ELEMENTSOFSOCIALSTUDIES
HISTORICALDEVELOPMENTOFSOCIALSTUDIES
OriginofSocialStudies
SocialStudiesasanacademicdisciplineistilldatebeingreferredtoasarelativelynewacademi
[Link]
dwiththedifferentnamesforwhichthesubjectisknownindifferentnations,forexampleitwas
knowntobesocialandciviceducationinAmericawhenwasnewlyintroduced,andliberaledu
cationinBritain,andsimilarlyasGeneralStudies,GeneralPaperorMoralInstructionwhich
weresynonymousnamesgiventoitinNigeria.
SocialStudiesdidnotstartonitsownasmostothersubjects,ratheritstartedaspartofHistoryw
hichmakesattempttopassonthetraditions,customs,mythologiesandaspirationsofsocieties
[Link]
minnarration.
Thiswasreferredtoas'OralHistoryandinparticular,itwasdesignedtocoverboth'socialandci
viceducationespeciallytoinspirepatriotism,fostercitizenshiptraining,teachmorals,devel
optheeconomicandsociallife,strengthentheoppressedmind,andprovidingadequateandrel
[Link]
[Link]
rticular,itwasduringthisperiodthatAmericawasexperiencingindustrialrevolutionwhichc
ameaftertheagrarianrevolution.
Therewasrelativepeaceduringtheagriculturalrevolutionliketheexperiencesduringtheind
[Link]
societaldifferences,revolts,classstrugglesespeciallybetweenthe'Have'and'Havenot’who
arethelandlordsandthepeasantfarmers.
ThesocialinteractioninAmericawasnotbetterwhenthenationexperiencedindustrialrevolu
[Link]
ofthesocietyyetthereweremoreofthesocietalproblemsexperienced.
[Link](previously
workingharmoniouslyonthefarmschangedtobefeedersofmachinesduringtheperiod).Ind
eedtheindustrialrevolutionnotwithstandingchangedthesocial,industrial,scientific,politic
al,[Link],therewerechangesinthetraditi
ons,[Link]
dtheteachingofHistoryformerlynarrationtochangetothemoreandmoreinterpretativeHist
ory.
Theneedforsocialandciviceducationduringthisperiodcouldnotbeover-
emphasizedforcitizenshiptrainingandlifeadjustment,consequently,somecommitteeswer
eassignedtogiverecommendationstosolvethesesocietalproblemsinparticular,thecommit
teeofsevenoftheAmericanHistoricalAssociationof(1898)andthecommitteeofTenoftheN
ationalEducationAssociation(1893)recommendedandinfluencedthebroadeningofthaem
aterialcontentofHistory(Ogunsanya,1984),especiallytocoverthechangesbeingexperienc
edinthesociety.
TherecommendationswereacceptedontheunderstandingthatHistorythenwasthemostpop
[Link]
ndedwaswhenHerbatpropoundedneweducationalnotionsuggestingofmoreeffectiveandp
ermanentlearningthroughcomprehensionandassociationinsteadofrotelearning/
[Link],themoreinterpretativepresentationofHistoryassocialstu
[Link],SocialStudiesthatwasintroducedadoptedtheproble
[Link],themethodwasdescribedtobe'toosoft',thusstronglycriticiz
[Link]-
historicalsocialstudieswasin1916developeduponthewavesgeneratedduetothechangesint
heAmericansocietyupontherecommendationsofthecommissionofNationalEducationAs
[Link]
thesameyear1916,thatthenamesocialstudieswasofficiallyrecognizedandmadetoobeinde
[Link]
[Link].By1929,the
AmericanAssociationCommissiononSocialStudiesduringthisperiodhaddonethemosttho
[Link]
ndresearchprojectsthatwerepublishedinseventeenvolumesbetween1932and1942.
[Link]
artedtoreduceaboutthefiftiesasaresultoftheRussiansurprisingandsuccessfullaunchingoft
[Link]-examinationandre-
[Link]
theNaturalSciencesparticularlyPhysics,Chemistry,[Link]
iesthustemporarysetback.
Consequentuponthechange,thereweretheaftereffectsoftheover-
[Link],someoftheAmericanyouthsweremorethaneverbefor
eseeminglyloose,[Link]
dignityandconstitutedauthorities.
Theseunusualexperienceswarepractisedbecausetheyouthscouldnotbegivendesirablehu
manvalues,attitudesandskillsnecessaryforeffectiveandharmoniouslivingwithinthesocie
[Link],werethefirstandsecondworldwars,racialconflicts,sexdiscriminationan
[Link]-
newedinterestforsocialstudiesbeganaboutearly1960's.
Infact,itbegantoreceivewideracceptanceandspecialfundingforitscurriculumplanningan
dimplementationfromUnitedStatesgovernment.Between1963and1964,thesocialscience
educationconsortiumwasformedtocollectanddisseminateinformationaboutnewideasand
[Link]
introducedtoBritainandotherAfricancountriesbasedonAmericangovernmentspecialreco
gnitionandsupportforthesubject,andmainlybecauseofthefundingandsupportoftheFordF
oundationalsoofAmerica.
HISTORICALDEVELOPMENTOFSOCIALSTUDIESINBRITAIN,AFRICAA
NDNIGERIA.
SocialStudiesinBritain:SocialStudiesspreadfromAmericaintoBritishEducationalSyste
mas'LiberalEducation'beingacourseofstudybeingadoptedimmediatelyafterthesecondw
[Link]
[Link]
sortechniciansbuttofurnishtheindividualwithgreaterunderstandingofmankind,especiall
ytoavoidthereoccurrenceofwarandsocialconflicts.
SocialstudieswasacceptedintoBritishEducationalsystemparticularlyasoneAdultEducati
[Link]
ubjectsparticularlyHistoryandGeography.
SocialStudiesinAfrica:SocialStudiesspreadtoAfricancountriesbeginningwiththeEurop
[Link],[Link]
ucedtheteachingofCivics,MoralInstruction,GeneralKnowledge,CurrentAffairs,[Link]
eparethetraditionalAfricanindigenestobepeaceloving,respectful,obedient,humane,loyal
,law-
abiding,hardworking,[Link]
aryschoolswereestablishedandaspectsofBritishHistory,BritishGeography,BritishPolitic
s,BritishCultureandotherswithforeigncontentswerecoveredintheseschools.
[Link]
sstartedafterthe1967OxfordConferenceheldtodiscusstheissuesofsocialstudiesforAfrica
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
rtheAfricanSocialStudiesProgramme(ASSP).Thecoursewastakentobeacorrectivestudyt
oemphasizethedevelopmentoftheknowledgeoftheAfricannations.
SocialStudiesinNigeria:ThefirstexperimentinSocialStudies,thoughshortlived,startedw
iththeintroductionofthesubjectatalltheteachertrainingcollegesinthedefunctWesternRegi
[Link]
[Link],theexperimentationwiththeid
eaofacomprehensivesystemofeducationrekindledtheinterestoftheWesternRegionalGov
[Link],whentheComprehensiveHigh
School,Aiyetorostartedoffin1963,socialstudiesbecameoneofitsbasic-teachingsubjects.
ItcanthenbearguedthatthepioneeringworkinthedevelopmentofsocialstudiesinNigeriasta
rtedatthisperiodwiththeeffortsofthesocialstudiesstaffoftheComprehensiveHighSchool,
[Link]'sdissatisfactionwiththee
ducationalsysteminheritedfromtheBritishandwhichwascontinuouslyimplementedwitho
utanyadaptationtotheneedsofthepeople.
TheappearanceofsocialstudiesonthetimetableofAiyetoroComprehensiveHighSchool,sh
ouldnotbeseenasasurpriseasthirty-
threeAmericancurriculumadvisersweresenttotheschooltoprepareanewcurriculuminwhi
chsocialstudieswasgivenaprominentplace.
AtaconferencecoveredbytheWesternRegionMinistryofEducationinIbadanin1965,anout
lineforsocialstudiessyllabusforsecondaryformsIandIIwasdrawnupandthetaskofdevelop
ingthesyllabuswasassignedtothesocialstudiesstaffofAiyetorocomprehensiveHighSchoo
[Link]
daryschoolsconferencein1966.
TheFordFoundationbecameinterestedintheprogrammeandsubsequentlyinjectedbothmo
[Link]
[Link]
affwerethendispatchedonafive-
weekintensivetrainingcourseattheUniversityofWashingtonintheUnitedStatesofAmeric
ainaugust,1967.
Ontheirreturn,thesocialstudiesstaffofAiyetorocomprehensiveHighSchoolputfinishingt
ouchestothesecondeditionoftheformImaterialsandthefirstdraftofthematerialsforformII.I
n1968,atextbookpreparedbythesocialstudiesstaffoftheaiyetoroComprehensiveHighSch
oolwaslaunchedforuseinallsecondaryschoolsinNigeria.
TheMombassa(Kenya)conferenceofAugust1968wasanotherlandmarkinthedevelopmen
[Link],t
hereemergedtheAfricanSocialStudiesProgramme(ASSP)basedinNairobiandwhosemaj
orgoalisthepropagationoftheteachingandlearningofsocialstudiesasanintegrateddisciplin
[Link],secondaryandteachertraininginstit
utionsinNigeriawasgivenfurthersupportatthefirstNationalCurriculumConferenceheldin
[Link]
shedinschools,[Link],se
[Link]
mdevelopmentprojectwhichincludedsocialstudiesontheacademicprogramme.
TheNigerianCertificateofEducation(N.C.E.)socialstudiessyllabuswassubsequentlydev
eloped,andin1974examinedataworkshopheldatAhmaduBelloUniversity,[Link]
ngrolesplayedbyNERCnowNERDC;CESACandvariousInstitutesofEducationintheUni
versitiesinthedevelopmentofsocialstudiescannotbeover-
[Link](NERDC)playe
daleadingroleinrunningworkshopsandseminarsforleadingcurriculumspecialistsinsocial
studiesandpractisingprimary,secondaryandteachertrainingteachersfortheteachingofSoc
ialstudiesinNigerianeducationalinstitutions.
ThevariousinstitutesofEducationintheUniversitiesranlongandshorttermcoursesinformo
fin-
[Link]
[Link]
acultiesofEducationintheNigeriaUniversitieshavepostgraduatedegreeprogrammestoda
yleadingtotheawardofPostgraduateDiplomainEducation,MasterdegreesandevenDoctor
ofphilosophyDegreesinSocialStudies
THESELECTIONANDORGANIZATIONOFCONTENTINSOCIALSTUDIES
RelevanceofsomeBasicConceptsintheBehaviouralSciencestotheContentofSocialSt
udiesCurriculum
Thestructureofanydisciplinereferstothebodyofknowledgeinthatdiscipline,thatistheconc
epts,thegeneralizations,[Link],i
tmeanseverythingthatgoesintothediscipline.
ThestructureofSocialStudiesdrawsfromtheBehaviouralsciences,HumanitiesandtheScie
[Link]
cobjectivesitrequiresthehelpofthebehaviouralsciencessincetheydealwithmaninhissocial
andculturalcontexts.
Eachofthebehaviouralsciencedisciplineshasitsownspecialhistoricaldevelopment,itspers
[Link]
[Link]
onceptssuchasrules,status,[Link],theyover-
lapandconvergeinthemes,coverageandmethods.
Amongthemajorconceptualareasofthebehaviouralsciencesthatcanformtheorganizingba
sisforSocialStudiescurriculumareinAnthropologywherethereareconceptssuchasculture
elements,culturecomplex,acculturation,universal,[Link]
[Link]
willrevealthatateacherexpectedtoteachtopicslikecultureandcommonheritagewilldothej
obbetterifhe/sheallowstheuseoftheseconceptstoguidehim/her.
[Link]
etotherelationshipbetweenscarcemeansandgivenends,humanbehaviourinrelationtoprod
uction,[Link]
mefromEconomicsincludescarcity,production,goodsandservices,interdependence,divis
ionoflabour,specialization,exchange,[Link]
ntandeconomicinstitutionsfromtheNationalCurriculumforJuniorSecondarySchools,the
SocialStudiesteacherrequirestheuseoftheseconceptstoguidehimorhertoteacheffectively.
AnotherconceptualareaisinSociologywhichdealswithgrouplivingorthestudyofsocialagg
[Link]
iesprogrammeincludesocialization,role,norms,sanctions,values,status,institution,com
munity,interdependence,society,[Link]
iorSecondarySchoolswillalsorevealthataSocialStudiesteacherexpectedtoteachtopicssuc
hasculturalcooperation,Intercommunityrelationshipandsocialinstitutionswillperformbe
tterifhe/sheallowstheuseoftheseconceptstoguidehis/her.
PoliticalScience,asubjectthatdealswithhumanbehaviourinrelationtothedistributionofex
[Link]
tssuchassocialcontrol,state,power,legitimacy,authority,interestgroups,politicalsocializa
tion,politicalculture,ruleoflaw,politicalsystem,governmentetccanbebroughtinfromPolit
[Link]
quirestheuseoftheseconceptstoguidehimorherinhis/
herteachingoftopicslikesocialorderandpoliticalinstitutions.
Geographyendeavourstoconveytomanthathislifeiscontrolledbythephysicalenvironment
[Link]
ialStudiescurriculum,geographicalconceptssuchaslocation,region,spatialinteraction,ur
banspatialpattern,[Link],n
aturalresourcesandclimaticconditionsintheNationalCurriculumforJuniorSecondarySch
oolsrequiretheuseoftheseconceptstoguidetheteacherinhisorherteaching.
ThebehaviouralaspectofPsychologyisanotheressentialcomponentofSocialStudiescurric
[Link]
ologythatarecontainedinSocialStudiescurriculumareself-
concept,motivation,perception,frustration,[Link]
iourandattitudetoworkrequiretheuseoftheseconceptstoguidetheSocialStudiesteachertot
eachmoreeffectively.
ItisthereforethecontentofSocialStudiestogetherwiththemethodsemployedinitsteaching/
learningandtheconsequentresultsachieved,thatmakeupsocialeducation.
SomeConsiderationsfortheSelectionofSocialStudiesContent
Contentreferstothecollectionofknowledge,skills,attitudes,andvaluestobelearnt.
Aratherimmediateconsiderationintheselectionofcontentisthatrelatingtotheobjectivesfor
whichtheselectionisbeingmade,thatisthekindoflearningthatisintendedtobeeffectedinthe
learner,thekindofbehavioursthatthelearnerisexpectedtomanifesttoindicatethathehaslear
nt.
[Link]
mportantaspectofvalidityofcontenttobeconsideredistheonethatrelatescontenttotheobjec
[Link],whenithastheperceivedpoten
tialofrealizingourobjectives.
[Link]
ehereisconsideredinrelationtoanorganizedfieldofknowledgewhichdemandanassessmen
tofhowessentialthecontentis,inaidingmasteryofthefieldtowhichitbelongs.
Someteachersusuallyconsidermasteryofsubjectmatteronlyintermsoftheabilitytorecallsp
[Link],principles,conceptsandgenera
[Link]
ignificanceofthisfactualknowledgemustthereforebedeterminedinrelationtothedegreeto
whichtheyillustratetheseideas,principlesetc.
Whatisofinteresttothelearneralsoconstitutesanimportantconsiderationintheselectionofc
[Link]"interestofthelearner"doesnotmeanthatweshouldselectandteachonlyw
hatthelearnerconsidersofinteresttohim.
Eventhoughasamatteroffact,pupils’interestsarelimitedinrangeandareofatransitorynatur
e,nevertheless,theseinterestscannotbetotallyignoredandwheneverpossible,theyshouldb
[Link]
cted,theinterestsofthelearnerscouldbewidenedandenrichedbythecontentandthusformali
nkbetweenthelearnerandthecurriculumthatismeantforhim.
Fromwhathasbeensaidintheproceedingparagraph,itseemsobviousthatinselectingcontent
,wecannotthinkofthelearnersinterestwithout,atthesametimeconsideringwhatisofusetohi
m.
[Link]
htof,intermsofactivitiesofreallifeinwhichthelearnerhastoapplythe‘learned’[Link]
ordingtoOnyike(1981),theseactivitiesinclude:
(a) Languageactivitiessuchassocialinter-communication(whichencourage
values,suchasrespectforotherpeople'sopinion).
(b) Healthactivities(whichencouragepersonalcleanliness)
(c) Citizenshipactivities(whichencouragevaluessuchashonesty,loyaltyand
patriotism).
(d) Generalsocialactivitieswhichinvolvemeetingandminglingwithothers
(theseencouragegoodinterpersonalrelationships).
(e) Spare-timeactivitiessuchasrecreationactivities(whichpromotegoodhealth) and
(f) Religiousactivities(whichpromotegoodmorals).
[Link]
spectisbeingconsideredlastbecauseitseemslogicalthatafteroureffortsatcontentselectionb
asedontheotherconsiderations,weshouldthensitbackanddeterminehow'learnable'oursele
[Link],butthen,itseemsespeciallydepende
[Link]
allembracingtermtoincludeage-range,previousknowledge,background(socio-
culturalandotherwise),levelofmotivation,[Link]
nttobedeterminedforthem,theseaspectscannotbutbereflectedupon.
PatternsofSelectionandOrganizationofSocialStudiesContent
SocialStudiesasasubjectthatdealswiththerealitiesofliving,takesthelearnerandhisphysica
[Link],itisthereforees
sentialthatinadditiontotheaboveconsiderations,acarefulanalysisisdoneoftheseenvironm
entstodeterminewhatthelearnershouldknowinordertofunctionmoreeffectively.
ThecontentofSocialStudieshastodependheavilyonthosephysicalandsocio-
culturalaspectsoftheenvironmentofthelearneritisintendedfor,becausephysicalenvironm
entsdiffer,[Link],therecannotbeauni
versalSocialStudiescontent,suitableforalllearnersinallenvironments.
Knowingthatourselectionofcontentshouldbeprecededbyananalysisofthelearner'sphysic
[Link],theissueof
[Link]
sshallbediscussedinterrelatedlyratherthanseparately.
OneorganizingcentreforselectingandarrangingSocialStudiescontentonwhichthereseem
stobeaconsiderabledegreeofagreementamongtheSocialStudieseducatoristheonearounds
ocietalthemes,meaningthecentralideasconcerningthefunctioningofsociety.
InSocialStudies,themescanbeidentifiedfromananalysisoftheproblemsandissuessurroun
[Link],suchproblemsandissuesrelatingtoethnicity,environmentals
anitation,[Link]
ndissues,themessuchasinterdependence,maninhisenvironment,maintainingastablesocie
[Link],conceptsandgeneralizationscanthenbesearchedf
or,[Link]
donsocietalthemesiswhatiscalledthe"ThematicApproach".
Forthesethemestobeconvenientlytaughtintheclassrooms,theyhavetobebrokendowntom
[Link]
[Link],fromthetheme'interdependence',unitssu
chaslivingtogetherinthefamilyandthecommunity,livingtogetherascitizensofNigeria,Eco
nomicInterdependenceamongnationsthecaseofECOWAS,canbedeveloped.
Itisfromtheseunits,thattheSocialStudiesteacherwillnowproceedtopreparehisownspecifi
[Link]"livingtogetherinthefamilyandthecommunity",lessonsmaybeprep
aredonthefamily,schoollife,[Link]
eivesashislearners'pastexperiencesandpreviousknowledge.
AnotherorganizingcentreofSocialStudiescontentistheonearoundconceptsandgeneraliza
tions.
[Link]
upthingsintoclassesonthebasisoftheirsharedcharacteristics,andtheyhelpustodistinguish
[Link]
[Link],aflattopandt
[Link]
[Link],wecanonlyinferthatsuchacti
vitiesorattitudesdenotetheconcept.
Thequalityofconceptstogroupanincrediblywiderangeofthingsenablesustocopewiththec
[Link]
tudiesareinter-
dependence,development,authority,roles,urbanization,environment,andsoon.
[Link]"
Cooperationamongnationsisessentialforastableworldeconomy"relatesanumberofconce
[Link]
[Link],currentissuesandproblemsinthesoci
etyaregenerated,topicsareformulatedandlessonsprepared.
Theargumentforusingconceptsandgeneralizationsinorganizingcontentisthatthedisciplin
es(especiallythoseoftheSocialSciences)haveabodyofcrucialconceptsandgeneralizationt
hatrelatedirectlytoman'[Link]
[Link]
ostructuredwillonlyvaryasitrelatestothepeculiaritiesofthelearner'[Link]
sconceptssuchascooperation,culture,role,production,[Link]
heyrelatetothechildinthevillage,ortooneinthecity.
ThesetwoapproachestotheorganizationofSocialStudiescontentsharecertaincommongro
[Link]
henproceedtoidentifycentralconceptsandgeneralizationsthatrelatetosuchthemes.
Also,[Link]
canbesummarizedas
i. Knowledge:facts,conceptsandgeneralizationsaboutthelearner'sphysicalandsocial
worldandthatofotherpeoplesandraces.
ii. Skills:Theseincludeintellectualandmanipulativeskillssuchasthinkingcritically,sho
wingproblems,findinginformation,interpretingmaps,creativityetc.
iii. Values:Suchasmoral,religious,economic,vocationalandpolitical.
iv. Attitudes:Suchasconcernforothers,tolerance,cooperation,civicresponsibilityetc.
TheNigeriaJuniorSecondarySchoolsSocialStudiesCurriculumiswritteninunitsthatemph
asizetheuseoftopicswhiletheNigerianPrimarySchoolsSocialStudiesCurriculumhastodo
[Link]
[Link],thisapproa
[Link]
achadoptedinthePrimarySchoolsSocialStudiesCurriculumallowsfordetailinteractionwit
hconceptswiththeultimategoalofnotonlylearningnewknowledgebutalsodevelopingposit
ivevaluesandskillsrequiredforsurvival.
AdiscussiononselectionandorganizationofcontentinSocialStudiescannotbecompletewit
[Link]
nfactaveryintegralpartofcontentorganizationbecauseitdealswithhowcontentcanbearran
[Link]
sequencing,onedealswithbreadthoflearning(orcontinuity)andtheotherwiththedepthofle
arning.
Thebreadthoflearningconcernsthedegreetowhichlearningatonestageisusedandexpanded
atanotherwhileindepthoflearning,whathasbeenlearntatonestageisencounteredagainbuta
tamuchhigherlevelatthenextstage.
ThereseemstobeawidespreadagreementamongSocialStudieseducatorsontheuseofthe'Sp
iral'otherwiseknownas‘Concentric’or'WideningHorizon'approachtotheorganizationofc
[Link]
isapproach,[Link]
s,concepts,generalizations,skills,attitudesandvaluesthatarerelevanttohimareidentifieda
[Link]
renvironmentsandotherpeople.
