With today's technology in the classroom, there are plenty of programs to help student's with Math and Reading (iReady) and also to assist instructors in assessing students in these (DIBELS). However, the technology that is being developed for Social Studies and Science is far behind that of Math and Reading. The reason for this is because Math and Reading are generally the main subjects that are tested. It is not the instructor's fault for this being the case, of course anyone would focus on the subjects in which they are assessed. Job performance assessment for teachers is often directly correlated with the results of their student's tests. These tests also provide a framework for teacher's to teach by. If a teacher knows what content will be on the end of year math test, they will focus on those things and provide their students with the best chance for success. Without a test to assess their students in Social Studies or Science usually, a teacher does not have the same expectations to ensure that their students have an adequate understanding of these subjects. Between the lack of testing and the absence of proper computer programs aimed at teaching these subjects, teacher's must often brainstorm their own ideas and find their own materials to integrate these subjects into their math and reading lessons. This creates inconsistency between classrooms and between grade levels. The following articles talks extensively about this problem. One of the problems that it speaks about, is Social Studies instructors feeling at a disadvantage to other subjects because of the lack of material that they can access for their classrooms. At the end of the article, Scott Ellis, the chief executive officer of The Learning Accelerator, a nonprofit that seeks to expand blended learning in schools, says that he believes that with the standards of social studies and science spreading, that the marketplace will likely catch up.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/01/13/adaptive-digital-curricula-lagging-in-science-social.html
David,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article - I agree...social studies doesn't have the same "fear factor" as other subject areas. This is sad - because many teachers use this as an excuse not to teach social studies. However, this is also a huge opportunity for teachers - teachers could use this additional flexibility to really infuse creativity and curiosity into social studies lessons.
How did this information integrate with the NCTCS?