Social Sciences

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22 pages, 411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Global Citizenship: A Critical Realist Approach

by Jesús Granados-Sánchez

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(3), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12030171 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4796

The current crisis of unsustainability has renewed academic interest in sustainable global citizenship. Classical approaches to this type of citizenship have turned out to be quite abstract, utopian, and naive. This article is a theoretical reflection on sustainable global citizenship from a critical [...] Read more.

The current crisis of unsustainability has renewed academic interest in sustainable global citizenship. Classical approaches to this type of citizenship have turned out to be quite abstract, utopian, and naive. This article is a theoretical reflection on sustainable global citizenship from a critical realist perspective, with the aim of bringing realism and pragmatism to the personal and social transformations necessary to achieve sustainability. The contribution of this work consists of the proposal of a conceptual framework that is structured by the following five key dimensions of citizenship: governance, status, social-ecological systems, social conscience, and engagement. These dimensions have been interpreted and described from two core ideas of critical realism: the position-practice system and the seven-scalar laminated system. The main conclusions are that agency-structure dualism requires more comprehensive approaches that integrate self-awareness of all the components that intervene in the autonomous decision to act, and that include personal capabilities, the desire and motivation to get engaged, and the real possibility of participating determined by the social context and the personal situation. It is also necessary to increase the number of types of agencies, especially with the recognition of the group as a key entity. The resolution of the dichotomy on state-global scale relationships can be articulated by differentiating between government and governance, and the role of social innovation in the latter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

15 pages, 866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

TQM and SDGs for Erasmus+ Programme—Quality Education, Reducing Inequalities, Climate Change, Peace and Justice

by Teresa Nogueiro and Margarida Saraiva

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(3), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12030123 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2936

Abstract

Any element that enables higher education institutions (HEIs) to set themselves apart in a positive and superior way in terms of their performance would be advantageous given the competitive climate in which they operate. The Erasmus+ Programme provides HEIs with yet another option [...] Read more.

Any element that enables higher education institutions (HEIs) to set themselves apart in a positive and superior way in terms of their performance would be advantageous given the competitive climate in which they operate. The Erasmus+ Programme provides HEIs with yet another option to become more competitive and to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via the improvement of educational quality (SDG 4), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), climate action (SDG 13), and peace and justice (SDG 16). The goal of this work was to explore the potential relationships and synergies between HE sustainability and Total Quality Management (TQM) issues through the SDGs. The methodological approach was concentrated on the qualitative study of academic papers on TQM, sustainability, and the SDGs in HE as well as on the analysis of Regulation (EU) 2021/817, which established Erasmus+. We concluded that TQM and sustainability have synergies related to the SDGs, and the Erasmus+ Programme can support the sustainability of HEIs by promoting these SDGs. Leadership; education and training; the participation of staff members; measurement, evaluation, and control; and other stakeholders are essential factors for the effective implementation of TQM and sustainability in HEIs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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31 pages, 9051 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Change and Sustainability in Spanish Classrooms: State of the Art and Didactic Proposal

by Jordan Correa-González, Abel López-Díez, Jaime Díaz-Pacheco and Nerea Martín-Raya

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(2), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12020108 - 16 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2697

Abstract

Climate change has become a global challenge that must be faced in a cross-cutting manner from multiple fields and involving all citizens. The educational system, as a space that guarantees the training of students and the integral development of the person at the [...] Read more.

Climate change has become a global challenge that must be faced in a cross-cutting manner from multiple fields and involving all citizens. The educational system, as a space that guarantees the training of students and the integral development of the person at the social, intellectual and ethical levels, should be oriented towards increasing the environmental awareness of society, promoting practices and habits that respect the preservation of ecosystems and, in short, education for sustainability. The 2023–2024 academic year is the first in which the curricular content developed from the Organic Law 3/2020, of December 29, which modifies the Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3, on Education, popularly known as LOMLOE, will be fully implemented. This paper designs a learning situation on sustainability and climate change that can be implemented in the Spanish and European contexts, responding to Rosenshine’s principles of instruction, a circumstance that gives it enormous flexibility and makes it an interesting resource focused on helping geography teachers to face current challenges from an innovative, scientific, and inclusive perspective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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18 pages, 1009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events in the Education of the Citizens of the Twenty-First Century: The Perception of Secondary Education Students

by Esther Sánchez-Almodóvar, Isabel María Gómez-Trigueros and Jorge Olcina-Cantos

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12010027 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3073

Abstract

Within the current context of climate emergency, the topic of climate change has become more prominent in secondary education in Spain. However, in general, conceptual confusions arise which should be clarified due to the social importance of climate issues. The objectives of this [...] Read more.

Within the current context of climate emergency, the topic of climate change has become more prominent in secondary education in Spain. However, in general, conceptual confusions arise which should be clarified due to the social importance of climate issues. The objectives of this study, focused on third and fourth year students of ESO (Obligatory Secondary Education) in state schools in a town in the province of Alicante (Region of Valencia, Spain), seek to reveal the perception of the students regarding climate change and extreme weather events, in accordance with the subject in which these contents are taught; and to analyse whether the students have acquired a basic knowledge of the topic at the end of their secondary education. In order to fulfil these objectives, a non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional and survey-based correlational study has been conducted. The sample was made up of 784 students, surveyed during the academic year 2021–2022. The results indicate that the principal subject in which climate change is taught is Geography and History. The students consider that climate change is a threat to human beings and believe that anthropogenic action is the principal cause. They also perceive an increase in extreme weather events, although it is necessary to qualify this aspect. Therefore, this study defends the need to address this topic in the third and fourth years of ESO, as it is one of the major challenges faced by society and one in which students should be educated within the framework of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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16 pages, 599 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conflicting Knowledge Paradigms: Competence Discourse and Disciplinary Reality in Social Sciences Teaching

by Diego Luna and José Antonio Pineda-Alfonso

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(12), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120553 - 28 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1707

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to offer an inside look at the coexistence of different ways of conceiving and organising the knowledge of social sciences in current schools. To this end, the methods of autoethnography and critical discourse analysis were used in [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study was to offer an inside look at the coexistence of different ways of conceiving and organising the knowledge of social sciences in current schools. To this end, the methods of autoethnography and critical discourse analysis were used in a case study focused on the teaching experience of one of the authors. The system of categories constructed allowed us to empirically verify the existence of a conflict between two major epistemological paradigms, competency and disciplinary, in clear correspondence with a gap between innovative educational discourses and traditional school practices. In the case analysed, this conflict led to a curricular over-dimensioning, which aimed to expand the elements to be worked on by teachers and their students qualitatively and quantitatively. The causes of this phenomenon are related to neo-liberal pedagogical parameters and allowed us to conclude that we should not conceive of competency-based learning either as an educational change by itself or as a strategy that guarantees change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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13 pages, 333 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Trainee Teachers’ Perceptions of Socio-Environmental Problems for Curriculum Development

by Roberto García-Morís and Ramón Martínez-Medina

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(10), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11100445 - 28 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1607

Abstract

Socio-environmental problems are some of the major concerns of today’s society, and education is an essential area to raise awareness and mould future citizens who will be committed to sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how future primary and secondary [...] Read more.

Socio-environmental problems are some of the major concerns of today’s society, and education is an essential area to raise awareness and mould future citizens who will be committed to sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how future primary and secondary education teachers in the area of social sciences perceive the socio-environmental problems that affect today’s society, for their subsequent inclusion in the curriculum. To this end, a study was carried out by means of a questionnaire, which showed that trainee primary and secondary teachers have a high consideration of these environmental problems, with hardly any differences noted according to sex or type of degree studied. This perception is positive in terms of the subsequent inclusion of socio-environmental problems in the development of the curriculum by the participating trainee teachers, who largely prefer an autonomous model for curricular implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

14 pages, 427 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Did the Characteristics of Kosovar Teachers Influence the Results of Students in TIMSS 2019? Findings from the Performance of Kosovar Students in TIMSS 2019

by Fadil Latifi and Endrit Latifi

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(8), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11080344 - 3 Aug 2022

Viewed by 3783

Abstract

This paper aimed to explore the impact of Kosovar teachers’ characteristics on the performance of fourth-grade students in TIMSS 2019. The paper addressed the characteristics of teachers, demographic, and academics, which are closely related to the overall performance of students. In this research, [...] Read more.

This paper aimed to explore the impact of Kosovar teachers’ characteristics on the performance of fourth-grade students in TIMSS 2019. The paper addressed the characteristics of teachers, demographic, and academics, which are closely related to the overall performance of students. In this research, data from the TIMSS 2019 database were used, for which 4435 Kosovar students were tested, and 192 teachers were surveyed. The findings show that Kosovar students did not perform well in TIMSS 2019. They achieved 444 points in the field of mathematics and 413 points in science (average TIMSS 500 points) and were ranked 49th out of 56 countries participating in the test. Data from the teacher survey show that the characteristics of teachers, such as age, professional development, pre-service education, contemporary approach to teaching, etc., also played an important role in the low-scoring performance of Kosovar students in TIMSS 2019. Students who had a teacher with an average age of 30–60 years had a better performance on the test, achieving a difference of 20 points more, compared to students who had new or older teachers (under 30 years and over 60 years). The lack of professional development of teachers also had a major impact on student performance. On average, 25% of teachers in the last 2 years had attended training in certain areas, while on average 80% of them were willing to attend training programs that would improve the profile of their competencies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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17 pages, 3921 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social Sciences Teaching: Building a Holistic Approach from Student Teachers’ Social Representations

by Yamilé Pérez-Guilarte, Francisco Xosé Armas-Quintá and Xosé Carlos Macía-Arce

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(7), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11070307 - 14 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3249

Abstract

The dynamics that today’s society is facing require critical citizens capable of understanding the complexity of problems from their various dimensions. This work aimed to investigate the social representations that future primary school teachers have about socio-environmental problems, sustainability, purposes of socio-environmental education, [...] Read more.

The dynamics that today’s society is facing require critical citizens capable of understanding the complexity of problems from their various dimensions. This work aimed to investigate the social representations that future primary school teachers have about socio-environmental problems, sustainability, purposes of socio-environmental education, and strategies to train in Global Citizenship Education and in Education for Sustainable Development. An exploratory case study was carried out, framed in an action-research approach in the classes of Social Sciences Teaching of the Primary Education Degree of two universities in Galicia (Spain): the University of A Coruña and the University of Santiago de Compostela. A quantitative and qualitative analysis was developed by applying a questionnaire to a sample of 200 students. The results showed that students focus on problems such as climate change or environmental pollution, leaving aside issues such as social inequalities, poverty, or gender issues. In addition, they have difficulties in recognizing the strategies by which teachers can provide their students with critical thinking that leads to social transformation. Significant differences were observed in some researched aspects according to the university of origin, the grade, and the gender of the students, with gender being the one that influenced the greatest number of questions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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19 pages, 3257 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Challenges with Complex Situations in the Teaching and Learning of Social Sciences in Initial Teacher Education

by Cristina Yáñez de Aldecoa and Isabel María Gómez-Trigueros

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(7), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11070295 - 8 Jul 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3989

Abstract

This article not only presents a paradigm shift as a methodological model for teaching heritage and social sciences (SSCC), but also offers a methodological foundation for the challenge-based learning (CBL) methodology. We present various educational innovations in social science teaching and cultural heritage [...] Read more.

This article not only presents a paradigm shift as a methodological model for teaching heritage and social sciences (SSCC), but also offers a methodological foundation for the challenge-based learning (CBL) methodology. We present various educational innovations in social science teaching and cultural heritage education based on the use of CBL during initial teacher training at the University of Andorra. These methodological proposals take into account the TPACK model (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) based on the interrelation of three types of knowledge: pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), and technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK). This set of best practices requires students to respond to a complex social challenge by designing and creating specific educational proposals for tackling content and learning through gamification. Students work on the various dimensions of the SSCC, thereby developing spatial competency, teaching competency, and competency in democratic citizenship. ICTs are included throughout in order to develop students’ digital competency. As a result, students feel empowered through having acquired the different competencies and developed an awareness of the value of cultural heritage as a cornerstone of democratic citizenship. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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18 pages, 4031 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Educating in History: Thinking Historically through Historical Reenactment

by José-Manuel González-González, Jesús-Gerardo Franco-Calvo and Darío Español-Solana

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(6), 256; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11060256 - 10 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 6457

Abstract

This paper aimed to identify trends in the scientific literature that relate the link between two concepts: historical thinking and historical reenactment. The definition of both concepts and their commonalities were examined. Convinced that History instruction and Heritage education could improve new methods [...] Read more.

This paper aimed to identify trends in the scientific literature that relate the link between two concepts: historical thinking and historical reenactment. The definition of both concepts and their commonalities were examined. Convinced that History instruction and Heritage education could improve new methods and techniques, and aware of the benefits of reenactments in active learning and participation in and outside the classroom, we came to the obvious conclusion that merging both aspects is a must and should be disseminated. We also analyzed the presence of second-order concepts in reenactment practices and how they are addressed by actors and spectators. Reenactments foster the acquisition of critical thinking by citizens through education; their quality, however, must be improved through research and didactics—didactics based on reenactment that help us value the past and the traces still present in local areas. Local and global identity and heritage, emotions, reproduction of objects, the use of sources, relevance, empathy, multiperspectives, causation, communication, the relationship between past and present, and the sustainable economy proposed by the 2030 Agenda, are all aspects that should take center stage in turning this phenomenon into a living and lasting history as an experience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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17 pages, 854 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Do School Children Know about Climate Change? A Social Sciences Approach

by Álvaro-Francisco Morote and María Hernández

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(4), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11040179 - 13 Apr 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4851

Abstract

One of the subject areas that is currently most prominent in the field of education (Social Science) is climate change, given its implications for raising awareness and training the present and future society. The objectives of this study, focused on school children (Primary [...] Read more.

One of the subject areas that is currently most prominent in the field of education (Social Science) is climate change, given its implications for raising awareness and training the present and future society. The objectives of this study, focused on school children (Primary Education—10 to 12 years old; third cycle, Secondary Education—12–16 years old; and pre-university, Baccalaureate—17–18 years old) in the Region of Valencia (Spain), are to analyse the following: the main information channels through which children receive information on climate change; the causes and consequences that they identify with respect to this phenomenon; and the main greenhouse gas that they believe is in the atmosphere. Based on the 575 students surveyed during the academic year 2020–2021, the results indicate that the three main information media are digital (TV—82.8%, Internet—56.2% and social networks—49.4%). With respect to the causes of the phenomenon identified by the students, particularly noteworthy was pollution (70.1%) and, in terms of the effects, the increase and changes in temperature (61.7%) were of particular note. Finally, with reference to greenhouse gases, the majority responded CO₂ (63.5%). This is incorrect, as the main greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is water vapour. To sum up, we can highlight the role played by schools in training the future society and the risk arising from an increase in the information received from digital media by children as they grow older, due to the danger of misinformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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15 pages, 331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Who Are the Protagonists of History? Exploratory Study on Historical Relevance after Completing Compulsory Secondary Education in Spain

by Pilar Rivero, Iñaki Navarro-Neri and Borja Aso

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(4), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11040175 - 11 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4382

Abstract

Which historical figures do Spanish students think are relevant after completing their compulsory schooling in the subject of history? The main objective of this research is to discover which four historical figures students choose as the most important in human history after completing [...] Read more.

Which historical figures do Spanish students think are relevant after completing their compulsory schooling in the subject of history? The main objective of this research is to discover which four historical figures students choose as the most important in human history after completing their compulsory schooling, and the type of reasons they give to justify their answers. By means of a mixed study, this research involved asking 165 students, aged 16 to 17, which four figures they think are the most relevant in history and why. Based on this statement, a quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted to explore the students’ discourses justifying their choices using the categories proposed by Partington, Hunt and Lévesque. The results show a clear tendency in students to choose key figures in Spain’s history, such as Christopher Columbus or Francisco Franco, or a prominent person, such as Adolf Hitler, as the most relevant historical figures, who appear in the curriculum in their last year of compulsory secondary education. Lastly, the argumentative approach regarding the level of historical significance focuses primarily on the impact of their actions on a large number of people during their historical moment, with no critical reflection on their long-term impact or consequences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

16 pages, 320 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Student Teachers’ Willingness to Act in the Climate Change Context

by Nena Vukelić, Nena Rončević and Sven Toljan

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(2), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11020047 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

In education for sustainable development, widely regarded as a framework that offers us the opportunity to improve the ways in which we cope with climate change issues, the need for student teachers to express willingness to act in order to deal with numerous [...] Read more.

In education for sustainable development, widely regarded as a framework that offers us the opportunity to improve the ways in which we cope with climate change issues, the need for student teachers to express willingness to act in order to deal with numerous issues and challenges of sustainable development, especially climate change, is of particular importance. Therefore, the focus of this study is on the examination of predictors of student teachers’ willingness to act in a climate-change mitigation and adaptation context. For the purpose of this study, measurement instruments of willingness to act in climate change mitigation and adaptation context, attitudes towards climate change, perception of action possibilities in climate change mitigation and adaptation context, interest in climate change and concern for ecological problems were validated. A total of 201 student teachers from the University of Rijeka (Croatia) participated in the study. It was determined that (I) attitudes towards climate change, (II) perception of action possibilities in climate change mitigation and adaptation context and (III) interest in climate change represent significant predictors of willingness to act in climate-change direction and mitigation contexts. Based on the results of this study, recommendations for teacher education in the climate change context have been offered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences Teaching in the Face of the Global Challenges of the 21st Century)

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