Multi-grade Curriculum Development of Workshop-style Topic Units for a Social Studies Course Based on Core Concepts and Dialogue Skills

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K02831
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09040:Education on school subjects and primary/secondary education-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: EMA Fumiaki 山形大学, 大学院教育実践研究科, 教授 (20232978)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 教育学 / 社会科教育 / ワークショップ型授業 / 中核概念 / 対話スキル / カリキュラム / 多学年

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of the strategy of unit design that allows children to use the perspective and ways of thinking in the fields of social studies. The Topic Units combines core concepts with workshop-style lessons that focus on dialogue skills. The methodology of the study is to develop experimental units and analyze children’s expressions in elementary and junior high schools. As a result, three elements necessary for unit design were identified. First, the unit must include social facts with which children feel dep conflict among them. Second, it must provide a learning context in which children can utilize core concepts and appropriately verbalize their conflicts. Third, each unit must include at least two core concepts. The teacher must encourage the children to properly relate those core concepts.
On the other hand, the curriculum structure that arranges the developed units in multiple grades was left as an issue.

Free Research Field

教育学、教科教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2017年からの日本の教育課程は、各国の教育課程と同様に、コンピテンシー・ベイスへの転換を図っている。そこでは、各教科等の目標において、「見方・考え方を働かせ」という点を強調している。
本研究の成果は、活動中心の授業である社会科ワークショップ型授業単元を、中核概念を活用する水準に持ち上げる単元デザインの方略を明らかにしたことである。この方略は、中核概念という「見方」を、子どもが活用するという点で、「見方・考え方を働かせ」という教科の目標を、社会科において明確にできた点に意義を持つ。