This chapter will shine a light on key issues that continue to inhibit teachers and students from teaching and learning our true historical narratives in balanced and meaningful ways. It will present instructional possibilities related to discussion pedagogy and how its systematic implementation can support students' needs through its intersections with self-determination theory. From there, the intent is to flesh out the need for implementing facets of discussion pedagogy – specifically as it relates to the teaching and learning of indigenous histories. Many scholars have promoted the need for indigenous histories to be learned in ways that are neither sanitized nor tokenized. The chapter will conclude by sharing how discussion pedagogy can aid students to make meaning of the content—and each other—in ways that will better prepare them to serve as active agents in their future democratic lives.
TopIntroduction
While the accepted purpose of social studies education is to help prepare students for active citizenship in a democratic republic, far too many students experience courses that are over reliant on teacher-centered methods of instruction. Myriad reasons exist related to such overreliance – most of which are rooted well beyond the operational purview of K-12 teachers. In fact, past events in the history of social studies education are partially to blame for the issues that still exist today. From curriculum development and the adoption of narrowly focused instructional materials to politically charged decision making, social studies often operate in the crosshairs of various competing camps. Thus, this near constant vacillation regarding “what should be taught and to whom” creates learning environments predicated on recitation and transmission. All of this runs counter to opportunities that allow students to transform accepted knowledge while also fostering democratic citizenship (Dague & Abela, 2020). This proves even truer when it concerns the historical narratives presented in many social studies classes. Traditional hegemonic perspectives, delineated through the adoption (and utilization) of state-approved textbooks, often marginalize and stereotype important voices that receive little, to no, coverage.
There are several objectives of this chapter. The first, to share with readers an illustration of some of the struggles that have occurred in the field of the social studies education over the past century. This illustration will provide context related to competing political camps and nationalistically driven reform efforts as well as the role of textbooks. Regarding the adoption of textbooks, this chapter with flesh out how a “cataloging” of minorities takes place that downplays the role of indigenous populations (Chandler, 2010). The second objective is to share how numerous factors and extant pressures have created an incredible discord between the rhetoric and reality of social studies education.
The first two objectives, being viewed as significant problems related to the effective teaching and learning of social studies, should not create an “all hope is lost” mentality. In fact, this chapter also seeks to provide a review of how discussion pedagogy – with its seminars and deliberations – can support the authentic and transformative principles related to the rhetoric of social studies education. Moreover, it will share how systematic implementation of discussion pedagogy can present several potential outcomes. The first is that discussion pedagogy can create a bridge for the aforementioned discord. Additionally, it will provide students will opportunities to experience greater degrees of motivation and engagement while also being afforded the opportunity to explore historical voices that often go unheard. Explanation of motivation and engagement will be conceptualized through self-determination theory. In closing, this chapter will provide exemplars related toward potential implementation of discussion pedagogy with standards that include indigenous histories.
With the braiding of several topics in this chapter, there will be much to unpack. To that end, if it is our desire to provide students in social studies courses with meaningful learning opportunities filled with “less of the same,” then the exercise of unpacking is well worth the time spent.