Social Studies Disciplinary Skills

This course explores a new Social Studies Disciplinary Framework that allows teachers to internalize and plan learning experiences in authentic ways related to the disciplinary practices of Social Scientists and Historians. This framework includes three layers. The first encourages active knowledge building and moves away from the typical lecture. The next is the analytical lenses which requires students to use their background knowledge to make meaning of social studies phenomena. Finally, the last layer is that of evaluation, where students report back their learning and develop their own point of view on the topic that they are studying. This framework was designed to be used as a tool to respond to legislation that seeks to control conversations and perspectives. In allowing students to engage with the discipline authentically, we provide opportunities for white hegemonic legislation to be challenged and subverted.

Additionally, this framework allows for a shared language among Social Studies educators to emerge. One that will provide for more authentic engagement for social studies practitioners in sharing best practices and in moving the discipline forward in K-12 spaces. This course is for anyone who would like to explore a framework that can be applied to any K-12 Social Studies classroom, and also for those in higher education training others to enter into the field of Social Studies.