Social Studies Education

Director, 2000-01: Myron Solid, Education, teacher education, curriculum, evaluation

Faculty, 2000-01: Larry Fowler, Education, methods of teaching secondary social studies; Maria Kelly, Education, methods of teaching middle school social studies; John Welckle, Education, educational psychology, social studies education

Special Note: All prospective students should read the material in the Education Department section of this catalog and must meet with an Education Department faculty adviser.

Social Studies Education is an interdisciplinary program involving seven disciplines: Economics, Education, History, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology/Anthropology.

Students study curriculum development, analytical questioning, methods of advancing knowledge, and major theories. They develop strategies to keep current with changes in each discipline and translate this knowledge into instructional materials in their own classrooms.

Teaching licensure: Due to changes in state licensing requirements, student teaching (and licensure) will be separated from college graduation requirements. St. Olaf students may chose Social Studies as a graduation major, but students seeking licensure after September, 2001, must qualify through the new assessment process outlined in the Education Department listing (see Social Studies Licensure adviser).

The purpose of teaching social studies in middle and high school (5-12) is threefold: 1) to provide middle and high school pupils a broad foundation in what is known about human social experience, interaction, and behavior; 2) to provide pupils with perspectives which will assist them in understanding self and others; and 3) to provide pupils a foundation for appreciating and critically evaluating claims of knowledge about human social experience, interaction, and behavior.

OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR

Social Studies Education is a contract major. Students must meet with Education Department faculty to design their curriculum plan and consummate the contract.

Changes in the Minnesota Board of Teaching requirements are being implemented with a new, revised major adopted and in effect. Students currently in the program may elect to complete their original contract or select the new major. Members of the Class of 2004 must contract the new major.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

The Major
Social Studies Education is a twelve-course major consisting of prescribed course combinations. It is made up of a four-course primary core in economics, history, political science, psychology or sociology/anthropology, a second core of one or two courses in each the remaining four content areas, and two professional education courses.

Courses common in all contracts for the major include History 205,206; Economics 121; Political Science 111 or 112; Psychology 121 or 122; Sociology/Anthropology 128; Education 290, 334.

The Teaching License
Students seeking a teaching license in social studies must add to the major prescribed history, social science, and education courses designed to meet Minnesota licensure standards. The licensure program extends student development in disciplinary content and in pedagogy, which meet or exceed Minnesota Board of Teaching Rules 8710.4800: Standards for Teachers of Social Studies. In addition to courses, license requirements include passing Praxis I and Praxis II standardized tests, and experiences of observation and teaching in classroom settings, including one of diversity. Students seeking a Minnesota License to teach social studies must submit a Professional Education Plan with the Department of Education early in their program.

COURSES

334 Social Studies Perspectives

This course examines basic assumptions about social science, primal thought, feminism, humanities, history, post-modernism, and thematic social studies. Students pursue methodologies of structuring knowledge and means of advancing knowledge in each discipline. Students learn how to relate their social studies subject matter to the total social studies curriculum.