Interest in Social Studies Among U.S. High School Students

• In Event: 31.092 - Sheraton Roundtable Session Three - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 31.092-3 - Trends in Social Studies Teaching

Abstract

Students’ (dis)interest in social studies has been a long-standing yet underinvestigated topic. Using the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, this study examines the levels and changes of students’ interest in social studies and how they relate to course completion. Social studies was the 7th most popular subject among high school freshmen and it became the 2nd most popular subject during their high school junior year. Female, Asian, and lower-socioeconomic status students consistently reported a lower level of interest in social studies. The racial/ethnic gaps favoring Whites over Blacks and Hispanics closed over time. Furthermore, students’ interest in social studies is found to be associated with their high school course completion in multiple subjects but in different directions.

Authors

• Guan Saw, The University of Texas - San Antonio

• Yu-Han Hung, University of Houston - Downtown

• Moctezuma Garcia, Houston Health Department