Political Science in the New Social Studies: Comparison of Content Materials; Secondary Level, Developed by the Social Studies Curriculum Projects.

This thesis attempts to analyze one particular aspect of the development activities of some fifty social studies projects, namely, the role of political science and its materials within the projects. The paper is divided into four chapters. The first seeks to give a brief analysis of the curriculum development projects in recent years in terms of: 1) the analysis of the structure of each social science discipline; 2) the characteristics and improvement goals of the projects based on studies by Bruner and others; 3) concepts, generalizations, and an inductive approach which are common to all projects; and, 4) the methods for achieving the goals of social education, i.e. effective citizenship --political socialization through effective content selection and organization, value education, cognitive and affective skill development, both behavioral and traditional approaches to content and materials, an interdisciplinary view, and an active school role in the socialization process. The second attempts to define the role of political science within this movement. The third analyzes content material and methods employed by the projects using political science. The final chapter offers some possible implications for college and university political science curriculum. (Author/SBE)