Rethinking place, boundaries, and local history in social studies teacher education

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative study that examined how pre-service teachers (PSTs) used mobile technology and experiential learning to critically examine the processes that shape places over time. During Summer course work that occurred prior to beginning their field experience and student teaching, participants explored neighborhoods and public spaces, and researched the history as well as contemporary issues relevant to the places in which their future students live, play, work, shop, and go to school. The use of social media as a forum for sharing and reflecting upon their experiences provided opportunity to critique neoliberal and race-based public policies, as well as support reflection on the relationships between geography and teaching about social (in)justice in the social studies. Findings inform the work of teacher educators who seek to help teacher candidates think more deeply about how spatial contexts inform culturally sustaining and critically minded pedagogy in the social studies. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study included pre- and post-surveys and two one-on-one interviews between research participants and the researcher. Data were also gathered through the use of posts made by participants to a shared social media account. Interested in the interactive process of subjects and their surroundings, symbolic interactionism provided the methodological framework for this study. Findings Involvement in the study provided PSTs with new ways of thinking about how places are shaped over time and the importance of incorporating local intersections of geography and injustice in the classroom. Through experiential learning, PSTs developed a critical understanding of how place relates to who they teach, moved away from deficit thinking about people and places, and, as evidenced in the examples shared, approached lesson planning as place-relevant and culturally sustaining social studies educators. Originality/value The majority of students enrolled in teacher education courses in the USA remains white and it is well documented that most possess few cultural and geographic ties to the schools and students they work with as PSTs. Interested in the intersection of race, place, and teacher education, this paper discusses research conducted with 12 pre-service secondary social studies teachers (PSTs) who were enrolled in an eight-week Summer seminar course that preceded their Fall field experience and Spring student teaching placements to learn how they interpret their movement through spaces and their understanding of how geography, race, and agency intersect and impact students.

Integration of Mobile Learning and Project-Based Learning in Improving Vocational School Competence

“…Learning outcomes get positive responses from students, students feel more guided and monitored from the beginning to the end of learning. Cellular technology is used in learning experiences that are critically used as a medium for sharing and reflecting on their experiences and allowing participants to support learning reflection (Harshman & Harshman, 2017). The results of this finding provide confidence that the integration model of mobile learning has an effectivity effectivity on vocational secondary schools.…”

Understanding Our History: Local and Oral History in Social Studies Courses

“…Among the PCTs' views of local history studies, the importance of being able to experience what is nearby was emphasized by one of the PCTs as, "… if we can offer them [students] the opportunity to experience what is nearby, it will be much more appropriate." Similarly, Harshman (2017) observed that the prospective teachers used experiential learning in their local history practices. This way, the prospective teachers developed a critical understanding of how they could relate the place they examined to the people in the study area.…”

“…The development of students' interest in history, place attachment, and civic engagement, confirmed that young people who gained knowledge about local history had increased interest, acquired a higher level of place attachment, and exhibited civil engagement and general social trust. In another study conducted by Harshman (2017) prospective teachers were provided with ways to think about how people and places studied as part of local history were shaped over time and the importance of moving the local geography to the classroom. In the study conducted by Avcı-Akçalı (2012), it was revealed that the local history project enabled participant students to become conscious, to take pride in their own society and to be connected to the place.…”

“…In addition, through oral history studies, students learn to conduct research and record real events from the lives of people in society (Boyd, Fernheimer & Dixon, 2015;Goald & Gradowski, 2014;Kabapınar, 2014). Furthermore, oral history studies are considered as a concrete learning area suitable for the new education concept of the 21 st century comprising social responsibility and student-centered, active, and lifelong learning by living (Anderson & Hamilton, 2016 Dilek, 2016;Goald & Gradowski, 2014;Harshman, 2017;Jenks, 2010;Kabapınar, 2014;Kabapınar & İncegül, 2016;Sağlam & Sayımlı, 2018;Shopes, 2015;Stefaniak, Bilewicz ve Lewicka, 2017). There are also studies conducted with prospective teachers that will use oral history in their class as a classroom teacher in the future (Aktın & Tekir, 2018;Dere, 2018;Dündar, 2017;Tural, 2017).…”

“…The literature contains studies in which local methods and oral history are addressed separately (Ablak, Dikmenli & Çetin, 2014;Akbaba & Kılcan, 2012;Aktın & Tekir, 2018;Avcı-Akçalı,2012;Avcı-Akçalı & Aslan, 2016;Boyd, Fernheimer & Dixon, 2015;Crocco & Marino, 2017;Dere, 2018;Dere & Kızılay, 2017;Dere & Kalender, 2019;Dere & Uysal, 2019;Dilek, 2016;Goald & Gradowski, 2014;Harshman, 2017;Jenks, 2010;Kabapınar, 2014;Kabapınar & İncegül, 2016;Sağlam & Sayımlı, 2018;Shopes, 2015;Stefaniak, Bilewicz ve Lewicka, 2017). There are also studies conducted with prospective teachers that will use oral history in their class as a classroom teacher in the future (Aktın & Tekir, 2018;Dere, 2018;Dündar, 2017;Tural, 2017).…”