Activity Based

Learning in Social
Studies
PEDAGOGY

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Activity Based Learning in Social Studies

Activity-based learning is based on the child-centered approach. This approach develops self-learning skills in
the child and increases creativity of the child. This child-centered education and learning are mandated in the
Right of children to free and compulsory Education Act in India. Furthermore, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
initiated by the government-mandated many initiatives and creative methods of teaching-learning.

As we know social studies have been one of the subjects which were taught through lecture methods for the
longest time and forced children to just memorize the subjects instead of having the understanding and
purpose of the subject being taught and its utility in daily life. Thus, activity-based learning becomes more
important to shift the learning of the children from mugging up subjects to having an understanding and
making learning a fun activity.

Characteristics of Activity
Activity-based learning focuses on making the non-
participant activities into a participatory activity where
the learners are more involved and engaged in the process
of learning. Activity-based learning is considered a
cognitive-learning theory which is also considered a
constructivist learning theory. The facilitator or the
teacher provides the learning an environment suitable for
the child to learn with the help of an activity.

Fig 1: Characteristics of Activity Based Learning

Active Participation
• Well-designed activities are required for the students to acquire analytical and conceptual skills.

• The more students are actively engaged in self-learning the more they learn.

• With a simulated work environment, the child will be able to explore the subject mentally and physically.

• Group activities enable students to work as a team, improve listening, respect for different opinions etc.

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Addressing Misconceptions
• Learning activities should be designed in a way that the child is able to identify the misconceptions and
correct them.

• As new ideas and knowledge is constructed based on the previous knowledge. If the existing ideas contain
misconceptions, then the chances are high that the new knowledge will also be flawed.

• Students should be encouraged to identify and correct their misconceptions.

• Students can have misconceptions about Social Studies as only a subject to be memorized and not
applied but instead it is equally applicable in our daily life as the Science subject.

Variety of Representations
• Learning is enhanced when the concepts in social studies are presented with different representations.

• This includes all the domains of social studies, history, geography, political science, economics.

• Well planned activities will convey both the social message and the social applicability of the subject.

Relating To Daily Life

• Learning activities should be related to daily life events or scenarios.

• Social studies subject which focuses more on the social behavior, citizens, experiences, societal
phenomenon, economy, managing money etc.

Iteration of Activity
• Timely feedback on the students' learning helps it improve and are required to express their ideas.

• Well-designed activity allows students to reflect on the feedback from the facilitator, adjust and try again.

• Repetition of an activity will also allow them to make modifications and expect better results.

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Activity Based Learning Examples

History
It is concerned with different events that happened in different parts of the world in past. It acquaints the
students with the contemporary history as well as the historical developments in the past. Many activities like
role play, visiting local historic sites or historic museums can be done to increase creative thinking and open
mindedness towards innovation and creativity. One such activity could be:

Activity: A teacher of class 8th plans to take the students on an excursion to the local historical monument
like Taj Mahal in Agra and inform them about the historical facts behind it and why it is famous and counted
as one of the seven wonders of the world and how it also increases the tourism of our country.

Geography
It deals with different places and space related concerns like environment, nature, transport, temperature,
and communication, etc. It acquaints the students with the nature around us, as well as the developmental
geography of India. Map Work, Food items around the world, Compass reading, different time zone of
different places, different flora and fauna could be some of the activities related to Geography. One such
activity could be:

Activity: In a class teacher asks the students to mark the sea ports and air ports of India on the Map of India.
The teacher also helps the students to locate all the seven continents of the World on the World map.

Political Science
Political science deals with governance, authority, democracy, political parties, constitution, citizens’ rights
and duties, etc. of the individual in the society. It acquaints students with democratic values that are given in
the Indian Constitution. Voting in class room, making a government in the class, policy making in class, etc.
these activities can be performed or facilitated by the teacher in the class to promote the real world
understanding of our political system as well as of the world. One Such Activity Could be:

Activity: Students are asked to conduct election for the class monitor in a voting system. They can choose
their representative. Use of a dummy electronic EVM machine can be used for voting. Some students can sign
themselves as candidates for the position of class monitor.

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There could be time given to the student candidate to put forth their qualities to become the monitor and
why the students choose him/her for the position of class monitor. This activity will inculcate the students
about fair means of voting and a rough process of election. They will also be able to know the importance of
their vote and why voting is done.

Economics
Economics deals with the production, trade, consumption, money, marketing, distribution, exchange of
goods and services. It is taught to make the learner aware of the of the functions of different institutions and
how economic inequalities persist in our society. Fines, making their own pay check, barter system in class,
performing sale and purchase activities and maintaining a record of it, marketing a product, and making a
proposal on it, etc. One such activity could be:

Activity: Teacher asks students to prepare an imaginary product of their own in a group and form a company
in which every member has a role in making, marketing, pricing, or designing of the product. This activity will
increase the creativity of the students, develop interest. This will also make them aware of the process, how a
product enters the market from raw to the finished goods.

Points to Remember
Activity based learning is based on the constructivist approach where a child learns by creating his own
knowledge with the help of his previous knowledge as well as the teacher and his/her own experiences.
Activity based learning in Social Studies becomes more important because the misconception and the age-old
lecture method of teaching social science which did not allow the learns to connect social studies to the daily
life and its applicability in society. Activity in class creates a small dummy of the society in which they must
participate outside school.

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