Social Studies Curriculum - Research Paper Example

A student at a lower level of school might not be able to understand these concepts, and on this basis, these children might be taught on the existence of various cultural groups, and where they are found. To effectively understand culture, a social science curriculum must also have the elements of continuity, change and time (Au, 2012). Culture changes over time, and it is not mandatory for a group to practice one tradition for eternity. This is because globalization and modernity plays a role in eroding some cultures, in exchange of a superior culture.

For example, some people cannot speak their ethnic languages, but they can speak English in a very fluent manner. This is because English is a dominant language in the current century, thanks to globalization (Basit, 2012). Another important element in a social science curriculum is the existence of the thematic connotation of people, place and environment. It is impossible to learn about the culture of an individual, without knowing the place where these people come from, and their environments/surroundings.

For instance, if we want to know about the cultural practices of the Latino Americans, we have to first identify where these people come from. The Latinos came from North America. After identifying this fact, that is when an individual can effectively learn on their cultural practices, and what shapes them. A social science curriculum must also explain the thematic connotations of governance, authority and power (Basit, 2012). In order to understand this element of governance, authority and power, students have to understand the different cultural values and its elements.

This is because it is these cultural values that shape the system of governance within a state/ community. Take for example a society that believes in democracy, their system of governance will reflect democratic tendencies. It is also impossible to understand these thematic connotations of governance, authority and power, without understanding how the various groups, individuals and institutions interact with each other within a community. On this basis therefore, a good social science curriculum must have an element of groups, individuals and institutions (Au, 2012).

It is the various institutions within a country that shapes the governance structure of the same country. For example, a country with a strong judiciary will ensure that the leaders of the nation follow the law, without which there will be consequences. This concept therefore promotes the rule of the law. Implications of constructivist theory: Constructivism is a theory is a theory that denotes knowledge is a creation of people, and it is influenced by their cultural believes, and values. According to this theory, knowledge is constructed individually and bases itself on the student’s intellectual development as they experience reality that occurs during the process of social and physical activity.

On this basis, constructivism theory can be used in the design and planning of a curriculum for the study of social sciences (DeVries and Zan, 2012). The use of constructivism theory, in the development of a social studies curriculum will center on the following four tenets. The first tenet is that the mind of an individual has the capability of representing issues through symbols. Language is an important symbol recognized by the mind, and it is an important element that contributes to the student’