Powerful and meaningful teaching and learning: A case study of elementary teachers’ perspectives of content-specific professional development for social studies instruction
Location
Session 1 Presentations - Educator Professional Development I
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to ascertain perspectives from pre-service and in-service elementary teachers on how colleges of education can foster ambitious social studies instruction through offering content-based professional development opportunities, especially with regard to the elimination of edTPA as a teacher certification requirement in Georgia. Using the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) (2016) qualities of powerful teaching and learning as the theoretical framework for this study, the major findings show that elementary teachers face significant challenges including time constraints, accessibility to primary sources, and relevant professional development that can support their content knowledge and application of inquiry frameworks. Recommendations for future studies include colleges of education partnering with districts and local educational agencies when offering professional development opportunities, structuring coursework that connects to inquiry frameworks, and providing pedagogical on how to facilitate conversations about current events and contemporary issues through implementation of the NCSS College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework Inquiry Design Model (IDM) when teaching historical topics and contemporary issues through asking compelling questions, analyzing primary sources, and communicating conclusions to take informed action in elementary social studies.
Keywords
elementary social studies, professional development, C3 Framework, edTPA
Professional Bio
Katherine Perrotta received her Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from Georgia State University. She is a former middle school social studies teacher and an Assistant Professor of Middle Grades and Secondary Education at Mercer University Tift College of Education in Atlanta, Georgia. Her research on topics such as historical empathy, and history and social studies pedagogies have been published in leading journals such as The Journal of Social Studies Research, Social Studies Research and Practice, Middle Level Learning (National Council for the Social Studies publication), The Social Studies, Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, and The American Educational History Journal.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Perrotta, Katherine A., "Powerful and meaningful teaching and learning: A case study of elementary teachers’ perspectives of content-specific professional development for social studies instruction" (2021). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 15.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2021/2021/15
Powerful and meaningful teaching and learning: A case study of elementary teachers’ perspectives of content-specific professional development for social studies instruction
Session 1 Presentations - Educator Professional Development I
The purpose of this study is to ascertain perspectives from pre-service and in-service elementary teachers on how colleges of education can foster ambitious social studies instruction through offering content-based professional development opportunities, especially with regard to the elimination of edTPA as a teacher certification requirement in Georgia. Using the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) (2016) qualities of powerful teaching and learning as the theoretical framework for this study, the major findings show that elementary teachers face significant challenges including time constraints, accessibility to primary sources, and relevant professional development that can support their content knowledge and application of inquiry frameworks. Recommendations for future studies include colleges of education partnering with districts and local educational agencies when offering professional development opportunities, structuring coursework that connects to inquiry frameworks, and providing pedagogical on how to facilitate conversations about current events and contemporary issues through implementation of the NCSS College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework Inquiry Design Model (IDM) when teaching historical topics and contemporary issues through asking compelling questions, analyzing primary sources, and communicating conclusions to take informed action in elementary social studies.
