MAS 801 Critical Thinking and Writing Skills in Social Sciences
This course introduces students to thinking and academic writing skills in history, geography and the social sciences and the ways these can be applied in social studies teaching. The ways in which arguments are constructed and presented are studied to provide a solid grounding in the basic elements of critical thinking and writing in the disciplines.
MAS 802 Issues and Research in Social Studies Education
This course considers the current state of research in social studies education. It looks at current research foci such as, disciplinary inquiry and thinking, citizenship education, global education, and the uses of new media and technology in education. Students will complete an in-depth study of the education research in an area of their interest to develop an understanding of the issues concerned.
MAS 816 Social Studies in Today’s Schools
This course explores the history and theory of the idea of social studies as an interdisciplinary, social issues oriented subject. Concepts such as citizenship, multicultural education and global education will be examined. A variety of approaches to using information from history and the social sciences in the exploration of social issues will be reviewed and analysed.
MAS 817 Citizenship Education in a Global Age
This course considers the implications of educating young people in a globalising world and the challenges posed to nation-states, nationhood, national identity and citizenship in rapidly changing contexts. In new global contexts, Singapore has emphasised economic success on the global stage while seeking to develop informed, participative citizens with a sense of belonging and national identity. Like many nations, it struggles to manage the tensions of preparing globally minded national citizens with the skills and understandings necessary for living in increasingly diverse and complex lifeworlds.This course provides an introduction to citizenship education in new global contexts. Students have opportunities to examine current literature about new and emerging global contexts, new forms of civic participation, and new conceptions of citizenship and citizenship education to consider the implications for civic education in Singapore and the global society.
QCL 520 Teaching Social Studies to Secondary Students
This course aims to provide pre-service teachers with an understanding of the rationale, nature and scope of the secondary social studies curriculum. The course will provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to reflect on issues related to the social studies syllabi and acquire an understanding these issues. It also seeks to equip student teachers with a variety of classroom-based teaching strategies that are appropriate for the teaching of concepts, content, skills and values to differentiated learners through experiential learning. The course provides opportunities to reflect on critical issues of social studies teaching, design unit and lesson plans, discuss and practice some of teaching strategies in a cooperative learning environment.
QCL 521: Use of Sources in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms
This course helps pre-service teachers develop understandings of social studies inquiry, sources and source-based cases, and the skills needed by teachers and students in order to use them in secondary social studies classrooms.
QCL 522: Assessment and Reflective Teaching in Social Studies
This course provides pre-service teachers with an understanding of the rationale and goals of upper secondary social studies assessment. The course provides opportunities to examine examination papers, mark sample scripts and set source-based questions and structured-essay questions, as well as devise mark schemes. The course also focuses on alternative and authentic forms of assessment.