Mind the Gap: Exploring Social Studies' Curricular Responsibility for Critical Thinking in Social Contexts

• In Event: Social Studies Issues in Elementary and Early Childhood

Abstract

As teachers accept educational responsibility to teach students with diverse ideological backgrounds, states’ social studies standards alignment with such efforts may enhance students’ development of meta competences promoting flexibility in thinking, problem solving, and informed action hallmarked by critical thinking in social contexts (CTSC). This exploratory quantitative content analysis examines the dynamics of integrated reasoning-with-actions framed within CTSC in sampled states’ k-5 social studies standards. These standards predominantly promote elementary identification and clarification CTSC. While indications of higher stage CTSC exist in the sample, the benchmarks skewed to engagement of students in learning that may not translate to systematic inquiry and maturing civic behavior/actions. Implications for students’ development of the capacity for reasoned action and educators’ educational responsibilities are discussed.

Authors

• O. Matthew Odebiyi, St Cloud State University

• Ashley Tickle Odebiyi, The University of Alabama