TLT 431 introduced our class of 4 to a wide variety of teaching methodologies integrated with social studies content. I would recommend this course for any pre service or post service teacher because it breaks the discipline barrier. The recommendations Dr. Hammond incorporated in this course include: critical thinking activities, thought organizers, use of film and art, field trips. Reflecting on this interdisciplinary exploration of Social Studies methods I alter my initial manifesto, slightly.
I believe:
Social studies philosophy rivals Environmental Education’s place as the epitome of interdisciplinary investigation if utilized progressively. Social Studies is a discipline of many disciplines, ranging from anthropology to economics to history to psychology that can be taught in a linear, thematic or issue-based manner. Through investigation of historic, current, and projected phenomena social studies instructors can create a holistic approach wrapping together humanities, mathematics, earth systems and astronomical sciences. Social studies supports use of teaching methodologies from across disciplines to emulate “thinking like a (Fill in the Expertise)” and promotes development of skills necessary to become a literate and active citizenry. By exploring the deep knowledge base and investigating multiple perspectives, students of social studies follow the thread connecting choice, behavior, and relations to other humans, animal and plant species, and physical environment. By examining and understanding how place influences the origin and development of cultures, ethics, religions we can better understand past choices regarding consumption, environmental modification, and human interactions and look ahead to make informed literate decisions which will benefit the public good based on global perspectives.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Online Social Studies Resources 4/19/08 8:07 AM
Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)
http://www.dlese.org/library/index.jsp
For my “more familiar site” I chose to evaluate the Digital Library for Earth System Education. DLESE is a site that most Social Studies teachers may overlook when searching for teaching materials, resources, lessons, and grant sources. The site serves as a clearinghouse for collections of peer-reviewed materials that address issues that their organizers grouped into based categories. Some that are relevant to social studies include: educational theory and practice, forestry, environmental science, human geography, physical geography, natural hazards, geologic time, history and philosophy, and policy issues. Some of the organizations that feed into the page include: NOAA, USGS, Discover our Earth, Indigenous Science Resources. Creative social studies instructors can easily link resources targeted for earth science to specific social studies disciplines such as geography, economics, civics and government, history, international relations, and resource availability.
The start page is has several drop down boxes across the top margin that allow educators to select from general educational resources, specific teacher materials, news and opportunities, materials for curriculum developers and information about DLESE. To the left is a unique search area in the shape of the globe. Teachers can select grade level, resource type, collection, or standard based searches. On the lower right side are highlights about new materials, news releases or specific programs. The interface is appealing for teachers but is not really intended for student use. Although the graphics are interesting, the site is still very textual with no manipulatives.
The site provides links to specific national standards. These are the National Science Education Standards and the National Geography standards. If a teacher has a specific standard they want to address they merely need to list their key words and select the standard the search engine does the rest. The engine redirects the search through the wide set of collections supplied by various earth system science related organizations.
Educators can easily find lessons relating to the Pennsylvania Geography, Economics, History, and Civics and Government Standards. For example by selecting the National Standard Geography Standard “environment and society” filter and typing in the keywords “social studies.” The engine offered 17 lessons. The first of these 17, The impact of natural hazards around the world, readily addresses the following PA Academic Standards:
Geography:
7.2.6 A. Describe the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.3.6 B. Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics
7.3.6 C. Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics
7.3.6 D. Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their economic activities.
Although not necessarily designed as a student resource DLESE can be used by middle and high schools students as a resource for research. This could be conducted through teacher directed investigations or as part of an independent study. The research could be about specific social studies topics and how environmental sciences relate to social studies disciplines. To do this type of research the students could access the educational resources/ materials. By entering the topic students are given access to background materials, research papers, maps, and activities that would help their efforts. The site is also a good source of information about careers. Teachers could easily design an inquiry about careers that link science and social studies and have the students access the news and opportunities selections.
Access to this site is free. Educators can also submit their lessons for peer review and posting. They can also serve as peer reviewers.
Free Federal Resources for Education Excellence (FFREE)
http://free.ed.gov/HandSS.cfm
The Federal Resources for Education Excellence web page provides access to articles, documents, photos, and links to a variety of additional federal websites. This site is designed for both teachers and secondary level students. The website is maintained by the US Department of Education and provides access to information across all academic disciplines from art through science. There are 63 federal organizations that feed into the resource base for this site. Access to educational materials for the social studies discipline are found on a specific page dedicated to History and Social Studies. Subcategories addressed from this page include: U.S. History topics, U.S. Time Periods, and World Studies.
The start page for History and Social Studies is uncluttered. There are three ways to move on to content materials. A menu on the left side of the page allows for selection of a subcategory. In the center of the page are the three categories depicted with pictures and descriptive text. These first two examples encourage browsing for information. To the top left is a search bar for more directed searches, (i.e. if teacher or student would want information about a specific time, event, person or topic). Free does not group information by grade level or by standard.
ALL Pennsylvania Standards for Geography, History, Economics, Civics and Government are easily addressed by accessing FFREE! Just type in a topic or phrase from a standard description and resources are provided from all applicable governmental agencies.
The site lends itself to both teacher centered and student-centered investigations. An example of a teacher-centered activity would utilizing a picture set or document series to support a lecture. A more student-centered activity could be a themed scavenger hunt. Students could be given a list of themes, issues, or specific vocabulary. The students would then be asked to define with historic examples. The students would then search the resources and compile a journal or photo book with descriptions of each item and a short paragraph explaining why the artifact serves as the best example of that idea or word.
http://www.dlese.org/library/index.jsp
For my “more familiar site” I chose to evaluate the Digital Library for Earth System Education. DLESE is a site that most Social Studies teachers may overlook when searching for teaching materials, resources, lessons, and grant sources. The site serves as a clearinghouse for collections of peer-reviewed materials that address issues that their organizers grouped into based categories. Some that are relevant to social studies include: educational theory and practice, forestry, environmental science, human geography, physical geography, natural hazards, geologic time, history and philosophy, and policy issues. Some of the organizations that feed into the page include: NOAA, USGS, Discover our Earth, Indigenous Science Resources. Creative social studies instructors can easily link resources targeted for earth science to specific social studies disciplines such as geography, economics, civics and government, history, international relations, and resource availability.
The start page is has several drop down boxes across the top margin that allow educators to select from general educational resources, specific teacher materials, news and opportunities, materials for curriculum developers and information about DLESE. To the left is a unique search area in the shape of the globe. Teachers can select grade level, resource type, collection, or standard based searches. On the lower right side are highlights about new materials, news releases or specific programs. The interface is appealing for teachers but is not really intended for student use. Although the graphics are interesting, the site is still very textual with no manipulatives.
The site provides links to specific national standards. These are the National Science Education Standards and the National Geography standards. If a teacher has a specific standard they want to address they merely need to list their key words and select the standard the search engine does the rest. The engine redirects the search through the wide set of collections supplied by various earth system science related organizations.
Educators can easily find lessons relating to the Pennsylvania Geography, Economics, History, and Civics and Government Standards. For example by selecting the National Standard Geography Standard “environment and society” filter and typing in the keywords “social studies.” The engine offered 17 lessons. The first of these 17, The impact of natural hazards around the world, readily addresses the following PA Academic Standards:
Geography:
7.2.6 A. Describe the physical characteristics of places and regions
7.3.6 B. Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their cultural characteristics
7.3.6 C. Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics
7.3.6 D. Describe the human characteristics of places and regions by their economic activities.
Although not necessarily designed as a student resource DLESE can be used by middle and high schools students as a resource for research. This could be conducted through teacher directed investigations or as part of an independent study. The research could be about specific social studies topics and how environmental sciences relate to social studies disciplines. To do this type of research the students could access the educational resources/ materials. By entering the topic students are given access to background materials, research papers, maps, and activities that would help their efforts. The site is also a good source of information about careers. Teachers could easily design an inquiry about careers that link science and social studies and have the students access the news and opportunities selections.
Access to this site is free. Educators can also submit their lessons for peer review and posting. They can also serve as peer reviewers.
Free Federal Resources for Education Excellence (FFREE)
http://free.ed.gov/HandSS.cfm
The Federal Resources for Education Excellence web page provides access to articles, documents, photos, and links to a variety of additional federal websites. This site is designed for both teachers and secondary level students. The website is maintained by the US Department of Education and provides access to information across all academic disciplines from art through science. There are 63 federal organizations that feed into the resource base for this site. Access to educational materials for the social studies discipline are found on a specific page dedicated to History and Social Studies. Subcategories addressed from this page include: U.S. History topics, U.S. Time Periods, and World Studies.
The start page for History and Social Studies is uncluttered. There are three ways to move on to content materials. A menu on the left side of the page allows for selection of a subcategory. In the center of the page are the three categories depicted with pictures and descriptive text. These first two examples encourage browsing for information. To the top left is a search bar for more directed searches, (i.e. if teacher or student would want information about a specific time, event, person or topic). Free does not group information by grade level or by standard.
ALL Pennsylvania Standards for Geography, History, Economics, Civics and Government are easily addressed by accessing FFREE! Just type in a topic or phrase from a standard description and resources are provided from all applicable governmental agencies.
The site lends itself to both teacher centered and student-centered investigations. An example of a teacher-centered activity would utilizing a picture set or document series to support a lecture. A more student-centered activity could be a themed scavenger hunt. Students could be given a list of themes, issues, or specific vocabulary. The students would then be asked to define with historic examples. The students would then search the resources and compile a journal or photo book with descriptions of each item and a short paragraph explaining why the artifact serves as the best example of that idea or word.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Transportation and the Environment 4/15/08 7:20 PM
Transportation has made environmental and societal impacts since man made the first footpath.
Navigation across the terrain of Pennsylvania has proven difficult but not insurmountable. When land or water navigation proved to difficult in an unaltered environment innovative engineers designed canal systems. In it’s heyday the Schuylkill River Navigation system had 120 locks on its 108-mile span.
Before the industrial revolution many people depended on less sophisticated forms of transportation and often relied on early versions of “mass transit” such as stagecoach or large boats. The industrial revolution brought trains and eventually individual automobiles. Trains still represented a form of mass transit. There was a big environmental impact that came with construction of the rail systems and running of the coal-powered trains. People were now able to transport goods and themselves across land in large quantities. This permitted expansion of homes and industry beyond the traditional paths that often followed waterways.
With the advent of the automobile roadways began to spread like varicose veins across the landscape. This new form of transportation encouraged people to move from the cities and commute. Businesses and industries no longer needed to stay in urban areas because their workers could now get to and from work without the limits of train or trolley systems.
The taste of transportation independence so many grew to know is perhaps the biggest obstacle for people trying to convert back to more fuel-efficient public transportation. Other obstacles include loss of rail infrastructure and lack of public support.
Photo emphasizing use of mass transit. Note the separate lanes. Also note the congestion on the
http://www.itdp.org/
Section of Schuylkill River Trail that was built along old canal paths and rail beds. Many now use these sites for recreation. Critics of this recreation system state that the conversion from mass transit to recreation has prevented reinstatement of the rail system as a form of public transportation.
Cover from the Philadelphia Directory, 1861. This was one of the first places “coal dealers” were listed in the Philadelphia area.
http://www.philageohistory.org/citydir/
PRR Swing Bridge in Philadelphia
http://ruins.wordpress.com/category/schuylkill-river/
Additional Readings and Resources:
The Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network
http://www.philageohistory.org/citydir/
The Schuylkill Canal:
http://www.canal.org/
http://www.racc.edu/Library/canal/History/history.html
Publication from the Transportation Research Board (1994)
www.trb.org/publications/millennium/00120.pdf
GIS in Transportation
http://www.gis.fhwa.dot.gov/
Teaching with these resources:
Transportation serves a theme tree with many branches for classroom investigation.
Some lines of investigation may include
• Historical tracking of transpiration routes paired to settlement rates
• Changes in transportation and increased energy consumption
• “If you build it they will come syndrome” What influence does creation of additional transportation routes such as roads have on land use rates. Is this influence greater than the that exerted by population growth rate on development
• How has the environment dictated placement of transportation systems/ How as the environment changed our transportation systems (e.g. floods)
• What are the economic impacts of current transportation infra structure
• Would a change in the dominant transportation form effect the local economies in a positive, negative, or neutral manner
• What current and historic goods depend(ed) on our regional transportation systems
• How do roadways affect migration of land animals
• What prevents the government from imposing mandates for public transportation initiatives
PA Academic Standards potentially addressed by the above investigation strands:
Civics and Government:
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
5.3 How Government works
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Environment and Ecology:
4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The Environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.3 Markets and the Functions of Governments
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.2 Pennsylvania History
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Navigation across the terrain of Pennsylvania has proven difficult but not insurmountable. When land or water navigation proved to difficult in an unaltered environment innovative engineers designed canal systems. In it’s heyday the Schuylkill River Navigation system had 120 locks on its 108-mile span.
Before the industrial revolution many people depended on less sophisticated forms of transportation and often relied on early versions of “mass transit” such as stagecoach or large boats. The industrial revolution brought trains and eventually individual automobiles. Trains still represented a form of mass transit. There was a big environmental impact that came with construction of the rail systems and running of the coal-powered trains. People were now able to transport goods and themselves across land in large quantities. This permitted expansion of homes and industry beyond the traditional paths that often followed waterways.
With the advent of the automobile roadways began to spread like varicose veins across the landscape. This new form of transportation encouraged people to move from the cities and commute. Businesses and industries no longer needed to stay in urban areas because their workers could now get to and from work without the limits of train or trolley systems.
The taste of transportation independence so many grew to know is perhaps the biggest obstacle for people trying to convert back to more fuel-efficient public transportation. Other obstacles include loss of rail infrastructure and lack of public support.
Photo emphasizing use of mass transit. Note the separate lanes. Also note the congestion on thehttp://www.itdp.org/
Section of Schuylkill River Trail that was built along old canal paths and rail beds. Many now use these sites for recreation. Critics of this recreation system state that the conversion from mass transit to recreation has prevented reinstatement of the rail system as a form of public transportation.
Cover from the Philadelphia Directory, 1861. This was one of the first places “coal dealers” were listed in the Philadelphia area.
http://www.philageohistory.org/citydir/
PRR Swing Bridge in Philadelphia
http://ruins.wordpress.com/category/schuylkill-river/
Additional Readings and Resources:
The Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network
http://www.philageohistory.org/citydir/
The Schuylkill Canal:
http://www.canal.org/
http://www.racc.edu/Library/canal/History/history.html
Publication from the Transportation Research Board (1994)
www.trb.org/publications/millennium/00120.pdf
GIS in Transportation
http://www.gis.fhwa.dot.gov/
Teaching with these resources:
Transportation serves a theme tree with many branches for classroom investigation.
Some lines of investigation may include
• Historical tracking of transpiration routes paired to settlement rates
• Changes in transportation and increased energy consumption
• “If you build it they will come syndrome” What influence does creation of additional transportation routes such as roads have on land use rates. Is this influence greater than the that exerted by population growth rate on development
• How has the environment dictated placement of transportation systems/ How as the environment changed our transportation systems (e.g. floods)
• What are the economic impacts of current transportation infra structure
• Would a change in the dominant transportation form effect the local economies in a positive, negative, or neutral manner
• What current and historic goods depend(ed) on our regional transportation systems
• How do roadways affect migration of land animals
• What prevents the government from imposing mandates for public transportation initiatives
PA Academic Standards potentially addressed by the above investigation strands:
Civics and Government:
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
5.3 How Government works
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Environment and Ecology:
4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The Environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.3 Markets and the Functions of Governments
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.2 Pennsylvania History
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Geology and Historical Implications 3/5/08 8:00 PM
The foundation of Civilization has long depended on the underlying geology of a location. Types of buildings, agricultural successes, materials, and fuel resources, are the obvious effects of geology on our sense of place. Few realize that geology has also played a part in military planning. In the Pennsylvania region historians have recognized the geology and resultant topography as reasons for success or failure at three well-known sites. These include Gettysburg, Minisink, and Valley Forge.
Geology of areas can motivate humans to make great change to the topography as well. Consider the anthracite and bituminous coal regions of Pennsylvania. Along the Schuylkill river movement of this material was a final catalyst for development of an intricate canal system and railway making navigation possible along the river of falling waters.
Geology has also saved landscapes from the hands of overambisous engineers. At one point the US Army Corp had proposed damming the Delaware river at Tocks Island, just upstream from the Delaware Watergap. The geography of the area prevented such a sequence. Today the Delaware remains the largest undimmed river in the Eastern US.
Geology reveals much about our unwritten past and constantly shapes our future.
This is a map of the Minisink area. At one end of this region is the Minisink Ford and at the other is the Delaware Watergap. This was quite a fortress.
This is a map of the Minisink area related to the battle. It demonstrates
• Battle of Minisink http://minisink.org/minisinkbattle.html
An arieal photograph of the Tocks Island Region.
Additional resources:
Article Geology as an Historical Science: Its Perception within Science and the Education System
http://www.springerlink.com/content/g327240v712521g6/
Article about Battle of Minisnk - What did happen on top of that rocky hill? Terrain, geology, and historical uncertainty at the Battle of Minisink (1779), New York-Pennsylvania
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/gsaabstr/minisink.aspx
Tocks Island Information - http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcrm.cr.nps.gov%2Farchive%2F25-03%2F25-03-3.pdf&ei=H6kVSNr-NIXQeu6DhZYC&usg=AFQjCNGFETOcrRojzmRqFpUnH5Ji761vhg&sig2=vd4r_WtSD963Pa5vUjQupg
Teaching with these resources
These materials can take educators inmany directions. They could guide their students along the following investigations:
• Investigations of historic battlefield placements
• Environmental consequences of geologic reserves
• Hydrogeology of area and successful development
• How has geology promoted development
• How has geology shaped forestry and agriculture practices
• What are the long term implications, social, economic, and environmental of geological resource extractions
• How does geology shape our inernational relations
PA Standards potentially addressed by the above recommendations:
Civics and Government:
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Environment and Ecology:
4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The Environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.2 Pennsylvania History
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Geology of areas can motivate humans to make great change to the topography as well. Consider the anthracite and bituminous coal regions of Pennsylvania. Along the Schuylkill river movement of this material was a final catalyst for development of an intricate canal system and railway making navigation possible along the river of falling waters.
Geology has also saved landscapes from the hands of overambisous engineers. At one point the US Army Corp had proposed damming the Delaware river at Tocks Island, just upstream from the Delaware Watergap. The geography of the area prevented such a sequence. Today the Delaware remains the largest undimmed river in the Eastern US.
Geology reveals much about our unwritten past and constantly shapes our future.
This is a map of the Minisink area. At one end of this region is the Minisink Ford and at the other is the Delaware Watergap. This was quite a fortress.
This is a map of the Minisink area related to the battle. It demonstrates
• Battle of Minisink http://minisink.org/minisinkbattle.html
An arieal photograph of the Tocks Island Region.
Additional resources:
Article Geology as an Historical Science: Its Perception within Science and the Education System
http://www.springerlink.com/content/g327240v712521g6/
Article about Battle of Minisnk - What did happen on top of that rocky hill? Terrain, geology, and historical uncertainty at the Battle of Minisink (1779), New York-Pennsylvania
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/gsaabstr/minisink.aspx
Tocks Island Information - http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcrm.cr.nps.gov%2Farchive%2F25-03%2F25-03-3.pdf&ei=H6kVSNr-NIXQeu6DhZYC&usg=AFQjCNGFETOcrRojzmRqFpUnH5Ji761vhg&sig2=vd4r_WtSD963Pa5vUjQupg
Teaching with these resources
These materials can take educators inmany directions. They could guide their students along the following investigations:
• Investigations of historic battlefield placements
• Environmental consequences of geologic reserves
• Hydrogeology of area and successful development
• How has geology promoted development
• How has geology shaped forestry and agriculture practices
• What are the long term implications, social, economic, and environmental of geological resource extractions
• How does geology shape our inernational relations
PA Standards potentially addressed by the above recommendations:
Civics and Government:
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Environment and Ecology:
4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The Environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.2 Pennsylvania History
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Environmental and Social Degradation 3/27/ 08 4:30 PM
Environmental destruction, due to over consumption, resource extraction and pollution, impacts not only the natural biota in an ecosystem but also the humans who live there. Humans are an integral living component in their ecosystems. They also create non-living or abiotic structures and influences that create waves of impact. These impacts can be positive or negative and be demonstrated across short and long time spans.
The cycle of overuse and environmental destruction is not new to the human race. We have seen many historic civilizations overpopulate and consume until the resources were depleted, water and air polluted, shelters destroyed and space reduced to the point that disease was able to run rampant.
Social justice and education play important roles as activists try to reverse environmental impacts. Many powerful countries do not blink twice about ravaging resources in poor third world countries. The individuals and governments in the impoverished regions do not always know the value of their holdings and sign over mineral or water rights to their own demise.
Illustration from Global Policy Forum on Environmental Degradation and Hunger. The man in the picture is kneeling in a field affected by drought, over-harvesting and soil depletion. The land is on its way to desertification. http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/hunger/environment/index.htm
Photo from online article October 2, 2007. Chertoff blames immigrants, not border wall, for environmental degradation.
http://ofamerica.wordpress.com/2007/10/page/2/
Teaching with these resources
Teachers can approach these resources from many perspectives.
Impacts on local economies in areas where the misuse is occurring is perhaps the most obvious.
Other direction include investigations into laws and treaties that lead many industries take their businesses and materials extraction to countries where there is little public advocacy.
Discussions about the NIMBY phenomena (Not In My Back Yard)
PA Social Studies standards that may be addressed through these activities include:
Civics and Government:
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Environment and Ecology:
4.3 Environmental Health
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Markets and the Functions of Governments
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Additional Resources:
http://web.utk.edu/~merogge/POV/mrperu.html
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/thresh/thresh1.htm
Environmental Degradation and Social Integration. UNRISD Briefing Paper No. 3. World Summit For Social Development. November 1994 http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=10&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unrisd.org%2Funrisd%2Fwebsite%2Fdocument.nsf%2Fd2a23ad2d50cb2a280256eb300385855%2F52b8b9ca2197847380256b65004c9cc9%2F%24FILE%2Fbp3.pdf&ei=0aQUSOT2FafqefOulJ0C&usg=AFQjCNFXxyPcR6D2YQifbUsDKuIvEV0L2w&sig2=_41ywf_BaOQhOKUaIJ9e3w
The cycle of overuse and environmental destruction is not new to the human race. We have seen many historic civilizations overpopulate and consume until the resources were depleted, water and air polluted, shelters destroyed and space reduced to the point that disease was able to run rampant.
Social justice and education play important roles as activists try to reverse environmental impacts. Many powerful countries do not blink twice about ravaging resources in poor third world countries. The individuals and governments in the impoverished regions do not always know the value of their holdings and sign over mineral or water rights to their own demise.
Illustration from Global Policy Forum on Environmental Degradation and Hunger. The man in the picture is kneeling in a field affected by drought, over-harvesting and soil depletion. The land is on its way to desertification. http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/hunger/environment/index.htm
Photo from online article October 2, 2007. Chertoff blames immigrants, not border wall, for environmental degradation.
http://ofamerica.wordpress.com/2007/10/page/2/
Teaching with these resources
Teachers can approach these resources from many perspectives.
Impacts on local economies in areas where the misuse is occurring is perhaps the most obvious.
Other direction include investigations into laws and treaties that lead many industries take their businesses and materials extraction to countries where there is little public advocacy.
Discussions about the NIMBY phenomena (Not In My Back Yard)
PA Social Studies standards that may be addressed through these activities include:
Civics and Government:
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Environment and Ecology:
4.3 Environmental Health
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Markets and the Functions of Governments
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Additional Resources:
http://web.utk.edu/~merogge/POV/mrperu.html
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/thresh/thresh1.htm
Environmental Degradation and Social Integration. UNRISD Briefing Paper No. 3. World Summit For Social Development. November 1994 http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=10&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unrisd.org%2Funrisd%2Fwebsite%2Fdocument.nsf%2Fd2a23ad2d50cb2a280256eb300385855%2F52b8b9ca2197847380256b65004c9cc9%2F%24FILE%2Fbp3.pdf&ei=0aQUSOT2FafqefOulJ0C&usg=AFQjCNFXxyPcR6D2YQifbUsDKuIvEV0L2w&sig2=_41ywf_BaOQhOKUaIJ9e3w
BioFuel Implications: 3/14/08 7:30 AM
Recent research has inferred that BioFuel production and use may increase Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions. They feel this may happen because land use practices, cut and burn practices and substitution of ground cover with crops that are less efficient in gas exchange are negating the positive effects of the cleaner fuel source.
Contextual Information – This picture was taken from a web site that promotes BioFuel development and use. http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html and land use implications
Sunflower oil is just one sustainable source of BioFuel but it takes a good deal of process
ing to be used in motor vehicles.Contextual Information
This is an image depicting the BioFuel cycle including the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
It was copied from the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI) website: http://www.jgi.doe.gov/education/bioenergy/
Other Photo Sources
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wak1/660921867/in/pool-288376@N25
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wooscary/2055165327/in/pool-99701514@N00
BioFuels are a very controversial topic in this era as we are bombarded with information about fuel and energy consumption. There are several crops that are currently targeted as sources for Bio-diesel or ethanol. These include corn, soybeans, switch grass, sunflower, rice, canola, and cellulose sources.
Many farmers in the US have converted their crop production from human and animal directed consumption to production to fuel source. This has drawn criticism and predictions that dependence on these fuel sources may deplete food resources. Many environmentalists want researchers to tap to existing sources for cellulose-based energy such as residue from forestry. They want to maximize use of resources already being harvested.
The implications of BioFuel production reach well beyond the obvious environmental impacts of conversion or remaining on a fossil fuel based system. Economic advantages would include reduced need for pollution “clean-up” over the long term as well as short-term spurts in industry and employment as the research and conversion happens.
Social implications are also important to consider.
Teaching with these resources
This material serves as a start for debate about BioFuels and investigation into non-combustible forms of alternative energy sources.
If designed properly a unit could be applied to sustainable resource discussion covering land use and transportation issues, and international energy policies, and environmental degradation in the name of fuel production.
Additionally students could trace societal and industrial changes that occurred throughout history as new energy sources or materials resources became available. They could look at implications of harvest and use across the social studies disciplines.
Pa Standards potentially addressed include:
Environment and Ecology:
4.2 Renewable and Nonrenewable resources
4.4 Agriculture and Society
4.8 Humans and The environment
4.9 Environmental Laws and their Impact
Economics:
6.2 Markets and the Functions of Governments
6.2 Scarcity and Choice
6.4 Economic Interdependence
Geography:
7.2 The Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions
7.4 The Human Characteristics of Places and Region
History:
8.1 Historic Analysis and Skills Development
8.3 US History
8.4 World History
Students could also investigate other way to reduce energy consumption as opposed to replacing fuel sources.
Key Article to utilize…
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1151861
Social Studies Student Teacher Educators Self Study- 2/20/08 3:37 PM
Article Reviewed:
Ritter, J. K., Powell, D., & Hawley, T. S. (2007). Takin’ it to the streets: A collaborative self-study into social studies field instruction. Social Studies Research and Practice, 2(3), 342-357.
In Takin’ It to the Streets, three novice teacher educators (all second year doctoral students working as Graduate assistants for in a Southeastern US university’s college of education preparatory program) examine the efficacy of their university’s teacher program through a collaborative self-evaluation process. The beginner educators serve as the field contacts for student teachers in participating in the Teacher preparation programs differ across institutions. For many years researchers have attempted to investigate the influence these programs have on student teachers confidence, practices and beliefs about their purpose as educators. Although research conducted by Wilson, Floden, and Ferry Mundy (2001) have identified the clinical experiences during student teaching as the most influential element of teacher preparation others such as Bullough and Gitlin (2001) point out that beginning teachers do not often recognize these experiences as having great impact.
Ritter, Powell, and Hawley sought to evaluate how the flow of their teacher preparation program helps student teachers to align their practice to the rationale for teaching. They also sought to evaluate the efficacy of their individual approaches toward field supervision in regard to fostering the reflective, metacognitive, adaptive thought processes necessary for teachers to be successful in a school setting. This self-study was also designed to improve their own teaching practice because their university practiced the appointment of graduate students to this very important role of mentor without extensive training or preparation for teaching at the teacher educator level.
The subjects of this qualitative research are the very authors themselves. The team of three noted their university’s social studies education program plan has an intensive preadmission series during which the student must complete a capstone assignment that is connected to a field experience. During this time the students develop “defensible: rationale stating their beliefs about teaching social studies. If admitted to the program the students move onto a methodology and curriculum block for 1 year. In the following year the students begin their student teaching internships. While this sounds like a progressive plan the authors note that the manifesto or rationale statement emphasized during the preadmission component of the program is not referenced again during the preparation process. This in their minds is a big deficiency in the program because they miss many opportunities to address the students basic belief system that was declared in their rationale document.
The team chose a self-study methodology because the evaluatory process encourages a mode of awareness that included both actions and context. They felt self study was a promising means for them to improve their own practice and to become a means of informing about preservice education practices in the the field of social studies teacher preparation. The authors kept reflective journals and wrote formal observation after each student teacher meeting. Each worked with 15 students and conducted 4 observations per student. From these documents the team created narrative summaries after each observation round and the identified themes in their analysis by using Polkinghorne's (1995) paradigmatic analysis of narrative data.
The findings were arranged into categories that answered 3 questions in three areas. The first examined how the individual researchers approaches affect their work as teacher educators. They found that focus on worth of content for students learners and the nature of each lessons goals was more beneficial than focusing teachers on creating the all important hook for student engagement. By connecting discussions about the student teachers rationale for wanting to teach social studies, even though they had difficulty purposely identifying connections between actual practice and beliefs, many teachers were able to defend their practices through their rationale in discussion. The researchers felt this practice carried tremendous potential for improving practice and providing research based reform at their institution.
The second point of their findings addressed the role that the teacher educators should play as field instructors. It was the general consensus that they should work as mentors supporting improved teaching practices rather than by in to the programs missions that often cause stress. Once the novice teachers have confidence to teach the development of the required e-portfolio would have more meaning and purpose. The program as it stood put great emphasis on the portfolio so many students developed lessons to include in the e-document rather than to support development of sound teaching practices.
The third area of findings that were revealed through the narrative/ theme identification process addressed challenges of promoting practices based on their manifest rationale. The biggest obstacle to this was the prior absence of discussion about the rationale itself. Many preservice teachers in the program did not value the document because it was relatively untouched since its development. Instead of focusing on the rationale the researchers turned their focus to aiding in the recognition and beliefs underlying the rationale. This supported metagognitive processes that paired action to beliefs and if beliefs needed to be amended they were able to see the justifications for the call.
Ritter, Powell and Hawley’s observations can be applied to many teacher education programs regardless of sequence structure. Belief systems discretely meld behavior regardless of sequence. By having students identify their beliefs before student begin student teachings they can develop a better understanding of how these beliefs influence their actual practice.
This research is important for teacher educators across disciplines not just social studies teacher educators. There has been research related to science education which reflect demonstrate the influence of belief systems developed prior to methodologies courses or student teaching experiences (Yimaz-Tusin, 2008). It would be interesting to see a cross disciplinary investigation from science, math, social studies, reading and Englishand A comparison of preservice belief systems influence on actual applications in the classroom would reveal the many pedagogical similarities these fields share. This would close the discipline gap that so many professionals hide behind when researching their “own” discipline.
Additional References
Bullough, R.V. & Gitlin, A.D. (2001) becoming a student of teaching: Linking knowledge production and practice. (2nd edition), New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
Polkinghorne, D.E. (1995) Narrative configuration in qualitative analysis. In J.A. Hatch & R.
Wisniewski (Eds.), Life history and narrative (pp.5-23). London: Falmer Press.
Wilson, S.M., Floden, R.E., & Ferrinin-Mundi, J. (2001) Teacher preparation research: Knowledge, gaps, and recommendations. An executive summary of the research report prepared for the U.S. Department of Education and the Office for Educational Research and Improvement. University of Washington, Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy. www.ctp.org
Yilmaz-Tuzin, O. (2008). Preservice elementary teachers' beliefs about science teaching. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 19(2), 183-204.
Ritter, J. K., Powell, D., & Hawley, T. S. (2007). Takin’ it to the streets: A collaborative self-study into social studies field instruction. Social Studies Research and Practice, 2(3), 342-357.
In Takin’ It to the Streets, three novice teacher educators (all second year doctoral students working as Graduate assistants for in a Southeastern US university’s college of education preparatory program) examine the efficacy of their university’s teacher program through a collaborative self-evaluation process. The beginner educators serve as the field contacts for student teachers in participating in the Teacher preparation programs differ across institutions. For many years researchers have attempted to investigate the influence these programs have on student teachers confidence, practices and beliefs about their purpose as educators. Although research conducted by Wilson, Floden, and Ferry Mundy (2001) have identified the clinical experiences during student teaching as the most influential element of teacher preparation others such as Bullough and Gitlin (2001) point out that beginning teachers do not often recognize these experiences as having great impact.
Ritter, Powell, and Hawley sought to evaluate how the flow of their teacher preparation program helps student teachers to align their practice to the rationale for teaching. They also sought to evaluate the efficacy of their individual approaches toward field supervision in regard to fostering the reflective, metacognitive, adaptive thought processes necessary for teachers to be successful in a school setting. This self-study was also designed to improve their own teaching practice because their university practiced the appointment of graduate students to this very important role of mentor without extensive training or preparation for teaching at the teacher educator level.
The subjects of this qualitative research are the very authors themselves. The team of three noted their university’s social studies education program plan has an intensive preadmission series during which the student must complete a capstone assignment that is connected to a field experience. During this time the students develop “defensible: rationale stating their beliefs about teaching social studies. If admitted to the program the students move onto a methodology and curriculum block for 1 year. In the following year the students begin their student teaching internships. While this sounds like a progressive plan the authors note that the manifesto or rationale statement emphasized during the preadmission component of the program is not referenced again during the preparation process. This in their minds is a big deficiency in the program because they miss many opportunities to address the students basic belief system that was declared in their rationale document.
The team chose a self-study methodology because the evaluatory process encourages a mode of awareness that included both actions and context. They felt self study was a promising means for them to improve their own practice and to become a means of informing about preservice education practices in the the field of social studies teacher preparation. The authors kept reflective journals and wrote formal observation after each student teacher meeting. Each worked with 15 students and conducted 4 observations per student. From these documents the team created narrative summaries after each observation round and the identified themes in their analysis by using Polkinghorne's (1995) paradigmatic analysis of narrative data.
The findings were arranged into categories that answered 3 questions in three areas. The first examined how the individual researchers approaches affect their work as teacher educators. They found that focus on worth of content for students learners and the nature of each lessons goals was more beneficial than focusing teachers on creating the all important hook for student engagement. By connecting discussions about the student teachers rationale for wanting to teach social studies, even though they had difficulty purposely identifying connections between actual practice and beliefs, many teachers were able to defend their practices through their rationale in discussion. The researchers felt this practice carried tremendous potential for improving practice and providing research based reform at their institution.
The second point of their findings addressed the role that the teacher educators should play as field instructors. It was the general consensus that they should work as mentors supporting improved teaching practices rather than by in to the programs missions that often cause stress. Once the novice teachers have confidence to teach the development of the required e-portfolio would have more meaning and purpose. The program as it stood put great emphasis on the portfolio so many students developed lessons to include in the e-document rather than to support development of sound teaching practices.
The third area of findings that were revealed through the narrative/ theme identification process addressed challenges of promoting practices based on their manifest rationale. The biggest obstacle to this was the prior absence of discussion about the rationale itself. Many preservice teachers in the program did not value the document because it was relatively untouched since its development. Instead of focusing on the rationale the researchers turned their focus to aiding in the recognition and beliefs underlying the rationale. This supported metagognitive processes that paired action to beliefs and if beliefs needed to be amended they were able to see the justifications for the call.
Ritter, Powell and Hawley’s observations can be applied to many teacher education programs regardless of sequence structure. Belief systems discretely meld behavior regardless of sequence. By having students identify their beliefs before student begin student teachings they can develop a better understanding of how these beliefs influence their actual practice.
This research is important for teacher educators across disciplines not just social studies teacher educators. There has been research related to science education which reflect demonstrate the influence of belief systems developed prior to methodologies courses or student teaching experiences (Yimaz-Tusin, 2008). It would be interesting to see a cross disciplinary investigation from science, math, social studies, reading and Englishand A comparison of preservice belief systems influence on actual applications in the classroom would reveal the many pedagogical similarities these fields share. This would close the discipline gap that so many professionals hide behind when researching their “own” discipline.
Additional References
Bullough, R.V. & Gitlin, A.D. (2001) becoming a student of teaching: Linking knowledge production and practice. (2nd edition), New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
Polkinghorne, D.E. (1995) Narrative configuration in qualitative analysis. In J.A. Hatch & R.
Wisniewski (Eds.), Life history and narrative (pp.5-23). London: Falmer Press.
Wilson, S.M., Floden, R.E., & Ferrinin-Mundi, J. (2001) Teacher preparation research: Knowledge, gaps, and recommendations. An executive summary of the research report prepared for the U.S. Department of Education and the Office for Educational Research and Improvement. University of Washington, Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy. www.ctp.org
Yilmaz-Tuzin, O. (2008). Preservice elementary teachers' beliefs about science teaching. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 19(2), 183-204.
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