Volume 5, Issue 1 2016 Archives

Index

Suhaimi Afandi

Volume 5, Issue 1 2016

Developing Historical Habits of Mind through Inquiry

Author/s:

Suhaimi Afandi (National Institute of Education, Singapore) Eulalia Han (CHIJ Secondary School (Toa Payoh)) Keywords History Junior College Secondary School Inquiry Teaching Historical thinking Introduction Teaching history is not simply about getting students to learn “the right stories” or getting them to absorb transmitted knowledge about the past; it requires teachers to find means to develop students’ […]

Suhaimi Afandi (National Institute of Education, Singapore)
Eulalia Han (CHIJ Secondary School (Toa Payoh))

Keywords
History
Junior College
Secondary School
Inquiry Teaching
Historical thinking

Introduction
Teaching history is not simply about getting students to learn “the right stories” or getting them to absorb transmitted knowledge about the past; it requires teachers to find means to develop students’ historical understanding and to help these students make sense of the knowledge imparted through daily classroom instruction. As many of us already recognize, the knowledge we have about the past is never “given” or “just there” for the taking; the manner in which we come to know what we know about the past requires questioning, imagining, contextualising and (re-)constructing. History education researchers across many national contexts would agree that students need to be taught to understand the nature of historical knowledge – how such knowledge is constructed, how evidence is used to develop interpretations or support claims, how evidence/interpretation is adjudged as valid or credible, etc. – if they are to develop proper understandings about history. Acquiring proficiency in some of these processes calls for a mode of thinking (and an instructional approach) that can enable students to become confident and critical thinkers when studying history. This would involve cultivating certain historical habits of mind that work to develop students’ disciplinary ideas/understandings and help them become more adept at historical analysis. An instructional approach that uses historical inquiry as a pedagogical framework is more likely to provide opportunities for students to develop disciplinary ideas, and offers teachers with potential strategies and scaffolds to help deepen students’ understandings in more exciting ways. This article explores some ways teachers can make “the complex past” more accessible to students by helping them manage historical problems in the classroom while engaging them in disciplined inquiry about the past. It focuses on the use of inquiry as a means to develop good historical habits of mind, and demonstrates this idea by considering the ways students’ ideas (about significance, diversity, causation and accounts) can be developed through historical inquiry.

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Learning about Issues through Discussion in the Primary Social Studies Classroom: A Shared Inquiry Approach

Author/s:

Sim Hwee Hwang

Sim Hwee Hwang (National Institute of Education, Singapore) Keywords Social Studies Primary School Social Studies Abstract This article looks at how primary school children can learn about issues in their social studies lessons through discussion. It first spells out the importance of introducing issues in the social studies curriculum for the development of students to be […]

Sim Hwee Hwang (National Institute of Education, Singapore)

Keywords
Social Studies
Primary School
Social Studies

Abstract
This article looks at how primary school children can learn about issues in their social studies lessons through discussion. It first spells out the importance of introducing issues in the social studies curriculum for the development of students to be informed, participative and concerned citizens. It focuses on the selection of suitable issues for primary school children and discussion as a pedagogy for shared inquiry to help teachers achieve academic understanding and citizenship outcomes for their learners. The Walsh and Sattes’ (2015) framework for quality discussion is described as a useful guide for teacher planning and implementation. Research findings on teacher belief and practice of using discussion of controversial issues and the implications on teacher professional development are also discussed. The article concludes with how to be skilful in the facilitation of discussion of issues for shared inquiry.

Why introduce issues in primary social studies?
Children are constantly bombarded with different issues that are linked to their immediate environment, community, country and the world. An issue is something that is discussed or argued about, and these can be controversial in nature. Wellington (1986) describes a controversial issue as one which is deemed important by several people and cannot be easily settled based on evidence or facts alone because value judgments are involved. According to Perry (1999), a controversial issue has the following characteristics: the subject is of topical interest and is complex; there are differing values, opinions and priorities; and strong arousal of emotions can occur.

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Using Investigation and Discussion to Inquire about Issues in Primary Social Studies

Author/s:

Sim Hwee Hwang

Sim Hwee Hwang (National Institute of Education, Singapore) Keywords Social Studies Primary School Inquiry Teaching Abstract This article begins with the inquiry teaching approach for primary social studies and the rationale for its inclusion in the 2013 syllabus by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. It compares traditional instruction and inquiry-based teaching and describes the two types […]

Sim Hwee Hwang (National Institute of Education, Singapore)

Keywords
Social Studies
Primary School
Inquiry Teaching

Abstract
This article begins with the inquiry teaching approach for primary social studies and the rationale for its inclusion in the 2013 syllabus by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. It compares traditional instruction and inquiry-based teaching and describes the two types of inquiry that can be implemented in the primary classroom – discussion and investigation. Three useful inquiry models for primary children – Colin Marsh’s (2001) investigation model and two discussion models – Diana Hess’ (2009) town meeting model (TMM) and David Johnson and Roger Johnson’s (1999) structured academic model (SAC) – are elaborated. The application of these models is illustrated in two issue-based, inquiry centred packages designed for primary children by student teachers from the National Institute of Education. The article also discusses the challenges teachers may face when implementing such inquiry-centred packages and suggests ways of how they can be overcome.

Inquiry in primary social studies teaching
In Singapore, the primary social studies syllabus produced by the Ministry of Education (MOE, 2013) advocates inquiry as a teaching approach in schools. It is understandable why such an approach is encouraged in the context of Singapore’s development. Singapore is a knowledge-based economy (Ngiam, 2011) with strong governmental emphasis on research and substantial resources are channelled yearly to the various universities, ministries and statutory boards in advancing the country’s economy as a knowledge producer (The Straits Times, 2016). Research involves inquiry and it is never too young to start children to inquire in schools. Moreover, all children have an innate curiosity about the things around them and their incessant questioning of whys (Parker, 2012) should be tapped to promote their learning in the classroom. Inquiry can enable children to gain an enlarged understanding of the topic, problem or issue in question, develop essential skills such as critical thinking skills to evaluate the relevance, quality and strength of evidence, and to distinguish between well-reasoned and balanced arguments based on solid evidence, and acquire dispositions such as respect for diversity, empathy and perseverance and resilience in the face of challenges. Such learning outcomes can contribute towards citizenship education and participation in Singapore now and in the future. In recent years, the government has been more open to its citizens’ views on policy matters and have tweaked several of its policies on health, social and economic matters by incorporating their views. It has also encouraged greater community involvement in partnership with it to make Singapore a better and a more inclusive home for all of its people (The Straits Times, 2014). Hence, children as future leaders of the country will be well prepared for their citizenship roles if they start from young to learn in an inquiring environment.

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Causal Layered Analysis: Deconstructing Singapore’s 2015 General Election

Author/s:

Karthikeyan Rajah Jefferson

Karthikeyan Rajah Jefferson (National University of Singapore) Keywords History Junior College Secondary School Analysis Abstract In explaining social phenomena, students are taught to explicate the causal mechanism between independent factors and a dependent outcome. However, this could lead to a superficial analysis of the phenomenon if students were to focus on precipitating factors. Hence, this paper […]

Karthikeyan Rajah Jefferson (National University of Singapore)

Keywords
History
Junior College
Secondary School
Analysis

Abstract
In explaining social phenomena, students are taught to explicate the causal mechanism between independent factors and a dependent outcome. However, this could lead to a superficial analysis of the phenomenon if students were to focus on precipitating factors. Hence, this paper contends that JC students should be exposed to complementary analytical approaches in order to transcend conventional frames of analysis. Inayatullah’s (2004) “Causal Layered Analysis” (CLA) could be an appropriate method to encourage students to unpack surface-level factors by drawing out their underlying and deeper causes. The CLA comprises four levels of analysis: the litany (precipitating causes), social causes (systemic causes), discourse/worldview (ideational causes) and myth/metaphor (core narratives). This can be illustrated by applying CLA to Singapore’s GE2015, which would suggest that the electorate’s voting patterns are not just the outcome of varied precipitating factors, but also the product of the existing political system and ideas about the nation-state.

Strands: Innovative ideas & approaches, Pedagogy, Issues
In humanities and social studies education, students are often taught to identify key factors that explain social phenomena in order to put forth an argumentative position. This approach is useful for imparting students with the skills to explain and elaborate on the causal logic between the factor and the argument, but could lead to a superficial understanding of the phenomenon if the student solely focuses on precipitating factors. Hence, this skillset should be complemented with critical thought to ascertain the different levels of causation for a more in-depth analysis. This paper contends that the “Causal Layered Analysis” (CLA) by Sohail Inayatullah could be a useful toolkit for students to educe the deeper causes from the surface-level ones. Inayatullah (2004) conceptualized the CLA as a research methodology to deconstruct an existing social reality into “different levels of reality and ways of knowing” in order to transcend the “conventional framing of issues” (p. 18). He posits that there are four levels of analysis: the litany, social causes, discourse/worldview, and myth/metaphor. The litany, “the unquestioned view of reality” or the precipitating factors, can be further explained by underlying systemic causes at the social causation level. In turn, the social causes are legitimated by deeply held worldviews and “discursive assumptions” that are expressed by metaphors or myths, which provide “a gut/emotional level of experience to the worldview under inquiry” (Inayatullah, 2004, p. 8). In other words, the CLA could be operationalized by posing a series of questions. What are the immediate/precipitating factors that caused this phenomenon? Are there any systemic (political, social, economic, and historical) factors that enabled it? What are the justifications/rationales for this arrangement? Are there any core narratives or metaphors that reproduce the rationale? Although CLA is ultimately geared towards policy issues to effect change, the manner in which it deconstructs social phenomena could be instructive for critical analysis.

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Shifting Scales of Time and Space: Establishing Connections Across the Humanities

Author/s:

Tharuka Prematillake Thibbotuwawa

Tharuka Prematillake Thibbotuwawa (National Institute of Education, Singapore) Keywords History Social Studies Junior College Secondary School Historical thinking Introduction Meaningful understanding of history and geography involves being able to identify and establish connections across time and space scales (An et al., 2015; Bain, 2005; Baker, 2003; Foskett, 1999). Nonetheless, one key problem in the history and […]

Tharuka Prematillake Thibbotuwawa (National Institute of Education, Singapore)

Keywords
History
Social Studies
Junior College
Secondary School
Historical thinking

Introduction
Meaningful understanding of history and geography involves being able to identify and establish connections across time and space scales (An et al., 2015; Bain, 2005; Baker, 2003; Foskett, 1999). Nonetheless, one key problem in the history and geography curricula of schools today is this lack of connectivity and sense of scale.[i] Thus, it is appropriate to find out how to help teachers and students expand their disciplinary thinking towards a more holistic (or interdisciplinary) approach that encourages them to shift scales and make connections across time and space. To answer this question, this article proposes a potential conceptual framework in which History and Geography, as interdisciplinary subjects, can conduct meaningful dialogues with each other so that students and teachers can extend their thinking to deepen their understanding of both disciplines and to identify connections across scales of time and place. This framework will be introduced through two initiatives, The Historian’s Lab (HL) and The Sustainability Learning Lab (SLL), funded by an EduLab grant, and currently being developed by the staff in the Humanities and Social Studies Education Academic Group (HSSE AG) in the National Institute of Education (NIE), (Singapore). However, it is important to note that this framework is a work-in-progress and will be further modified and developed as the project moves forward.

Background
Historians and geographers have long argued the necessity of viewing both History and Geography (as subjects) from wider perspectives – beyond isolated events of the past or physical geographic features – to identify connections across time and space (Baker, 2003). For instance, historian Geoffrey Barraclough has emphasised the need to look beyond national histories to a whole world system of history, arguing that it is not only possible but also necessary to view the past “by attuning it to the world in which we live in today” (as cited in Baker, 2003, p.194), so as to gain a more sophisticated understanding of historical events. Hence, instead of the traditional narrow focus on Asian history as the history of a region, it could be understood in relation to Asia’s place in the world and through making connections to the past, present and future across both time and space. In a keynote address at the recent Humanities Colloquium organised by NIE (2016), historian Bob Bain, in channelling French historian Emmaunuel Le Roy Ladurie, conveyed a similar idea. Using Ladurie’s famous observation of historians being either parachutists or truffle-hunters, Bain expanded the metaphors to state his case that it is a necessity for historians to be both truffle-hunters and parachutists.[ii]

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Sources of Students’ Misconceptions in Economics

Author/s:

Siew Fong Ng

Siew Fong Ng (National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Economics Junior College Economics Misconceptions in learning can arise from a variety of sources. This article examines the five sources of misconceptions that may be relevant for understanding learners’ misconceptions in economics classes in junior colleges in Singapore: students’ prior knowledge, their perceptions of what economics is […]

Siew Fong Ng (National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Economics
Junior College
Economics

Misconceptions in learning can arise from a variety of sources. This article examines the five sources of misconceptions that may be relevant for understanding learners’ misconceptions in economics classes in junior colleges in Singapore: students’ prior knowledge, their perceptions of what economics is about, their “linguistic mindset”, the influence of student learning preferences, and their perceptions of how graphs are used in economics. Understanding the origin of students’ misconceptions can help junior college teachers anticipate and correct their students’ misconceptions.

Economics teachers often encounter students’ answers that do not make sense or are erroneous explanations of economic phenomena. These answers reveal understanding which is not consistent with generally accepted views or interpretations in economics. How do students’ misconceptions in economics arise?

Tang (2003) proposes that conceptual development is not a simple process of taking in a new conception, and replacing the old with the new because preconditions such as students’ prior knowledge, learning preference and mental model of the subject may interfere with their receptivity to new knowledge and cause students to generate misconceptions. This article considers students’ prior knowledge, their perceptions of economics, the gap between everyday language usage and economic terms, the role of learning preferences, and students’ ideas about the use of graphs in economic analysis as possible reasons for students’ misconceptions in economics.

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HSSE Online

Index

Suhaimi Afandi

Authors List

Authors List

Developing Historical Habits of Mind through Inquiry

Learning about Issues through Discussion in the Primary Social Studies Classroom: A Shared Inquiry Approach

Using Investigation and Discussion to Inquire about Issues in Primary Social Studies

Causal Layered Analysis: Deconstructing Singapore’s 2015 General Election

Shifting Scales of Time and Space: Establishing Connections Across the Humanities

Sources of Students’ Misconceptions in Economics

HSSE Online

HSSE Online