Abstract
The social science curriculum of the future must prepare students to face rapidly changing circumstances in their world. The home and church seem to be unable to deal with those changes that are leading to a deterioration in human relationships and moral standards. The school seems to have the greatest potential for meeting the challenge and it is argued here that the most suitable setting in the school is the classroom with a wide range of ability and racial groups in it. The methodological principles stemming from the Taba Curriculum in Social Studies, supplemented and refined by those of Piaget and Kohlberg, offer possibilities for effecting positive social changes to meet the moral crisis at present facing Western society.
Résumé
Dans le futur, le programme d'études des sciences sociales devra préparer les élèves à faire face aux changements rapides de leur monde. La maison et l'église semblent incapables de s'occuper des transformations qui mènent à la déterioration des relations humaines et des valeurs morales. Il semble que l'école a le plus grand potentiel pour faire face à ce défi et l'auteur soutient que le meilleur milieu dans l'école c'est la salle de classe composée d'élèves qui ont des aptitudes variées et qui viennent de différents groupes raciaux. Les principles méthodologiques qui dérivent du programme scolaire dans les ciences sociales de Taba, augmenté de ceux de Piaget et Kohlberg, offrent des possibilités d'effectuer des changements sociaux positifs afin de faire face à la crise morale qui confronte à présent la société occidentale.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Archembault, R. D. Criteria for success in moral instruction.Harvard Educational Review, 1963,33, 472–483.
Bandura, A., & Walters, R.Social learning and personality development. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1963.
Baratz, S., & Baratz, J. Early childhood intervention.Harvard Educational Review, 1970,40, 29–50.
Bereiter, C., & Englemann, S.Teaching disadvantaged children in the preschool. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1966.
Burch, W. R. Cross-cultural dialogues.New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies,2, 113–124.
Coleman, J. S., et al.,Equality of educational opportunity. Washington, D.C.: Office of Education, Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare, 1966.
Douglas, J. B., et al.All our future. London: Peter Davies, 1968.
Hartshorne, H., & May, M. A.Studies in deceit. New York: Macmillan, 1928.
Havighurst, R., & Taba, H.Adolescent character and personality. New York: Wiley, 1949.
Hunt, J. Mc.V.Intelligence and experience. New York: Ronald, 1961.
Kohlberg, L. Quoted in E. Turiel, Developmental processes in the child's moral thinking. In P. H. Mussen, J. Langer, & M. Covington (Eds.),Trends and issues in developmental psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1969.
Leach, E.A runaway world? The Reith lectures. London: Oxford University Press, 1967.
Lorenz, K.On aggression. New York: Bantam Books, 1966.
McNaughton, A. H., et al. The use of teaching modules to study high level thinking in social studies.The Journal of Teacher Education, 1967,18(4), 495–502.
Piaget, J.The moral judgment of the child. New York: Glencoe Free Press, 1932.
Piaget, J.The psychology of intelligence. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1936.
Piaget, J. In R. E. Ripple & V. N. Rockcastle (Eds.),Piaget rediscovered. New York: Cornell University Press, 1964.
Rokeach, M.Beliefs, attitudes and values. New York: Jossey-Bass, 1968.
Smedslund, J. The acquisition of conservation of substance and weight in children. In I. E. Sigel & F. H. Hooper (Eds.),Logical thinking in children. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1968.
Smith, E. R., & Tyler, R. W.Appraising and recording student progress. (The Eight Year Study) New York: Harper, 1942.
Smith, M. S., & Bissell, J. S. Report analysis: The impact of Head Start.Harvard Educational Review, 1970,40, 51–104.
Stark, R., & Glock, C. Y.American piety: The nature of religious commitment. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1968.
Stenhouse, L.The humanities project: An introduction. London: Heinemann, 1970.
Taba, H.Teaching strategies and cognitive functioning in elementary school children. (Co-op. Research Project 2404) Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1966.
Taba, H., Levine, S., & Elzey, F.Thinking in elementary school children. (Co-op. Research Project 1574) Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1964.
Turiel, E. An experimental test of the sequentiality of developmental stages in the child's moral judgments.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1966,3, 611–618.
Turiel, E. Developmental processes in the child's moral thinking In P. Mussen, J. Langer & M. Covington (Eds.),Trends and issues in developmental psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1969. Pp.92–103.
Vernon, P. E.Intelligence and cultural environment. London: Methuen, 1969.
Wallen, N., et al.Taba social studies curriculum development project. (Co-op. Research Project 5-1314) Washington, D.C.: Office of Education, 1969.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McNaughton, A.H. Curriculum as an instrument of change with particular reference to the social sciences. Interchange 1, 61–69 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02214880
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02214880