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K-5 social studies content standards: investigating critical thinking for informed action

Oluseyi Matthew Odebiyi (Department of Teacher Development, Saint Cloud State University, Saint Cloud, Minnesota, USA)

Social Studies Research and Practice

ISSN: 1933-5415

Article publication date: 30 August 2021

Issue publication date: 14 October 2021

217

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics of critical thinking for informed action within the frame of six sample US states’ Kindergarten-5 social studies content standards.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used quantitative content analysis. In addition to describing how the states’ standards present critical thinking for informed action, four variables were included: the enrollment weight of the states, textbook adoption status to advance standards, summative test status for social studies and grade levels.

Findings

The results indicate complex variations in context-based critical thinking levels are required by the sample states’ content standards with an extensive orientation toward superficial contextual thinking.

Originality/value

The study provides a new lens with which to make sense of students’ context-based critical thinking, as it relates to the expectations found in standards. It discusses the implications of the states’ K-5 standards on engaging students in critical thinking.

Keywords

Citation

Odebiyi, O.M. (2021), "K-5 social studies content standards: investigating critical thinking for informed action", Social Studies Research and Practice, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 203-217. https://doi.org/10.1108/SSRP-05-2021-0010

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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