Social Science:
The social sciences encompass diverse concerns of society, and include a wide range of content drawn from the disciplines of History, geography, political science, economics, sociology and anthropology. Social Science perspectives and knowledge are indispensable to building the knowledge base for a just and peaceful society. The content should aim at raising students' awareness through critically exploring and questioning of familiar social reality.The possibilities of including new dimensions and concerns, especially in view of students' own life experiences, are considerable. Selecting and organising material into a meaningful curriculum, one that will enable students to develop a critical understanding of society, is therefore a challenging task.
Because the social sciences tend to be considered non-utility subjects and are given less importance than the natural sciences, it is necessary to emphasise that they provide the social, cultural, and analytical skills required to adjust to an increasingly interdependent world, and to deal with political and economic realities.
It is believed that the social sciences merely transmit information and are text centred. Therefore, the content needs to focus on a conceptual understanding rather lining up facts to be memorised for examinations. Reiterating the recommendations of 'Learning Without Burden (1993), emphasis has to be laid on developing concepts and the ability to analyse sociopolitical realities rather than on the mere retention of information without comprehension.
There is also a peception that not many career options are open to students specialising in the social sciences. On the contrary, the social sciences are becoming increasingly relevant for jobs in the rapidly exapanding service sector, and also in developing skills of analysis and creativity.
In a pluralistic society like ours, it is important that all regions and social groups be able to relate to the textbooks. Relevant local content should be part of the teaching-learning process, ideally transacted through activities drawing on local resources.It is also necessary to recognise that the social sciences lend themselves to scientific inquiry just as much as the natural and physical sciences do, as well as to indicate ways in which the methods employed by the social sciences are distinct (but in no way inferior to those of the natural and physical sciences).
The social sciences carry a normative responsibility of creating a strong sense of human values, namely, freedom, trust, mutual respect, and respect for diversity. Social science teaching should aim at generating in students a critical moral and mental energy, making them alert to the social forces that threaten these values.
The disciplines that make up the social sciences, namely, History, geography, political science, and economics, have distinct methodologies that often justify the retaining of boundaries. At the same time, cross disciplinary approaches that are possible should also be indicated. For an enabling curriculum, certain themes that facilitate interdisciplinary thinking need to be incorporated.
The social sciences encompass diverse concerns of society, and include a wide range of content drawn from the disciplines of History, geography, political science, economics, sociology and anthropology. Social Science perspectives and knowledge are indispensable to building the knowledge base for a just and peaceful society. The content should aim at raising students' awareness through critically exploring and questioning of familiar social reality.The possibilities of including new dimensions and concerns, especially in view of students' own life experiences, are considerable. Selecting and organising material into a meaningful curriculum, one that will enable students to develop a critical understanding of society, is therefore a challenging task.
Because the social sciences tend to be considered non-utility subjects and are given less importance than the natural sciences, it is necessary to emphasise that they provide the social, cultural, and analytical skills required to adjust to an increasingly interdependent world, and to deal with political and economic realities.
It is believed that the social sciences merely transmit information and are text centred. Therefore, the content needs to focus on a conceptual understanding rather lining up facts to be memorised for examinations. Reiterating the recommendations of 'Learning Without Burden (1993), emphasis has to be laid on developing concepts and the ability to analyse sociopolitical realities rather than on the mere retention of information without comprehension.
There is also a peception that not many career options are open to students specialising in the social sciences. On the contrary, the social sciences are becoming increasingly relevant for jobs in the rapidly exapanding service sector, and also in developing skills of analysis and creativity.
In a pluralistic society like ours, it is important that all regions and social groups be able to relate to the textbooks. Relevant local content should be part of the teaching-learning process, ideally transacted through activities drawing on local resources.It is also necessary to recognise that the social sciences lend themselves to scientific inquiry just as much as the natural and physical sciences do, as well as to indicate ways in which the methods employed by the social sciences are distinct (but in no way inferior to those of the natural and physical sciences).
The social sciences carry a normative responsibility of creating a strong sense of human values, namely, freedom, trust, mutual respect, and respect for diversity. Social science teaching should aim at generating in students a critical moral and mental energy, making them alert to the social forces that threaten these values.
The disciplines that make up the social sciences, namely, History, geography, political science, and economics, have distinct methodologies that often justify the retaining of boundaries. At the same time, cross disciplinary approaches that are possible should also be indicated. For an enabling curriculum, certain themes that facilitate interdisciplinary thinking need to be incorporated.
