CHAPTER 1: The Evolution of a National Survey of Social Studies Teachers

What, exactly, is the status of social studies education in American schools? What content is being taught? What are the qualifications and demographics of our social studies teachers? What instructional methods are they using? How do they address the needs of students with disabilities, low-income learners, English language learners, and minorities? How is high-stakes testing impacting the profession? Is social studies still losing ground in the curriculum?

Until recently, no one really knew the answers to big questions such as these, nor were there ready answers to the sub-issues underlying them: Do social studies teachers with graduate degrees teach differently? Who uses technology and when? Is higher-level thinking emphasized in different learning environments? Does grade level influence social studies teachers’ learning goals? Has social studies finally moved away from a heavy emphasis on textbook and lecture?