods course designed around a critical citizenship framework for the purpose of social justice. The researcher then investigated how and in what ways, pre-service teachers’ citizenship understandings were then enacted during their clinical field experience. Preliminary findings indicated that pre-service teachers revealed some aspects of critical citizenship within the methods course, such as promoting the need for multiple perspectives and honoring student voice. However, several factors stymied their efforts to enact lessons with a critical citizenship component; such as lack of pedagogical content knowledge and the pressures of standardized testing.

Author

• Sunny Wells, Baylor University