COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENTAL COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Prefix and Number: SSE5332
Course Title: Methods and Strategies in Social Science Education
Regular Instructor (s):
Cruz, Bárbara
Course Prerequisites (if any): None
Recommended SSE 5331
Course Description
Social studies methods and strategies are examined with an emphasis on the secondary school
environment. The teaching profession, school settings, and current issues are examined. Students
are expected to plan and present instructional plan(s) appropriate to senior high school
demonstrating command of the course content.
Course Goals & Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student-teacher will:
A. explain the various teaching strategies and behaviors associated with effective social
studies instruction;·
B. identify and evaluate current trends in social studies education;
C. complete a minimum of 6 observation hours in social studies classes in at least two
different schools in a variety of geographic areas;
D. assess various strategies for effective classroom management and discipline;
E. evaluate a social studies textbook in terms of a) content accuracy, b) bias, and c)
readability;
F. identify methods for fostering positive home-school-community relations;
G. become conversant in the legal responsibilities, rights, and professional ethics of
teachers;
H. create a resource file with teaching ideas and materials; NCATE 1A CF2, SAC 1.16.6
I. write and speak in a logical and understandable style with appropriate grammar.
FEAP 3F
Standards Accomlished
FDOE Accomplished Practices
3. Instructional Delivery and Facilitation f. Employs higher-order questioning techniques.
NCATE Standards
1a Content knowledge Teacher candidates know the content they plan to teach
COEDU Conceptual Framework
2. Content and Professional Knowledge
FDOE Subject Area Competencies
Document1Document1
Page 1 of 7
1.1 through 6.4
6.5 Identify appropriate strategies, methods, tools, and technologies for the teaching of
social science.
6.6 Evaluate examples of primary (e.g., letters, photographs, political cartoons) and
secondary (e.g., historical texts, encyclopedias) sources
Course Outline:
 Teacher effectiveness behaviors
 The Classroom Environment
 Teacher Expectations
 Effective Explanation/Lecture Techniques
 Infusion of the Fine Arts into the Social Studies
 Discussion and Questioning Strategies
 Non-Verbal Communication; Stimulus Variation
 Political Cartoons
 Learning Styles
 Cooperative Learning & Classroom Groupings
 Active Learning Strategies
 Student Assessment: Traditional and Alternative Methods
 Evaluating and Selecting a Social Studies Textbook
 Fry's Readability Graph
 Classroom Management
 The Inclusive Social Studies Classroom
 English language learners
 Current Trends in Social Science Education: Population Studies, Global Education,
and Multicultural Education
 Urban Education
 Students with Special Needs
 Home-School-Community Relations
 School Law
 Ethical & Professional Teacher Behavior
 Teacher evaluation and assessment systems
 Preparing for Student-Teaching and Beyond
 Avoiding Teacher "Burnout"
Evaluation of Student Outcomes:
Assignments
Reading/Reflection Logs
The Resource File
School Observations Logs
Final Exam
Standards Met
See Goals and Objectives
See Goals and Objectives
See Goals and Objectives
See Goals and Objectives
Critical Task:
FEAPs
Document1Document1
Page 2 of 7
Final Exam
Criterion #3. Instructional Delivery and Facilitation: F.
Employs higher-order questioning techniques.
11. Grading Criteria
A. Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. For 80% to 95% of the grade, will be based on
demonstrate content and pedagogical knowledge through a combination of objective and
subjective assessments by:
1. Demonstrating professional literacy of social studies concepts, terminology, and
major theorists through, examination, reflective papers, journals, etc. and
2. Completing projects, tasks, assignments, etc. that demonstrate an ability to apply
pedagogical knowledge to content knowledge.
a. Reading/Reflection Logs are to include reactions to, reflections on, and
critical analyses of, assigned readings. Additionally, student-teachers are
encouraged to relate personal experiences/examples/anecdotes to the readings.
b. The Resource File will include a minimum of 10 practical teaching ideas
and/or resources for each of the following school subjects: U.S. History,
Florida History, European History & Cultures, Latin American History &
Cultures, Asian History & Cultures, African History & Cultures, Middle
Eastern History & Cultures, Geography, Government/Political Science,
Economics, and Psychology/Sociology. Ideas and resources may be obtained
from newspapers, journals, magazines, memorabilia, fiction, and realia
(among other sources).
c. School Observations Logs will include all reflections and observations by the
student-teacher during the twelve hours of observation at a minimum of three
school sites (in diverse settings).
d. A Final Exam will assess course lecture and reading content. The Final Exam
will be cumulative, reflecting each topic listed in the Course Outline.
B. Professional Disposition. For 5 to 20% of the final course grade, will be based on students’
demonstration of the dispositions appropriate to the profession primarily through the subjective
evaluation by the instructor using criteria established by the SSE program, see
http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/seced/SSE/SSE_ProfDispositions.html
Grading System
The grading system to be used is: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, and F.
Textbook(s) and Readings:
Discretion of professor in charge.
College & University Requirement
The College of Education is dedicated to the ideals of Collaboration, Academic
Excellence, Research, and Ethics/Diversity. These are key tenets in the Conceptual
Framework of the College of Education. Competence in these ideals will provide
candidates in educator preparation programs with skills, knowledge, and dispositions to
Document1Document1
Page 3 of 7
be successful in the schools of today and tomorrow. For more information on the
Conceptual Framework, visit:
www.coedu.usf.edu/main/qualityassurance/ncate_visit_info_materials.html
Academic Dishonesty:
“Plagiarism is defined as "literary theft" and consists of the unattributed quotation of the
exact words of a published text or the unattributed borrowing of original ideas by
paraphrase from a published text. On written papers for which the student employs
information gathered from books, articles, or oral sources, each direct quotation, as well
as ideas and facts that are not generally known to the public-at-large, must be attributed
to its author by means of the appropriate citation procedure. Citations may be made in
footnotes or within the body of the text. Plagiarism also consists of passing off as one's
own, segments or the total of another person's work.”
“Punishment for academic dishonesty will depend on the seriousness of the offense and
may include receipt of an "F" with a numerical value of zero on the item submitted, and
the "F" shall be used to determine the final course grade. It is the option of the instructor
to assign the student a grade of "F" of "FF" (the latter indicating dishonesty) in the
course.”
Detection of Plagiarism:
The University of South Florida has an account with an automated plagiarism detection
service which allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for
plagiarism. I reserve the right to 1) request that assignments be submitted to me as
electronic files and 2) electronically submit to SafeAssignment.com, or 3) ask students to
submit their assignments to SafeAssignment.com through myUSF. Assignments are
compared automatically with a database of journal articles, web articles, and previously
submitted papers. The instructor receives a report showing exactly how a student's paper
was plagiarized.
Web Portal Information:
Every newly enrolled USF student receives an official USF e-mail account that ends with
"mail.acomp.usf.edu." Every official USF correspondence to students will be sent to that
account. Go to the Academic Computing website and select the link "Activating a Student
E-mail Account" for detailed information. Information about the USF Web Portal can be
found at:
http://www.acomp.usf.edu/portal.htm.
USF Policy on Religious Observances:
Document1Document1
Page 4 of 7
Students are expected to attend classes and take examinations as determined by the USF
System. No student shall be compelled to attend class or sit for an examination at a day
or time prohibited by his or her religious belief. However, students should review the
course requirements and meeting days and times to avoid foreseeable conflicts, as
excessive absences in a given term may prevent a student from completing the academic
requirements of a specific course.
Students are expected to notify their instructors at the beginning of each academic term if
they intend to be absent for a class or announced examination, in accordance with this
policy. Students absent for religious reasons, as noticed to the instructor at the beginning
of each academic term, will be given reasonable opportunities to make up any work
missed. In the event that a student is absent for religious reasons on a day when the
instructor collects work for purposes of grading (homework, pop quiz, etc.), the student
shall be given a reasonable opportunity to make up such work or shall not have that work
averaged into the student's grade at the discretion of the instructor..
ADA Statement:
Students with disabilities are responsible for registering with the Office of Student
Disabilities Services in order to receive special accommodations and services. Please
notify the instructor during the first week of classes if a reasonable accommodation for a
disability is needed for this course. A letter from the USF Disability Services Office
must accompany this request.
Document1Document1
Page 5 of 7
Course Prefix and Number: SSE SSE5332
Course Title: Methods and Strategies in Social Science Education
Briefly describe the nature and duration of any field-based experiences.
Students spend a minimum of twelve hours of observation at a minimum of three school sites (in
diverse settings).
Any experiences that include instruction, observation, practice, and/or competency
demonstration in any of the following: instructional strategies that address various
learning styles, exceptionalities, achievement levels, and other specialized circumstances.
The Instructional strategies modeled in the class and discussion (see topics) takes into account
various learning styles, exceptionalities, achievement levels, and other specialized
circumstances.
Activities that assess the impact on pk-12 student learning.
None
Any components of the course that prepares teacher candidates in the use of technology in
instruction and record-keeping.
Preparation of Resource File
Any components of the course designed to prepare teacher candidates to help pk-12
students achieve the Sunshine State Standards?
Preparation of Resource File
How issues of diversity are addressed in this course? Indicate which aspect(s) of the course
(e.g., instructional strategies and/or experiences) provide the teacher candidates the
opportunity to acquire and/or apply knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions necessary to help
all students learn. (“All students” includes students with various learning styles, students
with exceptionalities and different ethnic, racial, gender, language, religious,
socioeconomic, and regional/geographic origins, and achievement levels.)
By covering the topics:
The Inclusive Social Studies Classroom
English language learners
Current Trends in Social Science Education: Population Studies, Global Education, and
Multicultural Education
Urban Education
Students with Special Needs
Document1Document1
Page 6 of 7
SSE 4334 / SSE 5332 Final Exam (HS Methods) 2012
The final exam is a series of case studies and problem-solving questions designed to have
students apply their knowledge and critical thinking. A case study is presented in which the
candidate must devise and sequence higher order questions based on social studies content. The
student answers the question correctly demonstrating an adequate understanding of higher order
thinking and the ability to employ higher-order questioning techniques.
Criterion #1: Higher-order thinking & questioning techniques
Description: The Preservice teacher answers the question correctly demonstrating an adequate
understanding of higher order thinking and the ability to employ higher-order questioning
techniques.
Score
Description
The Preservice teacher’s answer to questions posed in the final exam
1=Poor
fails to demonstrate an understanding of higher order thinking nor the
ability to employ higher-order questioning techniques.
The Preservice teacher’s answer to questions posed in the final exam
2=Limited
poorly demonstrates an understanding of higher order thinking and the
ability to employ higher-order questioning techniques.
The Preservice teacher’s answer to questions posed in the final exam
3=Proficient
correctly demonstrates an adequate understanding of higher order
thinking and the ability to employ higher-order questioning techniques.
The Preservice teacher’s answer to questions posed in the final exam
correctly demonstrates a strong understanding of higher order thinking
4=Strong
and above-average ability to employ higher-order questioning
techniques.
The Preservice teacher’s answer to questions posed in the final exam
correctly demonstrates an excellent understanding of higher order
5=Outstanding
thinking and an outstanding ability to employ higher-order questioning
techniques.
Linked to standard: Accomplished Practice
3. Instructional
Delivery and
f. Employs higher-order questioning techniques.
Facilitation
Linked to standard: NCATE
Section
Description
1a Content
Teacher candidates know the content they plan to teach
knowledge
Linked to standard: COEDU Conceptual Framework
Section
Description
2. Content and
Demonstrate expertise in a common professional knowledge base and
Professional
content specific bases of their fields…
Knowledge
Document1Document1
Page 7 of 7