Cameron White

The Message in the Music: Popular Culture and Teaching in Social Studies.

usic is the universal language, or so the saying goes. Most people love music and may even find solace as they listen to their preferred musical genres. How often do songs “take us back” to a memory long since past? Because music can evoke deep personal meanings, social studies educators often use songs to emphasize larger historical moments. This personalization phenomenon continues as today’s youths explore their own musical genres and store today’s memories. Because music is a vital component of youth popular culture, preferred over even movies and television (Rideout, Roberts, and Foehr 2005), a teacher’s understanding and application of popular music can be a powerful tool for instruction and learning in social studies education. Popular music is most often used to enhance history education through an investigation of the music of a period, a practice suggested by Harris (2004), Bafumo (2004), and Palmer (1998). Music’s full potential, however, is often underused, especially that of contemporary popular music. As social studies educators, our ongoing challenges are to provide students with effective tools to examine relevant societal issues critically and to make connections to the world of students; current popular music is a way to do that. Although traditional social studies education often focuses on covering essential knowledge to ensure high test scores and teachers often do not have enough time to include music, which some consider inappropriate for the classroom, teachers interested in a relevant social studies curriculum that facilitates active participation and problem solving may apply contemporary popular music in a variety of significant ways. With myriad present social problems, meaningful integration of current issues is vital in social studies education. Music is a powerful tool that teachers can use for a serious examination of such social problems as poverty, racism, abuse, and addictions and such global issues as hunger, disease, and war. Following in the footsteps of former entertainers, today’s artists, like the Black Eyed Peas, Dixie Chicks, and Green Day, focus on social issues that should be considered in our classrooms. Through the students’ exploration of lyrics, music becomes a tool that offers social studies educators opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations about major social issues and to connect with students. Part of our responsibility as educators is to analyze the historical role that music has played in raising social consciousness, but more important, teachers need to use these examples to connect to the struggles that are being waged now.

Creating a "World of Discovery" by Thinking and Acting Globally in Social Studies: Ideas from New Zealand.

hat is the role of social studies in W facilitating global understanding? What can we make of the term globalization, which currently dominates many international issues and discussions? How are other nations dealing with the need to develop truly global citizens? The world is constantly changing, and social studies must change as well. New issues and themes are present in the world, but the social studies is slow to adapt to those changes. Social studies has remained intent on socialization rather than on critical citizenship and really is quite ethnocentric. To meet the needs of students and face the challenges in the world today and in the future, we must undertake approaches that address global issues. Social studies that will lead ultimately to global social efficacy must enable students to experience a “world of discovery.” Global social efticacy empowers us to analyze issues in the world and society critically and to participate actively in problem solving and decision making for change. Improved global education must include the following topics:

Real Boats Rock: A Transdisciplinary Approach for Teacher Preparation

Abstract Building upon a successful teacher preparation program, we crafted a seamless curriculum of four methods courses-literacy, math, social studies, and science within a transdisciplinary framework. We define transdisciplinary teaching and learning as a context and conveyor for knowledge that is influenced by the synergy between the learners and the teachers and embraces: a) collaboration, b) constructivism, c) authenticity, d) social justice within democratic classrooms, e) transformation of knowledge, and, f) technology as a tool, and relies upon the epiphany of the learners and the teachers. We describe our planning and implementation of this unique process for elementary teacher preparation.

Technology, Teacher Education, and the Postmodern: Encouraging the Discourse

Abstract Current discourse in education regarding modernism and postmodernism requires the inclusion of technology and teacher education. The issue of empowering teachers and students through a critical perspective regarding technology and teacher education is a particular focus. The idea is that what many call our postmodern world can employ technology and teacher education in order to cope with multiple perspectives and lack of efficacy, rather than as devices to promote continued hegemony and disempowerment. A shift in social, cultural, political, and economic conditions brought on by increased globalization, capitalism, and corporatization suggests the need to deconstruct the purpose of education (and specifically technology and teacher education as vital components). Suggestions are provided regarding technology and teacher education in order to meet the needs of teachers and students in a postmodern world.

Social Education and Transformative Teacher Education

“The principle of continuity of experience means that every experience both takes up something from those which have gone before and modifies in some way the quality of those that come after” John Dewey, 1938.

Rethinking Social Studies for Social Education

What really are the purposes of schooling and education in our society? What are the roles of other institutions in society within the context of teaching and learning? Are socialization, assimilation and passivity all we desire of our institutions? Are we so uncomfortable and wary of our “way of life” that we can’t even trust ourselves? What good is a society that won’t question itself? These and others are the questions that aren’t being asked. What of higher goals such as transforming and transgression? Is the nature of humanity such that comfort is the ultimate…and given the current state of society, perhaps comfortably numb? Why does it seem that reaction is the method rather than proactive engagement? Why does it take extreme events to lull us awake as to possibilities?

The Pop Connection

What is the role of popular culture in society? Does popular culture have a role in the education process of our young? Is there a connection between popular culture and social education? Popular culture is at the center of societal controversy and debate at present. Many from one end of the spectrum criticize its very nature and suggest that it only serves to destroy American morals and values. These folks call for increased censorship and the like. Many on the other end of the spectrum also criticize the nature of popular culture and suggest that it only perpetuates the status quo and enhances corporate and American hegemony. These folks call for more openness and less corporate domination of our culture.