Search

This paper describes the results of two research projects, which were focused upon female students' historical understanding of feminism. In both cases the researchers found that the student participants harbored ambivalent or negative attitudes towards feminism and saw little connection between the present and feminist struggles in the past. While this attitude could be attributed to a wide range of variables, the authors illustrate that a focus upon the students' form of historical consciousness and theories of agency can explain the tendency to see a "gap" between past and present. This paper concludes with a call for further research into the interaction between historical thinking, historical consciousness, and theories of agency.

The aim of this paper is to explore how the Alberta Social Studies 30-1 textbook, "Perspectives on Ideology" (Fielding et al., 2009) can contribute to orientalist discourse in its presentation of Islam, especially with respect to terrorism, extremism, and illiberalism--three concepts that appear in the Alberta Social Studies Program of Study. Using a content and discourse analysis, the study found three central findings that contributed to an orientalist framing of Islam: a lack of nuanced discussion of Islam; positioning Islam as a source of terrorism; and a lack of acknowledgement of wrongdoing following injustices perpetrated towards Muslims in Canada. This study concludes by offering ways in which social studies curricular support materials may interrogate to disrupt orientalist discourse, and challenges social studies educators to critically examine the limitations of some of the most common resource materials at their disposal.

Our paper examines the latest frontier of the "War on Terror," countering violent extremism (CVE), non-coercive approaches that aim to prevent "radicalization" that may lead to "violent extremism" or terrorism. We look at the recent implementation of CVE in Québec's education sector. Based on an analysis of key policy documents and interviews with CVE practitioners, we find that: (1) teachers are responsibilized to safeguard society from the risk of terrorism through being expected to "know the signs" of radicalization and to build "resilience," (2) students are responsibilized as agents who can influence their peers against violent extremist messaging and toward "prosocial" behaviour, and (3) elements of school curriculum are responsibilized, especially social studies education, to provide students with "critical thinking" skills thought to be lacking among those at risk of radicalization. We highlight the inherent contradictions in CVE, which, in Québec, claims to foster pluralism and inclusivity to combat Islamophobia, but as a modality of the "War on Terror" also targets and stigmatizes Muslim communities. Critical discussion of CVE's social implications are needed to initiate critical dialogue in Canada over the impact of CVE in social services provision and the risk of securitizing the education sector in Québec.

This special issue of "Canadian Social Studies" is dedicated to Roger I. Simon. Simon's scholarship bequeaths to theorists, teachers, and curators across Canada and beyond a theory of education that opens up responsibilities to past and present others. The papers gathered for this special issue address many of the difficulties that he dared educators to hold in mind. What Simon opens are big questions for education in a time more often consoled by the promise of solutions, best practices, and evaluation. These are questions about the interpretive quality of knowledge, the meaning of responsibility, justice, and the role of pedagogy in the reparation of historical trauma. Indeed, Simon lived with questions as the ground of his pedagogy, and in their articulation, he leaves behind an absence that is brimming with potential to make social and historical knowledge matter.

With public debates surrounding the removal of historical monuments in Canada (e.g., statues of, or schools named after, John A. Macdonald) and the United States (e.g., Confederate monuments), at times the voices of those who are most directly affected by their presence can be either drowned out or left out of the conversation entirely. It seems easy for the broader public to pass judgements and come to a consensus on a "right" way to approach such debates, but these judgements tend to be overly simplistic and removed from the immediate context and its attendant complexities. Those immersed in the situation face dynamics that are so complex that reaching consensus is difficult, as is this case with St. Mary's Indian Residential School on Kainai First Nation and St. Phillip's School on Keeseekoose First Nation. After these schools burned down, the communities were left with the residual mixed emotions at their loss, untimely or not. In this essay, the author specifically considers what it means to undertake the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's (TRC) Call to Action #79 (2015a) that calls "upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal organizations, and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration" (p. 9) in relation to the roughly 17 Indian Residential Schools (IRS) that are left of the original 140 (Parry, 2017). The author asks: (1) How can buildings hold power over a community's healing and the process of reconciliation; and (2) To what extent should the broader public have a say in a community's healing process? There appears to be no single answer because this issue is fraught with complications. Instead of the broader society seeking one "right" solution, the most helpful course of action for potential reconciliation, according to Boffa, will likely be different for each community.

This paper explores the data produced from an oral history project about a Black pioneer settlement in Grey County, Ontario. Twelve area residents were interviewed and the data produced points to various community practices of both remembering and forgetting. I employ Avery Gordon's (2008) theorization of ghosts and hauntings to make sense of the gaps, silences, and contradictions that populated the interviews. The paper ends with a consideration of Roger Simon's (2000, 2005) plea for a practice of remembrance that is both ethical and pedagogical.

This paper conducts an affirmative reading of key constructs of pedagogy, ethics, culture and justice put forth in the texts of Roger Simon. Rereading these texts with, against and across the trajectory of one thinker's thought, the article generates new possibilities for pedagogy in global and contemporary times. The paper demonstrates that reading affirmatively is a generative form of critical thinking that considers, deliberates and renews thought as an active ongoing and dialogical process of meaning making. This way of reading, as closely inhabiting the lines of the other's thought, seeks to do justice to the lifework of this remarkable thinker and contributes a view of reading the other's words as a vital to thinking, learning, teaching and acting in the world.

This paper begins with a discussion of Canadian and international work that has identified a number of shortcomings with standardized assessments, which are framed within neoliberal ideology. It then explores the principles of good assessment and applies them to an analysis of British Columbia's standardized Social Studies 11 exam. It finds that the exam does not meet all of these criteria. This discussion includes the comments of British Columbian students and teachers on the exam. The paper concludes with a description of alternative assessment tools that are framed within four educational philosophies through which Social Studies can be understood. (Contains 3 tables and 9 footnotes.)

One of the key components of Social Studies has always been history, yet many of us seldom explore what we mean by history. This paper delves into the meaning of history through an examination of Collingwood's work and a discussion of how we can incorporate twentieth century thought into his work. This paper aims, in Collingwood's words, to "deepen understanding" of our craft.

This paper explores educating for democratic citizenship with a focus on the intersection between reading and values, specifically the nurturing of social responsibility. Using a pre-designed framework for teaching for social responsibility, excerpts from a young adult historical fiction series are used to consider learning possibilities in the social studies classroom.

This paper reports on a study exploring ways in which five experienced teachers interpreted and responded to a curricular initiative in Alberta calling for teachers to help students see social studies through multiple perspective lenses representing Aboriginal (and Francophone) communities. Over the course of the study, which focused primarily on how the research participants integrated Aboriginal perspectives in their teaching, the teachers generally interpreted and practiced the teaching of multiple perspectives as providing students with alternative viewpoints on contemporary issues. Of note were teachers' resistances to affording room for Aboriginal perspectives, and a general absence of engagements with these perspectives in the classroom. I argue that these resistances may stem from the legacy of a collective memory project that has worked to foster a historical consciousness that makes it hard to perceive, as well as acknowledge the relevance of engaging 'Other' perspectives. In response, I draw attention to perspectives unique to Aboriginal traditions and communities and then offer possibilities for how teachers could alternatively conceptualize and take up this curricular mandate.

In democratic societies the level of citizens' civic engagement and inclusion in all forms of democratic participation is crucial in maintaining social cohesion and a vibrant democracy. In the historical development of Canada's demographic, political, socio-economic and cultural systems, immigration continues to play an influential role. Our paper presents conceptions of civic participation held by, inclusion and integration of recent African immigrants to Canada. We focus on volunteerism as one form of democratic participation. The findings show immigrants volunteer for the common good of society, making a difference, personal self-service gaining experience for advancement in their host society. Some are coerced into volunteering. Some of these findings concur with theoretical literature that positions various volunteering motives, bringing up implications for federal agencies involved in the settlement, adaptation programs for newcomers and educational curriculum planners attempting to widen conceptions of volunteerism, fostering engagement and promotion of citizenship education in general. (Contains 3 tables.)

When Canadian students are asked their perceptions of Mexico, their answers are filled with stereotypes from the media. When they are asked about Darfur, they have no idea what or where Darfur is, or what has occurred there. When they are asked to list the names of famous Canadians they state the names of white men, primarily politicians. When they are asked to name famous historical figures from non European nations, they become silent. These stereotypes and silences are the products of the "absent curricula" in BC, and they make the aim of creating Global Citizens at a time of Globalization, almost impossible. This paper explores the reasons for these stereotypes and silences through a study of BC's curricula and provides suggestions as to how to address them.

In this paper we argue that the inherent flaw in the current Ontario civics curriculum is that it is too heavily influenced by the functional aspects of "what is" Canada, rather than giving the opportunity to experience the emotional qualities of what it means to be Canadian. Creating a community of learners based on the caveats of citizenship and good governance is the key element to the revitalization of a deteriorating democracy. (Contains 3 notes.)

Unit planning is perhaps the most difficult of the teacher duties to execute well. This paper offers suggestions for improving focus and increasing the meaningfulness of thematic unit content for students. Stressing the concept of a Big Understanding, it outlines 6 sequential steps in the creation of units which, when applied, not only establish a purpose for the study of the material, but also foster the growth of citizens who are self-­actualized, learned, contributing members of a global society.

The Historica Foundation of Canada has a mandate to provide or support programs and resources for the teaching of Canadian history in Canadian schools. This paper outlines how Historica discovered what was needed and the programs and resources they developed to fulfill their mandate.

This paper deals with the impact of current digital technology revolution on history education. Based on four developments engendered by this revolution (liberalization of historical knowledge, intensification of digital archives, web-based communication, and active computer-based learning), it argues that digital history has the potential to offer powerful tools for inquiry-based learning in the classroom. The Virtual Historian, a newly created web-based program, is used as an example of the potential impact of such technology on students' historical learning.

This paper addresses the role of history education in developing a shared sense of identity in modern democracies. It does so by presenting findings from research into children's ideas about history in the United States and Northern Ireland, two settings that share important political and social characteristics with Canada and other pluralist countries. In the United States, the history curriculum revolves around developing a unified national identity, and it provides few opportunities for students to examine diversity within or outside the country. In Northern Ireland, schools avoid issues of identity and thus do little to help students move beyond the bonds of their own political/religious communities. A more productive way of incorporating identity into the history curriculum would involve attention to those events in a nation's past that have promoted pluralism and democracy.

The history that students learn in schools supports a view of the past that casts men as dominant and universal subjects. As such, the way that students understand the past will inevitably influence the way they think about the present and consider the future. Rather than perpetuating dominant narratives, this paper argues that history and social studies teachers much engage in a re(hi)storation through the pedagogical process of interruption as a means of bringing into view that which has always been there but has been neglected, abandoned and forgotten.

Draws on the author's experience and research to explore how strong ideological beliefs impact social studies teaching in religious schools. Suggests a concerted effort by teachers in religious schools, in particular Mennonite schools, to reflect the ethos of the school. Describes the experience of teaching in a religious school. (CMK)

Contends that students should learn about the role of women in Canadian history through research-based projects that focus on the lives of unknown and famous unknown women and that emphasize primary sources and media as important resources. Provides a number of activities that can be adapted for elementary or secondary students. (CMK)

Contends that many educators believe that social studies as a subject does not have a future in Canadian schools systems. Asserts that social studies is essential and must address four critical areas to actualize its potential for attaining citizenship goals: content, critical thinking, community action, and caring. (CMK)