Lurching Toward Coherence: An Episodic History of Curriculum and Standards Development in Social Studies

• In Event: Research in Social Studies Education SIG Business Meeting

Abstract

This paper puts forward an analysis of the recent efforts to transform social studies through standards development and why they have had so little impact. This analysis serves as a backdrop to discuss a current state-led movement to create common social studies standards. Previous standards efforts have been hampered by the impervious nature of social studies, including a lack of instructional and assessment coordination, dissonance among social studies stake holders, lack of coherence in reform efforts and related products, and disagreement about the conceptual nature of social studies. The current effort carefully addresses each of these limitations through the coordination of instructional and assessment materials with new standards, political and professional collaboration, and the development of conceptually coherent standards.

Authors

• Kathleen Owings Swan, University of Kentucky

• S. G. G. Grant, Binghamton University - SUNY

• John K. Lee, North Carolina State University