Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE - Universität Bielefeld)
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Exploring the implementation gap in citizenship education: An analysis of policy processes from a post-colonial perspective
Full text linkHighlights:
- Brazilian case study analyses the implementation gap in Citizenship Education Policies (CEP)
- A post-colonial perspective is employed to overcome Western democratic ideals in CEP
- Five key policy processes are examined as factors influencing the implementation gap in CEP
- A clear citizenship concept and modelling learning activities contribute to reducing the gap
- Challenges include top-down approaches, external disincentives, and policy misinterpretations
Purpose: This paper explores the implementation gap in CEP using a post-colonial perspective, focusing on a case study in Brazil.
Methodological approach: By employing a qualitative case study approach, semi-structured interviews with frontline educators are applied. Responses were analysed using content analysis with a descriptive design.
Findings: Five key policy processes are identified, yet two – a clear citizenship concept and modelling learning activities – largely contribute to reducing the gap. The remaining three processes – citizenship education as a cross-curricular subject, professional development, and pedagogical resource accessibility – can affect the gap. However, these three can be hindered due to disincentives to implement and other challenges that arise at the frontline level.
Research limitations: The case study may not be generalisable due to the evidence available and considering the regional context.
Practical implications: Insights from the study can aid in developing more inclusive and effective CEP, particularly in post-colonial settings
Civic and social science learning in the Czech Republic: Current state, challenges and prospects
Full text linkHighlights:
– Civic learning has undergone important changes since 1989.
– In 2004, innovative Framework educational programmes were legislatively introduced.
– Teacher training is significantly competency-oriented.
Purpose: Taking the form of a report, the presented text aims to map the curricular changes in civic education and social science learning in basic and upper secondary schools after 1989. It seeks to identify the key features of undergraduate teacher training at universities, with an emphasis on field-specific didactics, and to provide a brief overview of school textbooks, methodological portals, journals and professional organisations. Additionally, it aims to outline prospects and future challenges.
Approach: The research design is based on the use of descriptive method and on the analysis of documents – laws, ministerial decrees, curriculum, educational programmes, a list of textbooks endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, educational portals and specialist journals.
Findings: The article outlines the most significant changes in the approach to civic education and social science learning during the democratisation of society following the fall of communism. It characterises the school curriculum, undergraduate teacher training in the Czech Republic and innovations aimed at developing professional competencies. It also discusses field-specific didactics and its position, methodological support and professional communication among teachers within the professional community (textbooks, portals, associations, etc.).
Research limitations: The limitations primarily lie in the deliberate focus solely on the educational field and its curricular framework, rather than on individual aspects of the educational process (such as teaching methods and forms, field-specific extracurricular learning, evaluation of the impact of teacher qualification on lesson quality, the out-of-school context of civic learning in society, etc.). This approach is motivated by the aim to ensure maximum consistency in the text. Another limiting factor is the fact that while current challenges for the field are outlined, answers to these issues are contingent on the implementation of relevant empirical research, which is still largely lacking in the Czech Republic
Covering the news to develop students’ understanding of political responsibility in social studies classrooms?
No full textHighlights:
- Teachers do not explicitly frame the news as questions about political responsibility
- Teachers do not switch between individual and social responsibility when covering the news
- There is little room for students to explore their own understanding of political responsibility in the classrooms
- A didactic model for developing political responsibility covering the news is discussed
Purpose: The article discusses to what extent and in what ways teachers make room for students to develop their understanding of political responsibility when covering the news in social studies classrooms. The goal is to outline the conditions for a model that generates an understanding of political responsibility through news coverage.
Design/methodology/approach: Six teachers’ news coverage during 25 lessons has been observed, three at lower secondary- and three at upper secondary school and analysed using content analysis, combining political-, media- and pedagogic concepts relevant for the purpose.
Findings: Students’ ability to develop an understanding of political responsibility is limited. There are various needs to consider when designing a didactic model to address this problem. One concerns teachers’ readiness to perceive the political implications of news events related to political responsibility.
Research limitations/implications: Although the robustness of the results increases when compared to previous research, it cannot be generalised.
Practical implications: We have identified certain conditions that challenge conventional news coverage that should be considered when aiming to develop an understanding of political responsibility
Fact is king: Critical thinking in student-led assessment conversations in social studies
No full textHighlights:
- Assessment conversations in a 9th-grade social studies class were analysed.
- Students’ contributions were sorted to identify the dominant level of knowledge.
- Objective facts and disconnected information prevailed in the conversations.
Purpose: This study explores the extent to which critical thinking is present in assessment conversations in social studies.
Design/methodology/approach: The study builds on data from a Norwegian social studies class in the 9th grade (13–14-year-olds). Students performed student-led assessment conversations in groups of four. The students’ contributions were sorted into the absolutist, multiplist and evaluativist categories to identify what level of knowledge was dominant in their conversations. Critical thinking is only possible in the evaluative category.
Findings: Absolutist content prevailed in all conversations, meaning that the students, by and large, focused on objective facts and sharing disconnected information.
Research limitations/implications: The students’ prioritisation of absolutist content in their conversations could resemble a strong objectivist tradition in the field of social studies.
Practical implications: Discussions based on open questions and cause-and-effect thinking should be rehearsed with students to develop their critical thinking skill
Dystopian or utopian futures? Upper secondary school students’ perspectives on gender, equality, and the future through history education
No full textHighlights:
- Students oscillate between utopia and dystopia when imagining the future concerning equality.
- Meaning-making is shaped by history education, social media and contemporary political events.
- Students construct equality as both threatened and threatening.
- Students position themselves as more open and progressive than older generations.
- Students express limited personal agency, attributing real power to “others.”
Purpose: This article investigates how Swedish upper secondary school students envision future societies, with a particular focus on gender, sexuality, and equality, through the lens of history education.
Design/methodology/approach: The study draws on qualitative interviews with students in upper secondary school. A poststructuralist theoretical framework, inspired by Butler and Foucault, guides the analysis of how discourses are negotiated and reproduced in classroom practices.
Findings: The analysis reveals tensions and ambivalence regarding the future. The narratives reflect the complex interplay between historical and present societal norms, as well as students’ future imaginaries. This article contributes to understanding how history education shapes young people’s views of the future.
Research implications: The study highlights a critical challenge: many students feel powerless in shaping the future, attributing agency to external forces. This accentuates the need for educational approaches that empower youth as agents of change
Controversial issues in Swedish social studies education: Success and failure in teachers’ task perceptions
Full text linkHighlights:
– The study examined teachers’ perceptions of success and failure in their teaching about controversial issues.
– 18 interviewed teachers in civics in Swedish school years 7, 8, 9.
– Relational aspects are decisive.
– Values included neutrality, pluralism, civil behaviour, and students’ well-being, which were central to the teachers.
– Tensions concerned the level of emotional engagement and how to deal with students’ opinions.
Purpose: This study seeks to gain an understanding of the complexities involved in real-life classroom teaching. The aim is to trace values and tensions displayed in what the teachers regard as successful and unsuccessful.
Design/methodology/approach: Teachers were interviewed to explore their perceptions of success and failures in their teaching about controversial issues. Data was analysed thematically and cross-analysed to find underlying didactic values and tensions.
Findings: Successful and unsuccessful are mainly related to the students’ learning, teachers’ efforts, and reactions of parents, not to specific issues. Values included concern for students’ well-being and a desire for less polarisation. Tensions concerned students’ level of commitment and how to deal with students’ own opinions. Successful teaching is not only about achieving curriculum goals but also must be understood in relation to teachers’ task perceptions.
Practical implications: Results of the study can provide teachers with a ground for didactical reflection
Climbing the STAIRs: Assessing students’ social scientific reasoning skills
No full textHighlights:
- Assessing complex skills in secondary school teaching practice is considered challenging
- We developed items (STAIRs) to formatively assess students’ social scientific reasoning
- STAIRs were validated by experts, teachers, think-aloud interviews, and test administration
- STAIRs elicited students’ reasoning about social problems in three proficiency levels
- The design principles may be applied by teachers in the development of assessment items
Purpose: Assessing complex skills is considered important but challenging. This study focused on developing assessment items to evaluate secondary social science students’ proficiency in the subskill of causal analysis.
Design/methodology/approach: Based on a conceptual framework of social scientific reasoning, we designed formative assessment items known as STAIRs (Social science Teaching Assessment Items of Reasoning). The STAIRs were validated in three focus groups: two groups of assessment experts (N = 7 and N = 3) and one group of social science teachers (N = 10). Additionally, think-aloud interviews were conducted with eight social science students. The quality of the STAIRs was evaluated by administering the items to 338 social science students in 21 Dutch social science classes.
Findings: The results showed that it is possible to distinguish between the three performance levels in students’ reasoning using the STAIRs.
Practical implications: The design principles for the STAIRs may aid teachers in developing additional assessment items
Editorial
No full textAs summer approaches, we can finally take a pause and momentarily step back from our duties at the universities. In this second issue of 2025, the Journal of Social Science Education is proud to present four original articles and a country report focusing on the historical development in the Czech Republic. We believe all of them bring new ideas and angles on social science teaching and learning. As the summer invites us to slow down and look anew at our own practices, we hope this issue can give inspiration and offer perspective on how our teaching can better support the development of knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes that students need to navigate and shape our societies. In these times, it seems more important than ever
Educational content selection in human rights education at the early childhood education and care level
No full textHighlights:
- Educational content is not a prioritised discussion when suggesting ideas for observing UN Day.
- Empirical insight into ECEC teachers’ ideas on observing UN Day.
- Difficult to work with human rights education without a connection to human rights.
- The four dimensions can offer structures to select content from a subject-didactic perspective.
- Non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations mainly produce educational resources for this level.
Purpose: This study pays attention to educational content in human rights education (HRE) at the early childhood education and care (ECEC) level. It aims to discuss the function of four content selection dimensions for discussing HRE content at the ECEC level.
Design/methodology/approach: The aim is explored through a directed content analysis of 73 online posts suggesting ideas for observing UN Day.
Findings: In the ECEC teachers’ ideas, little attention is paid to educational content. Less than half of the posts include a connection to human rights. Preliminary findings indicate that the four dimensions can aid in structuring a subject-didactic approach to HRE content.
Research limitations/implications: This study contributes to discussing HRE content in ECEC. It provides insight into prevalent ideas and discussions; it does not provide insight into how ECEC teachers practice HRE.
Practical implications: The findings are a starting point for discussing support to ECEC teachers in selecting human rights educational content
Educational orientation, actively open-minded thinking, and democratic ideals in the assessment of news credibility
No full textHighlights:
- Democratic knowledge and perspectives correlate with misinformation discernment (MD).
- Higher education in all academic orientations correlates positively with MD.
- Low dogmatism and low fact-resistance correlate positively with MD.
- Self-rated information literacy aligns with objective performance in MD.
- Disciplinary differences are associated with different democratic ideals.
Purpose: This study examines how educational orientation, actively open-minded thinking (AOT), and democratic ideals relate to misinformation discernment in an era of misleading media content.
Methodology: Using an online survey, nationally representative adults (n=3060) and university students (n=1097) completed measures assessing misinformation discernment, AOT, democratic ideals, and information literacy.
Findings: Higher education improves misinformation discernment, though no differences emerged across academic disciplines. AOT, especially low dogmatism and fact resistance, strongly predicts misinformation resilience. Democratic ideals, emphasising representation and expertise, enhance discernment, while participatory ideals show weaker links. Self-rated information literacy correlates with better discernment, yet advanced techniques like lateral reading and reverse image search remain rare. Political orientation influences outcomes, with Green-voting individuals performing better and right-wing Sweden Democrats performing worse.
Implications: The findings emphasise the need to integrate critical thinking, democratic education, and digital fact-checking skills into curricula across disciplines, actively promoting AOT and fostering nuanced democratic perspectives