October 1, 2014
By Jeff Greiner
Well, this is quite the overwhelming time to be me. I have just begun a doctoral program, will begin contributing to the C3 Teachers site, and have signed on to conduct research towards the writing of a digital social studies textbook. What’s more, all of these things are new to me. I’m learning how to be a PhD student, while also learning how to conduct this research, and I’m getting some of my first exposure into the C3 framework at the same time…all while teaching 7th grade social studies full-time.
There’s a lot going on here, but I think that’s the very thing that may allow me to bring some value into the great work that is occurring with the C3 Framework. As I learn more about the Framework, I hope to be able to provide a teacher’s perspective concerning its impact in the classroom, while learning on the job, as we so often do in education. I may be an expert social studies educator, but am not yet an expert in the C3 Framework. As C3 continues to reach more schools, I can give some idea about how the framework is, or might be, received by teachers.
I also provide the insight of someone who is doing a lot of research and investigation into social studies digital resources. Doing this investigation, with an eye towards the C3 Framework will also give me meaningful viewpoints on the Framework’s implementation in this digital age. What’s more, I hope it will also give me insights into good ideas about teaching social studies that will color my assessment of the quality of the digital resources I’m investigating.
Let me start by discussing my initial impressions of the C3 Framework.
I have to be honest, my initial impression was that there needs to be an easy reference guide or cheat sheet. The document can be a bit overwhelming upon first investigation. It’s actually for that reason that I’ve opted to make my journey about taking it apart. So, part of my writing is an attempt to deal with how overwhelming this can be, especially for teachers expected to implement the Framework. I worked extensively with the implementation of new standards in Wake County in North Carolina, and I recall a large team of experts (including myself) taking the better part of a year to unpack those standards. I would argue that we really didn’t understand it well until a few years later when we had two rounds of curriculum writing under our belts.
My first area to examine is the Framework’s organization. There’s a handy, and easy to follow table at the bottom of page 12 of the Framework document that breaks things down nicely. My first thought, as an expert on how North Carolina Essential Standards for social studies intersects with the Common Core, is that there’s not an immediate departure from where I am currently.
If anything, by giving Dimension 1 (developing questions and planning inquiries), dimension 3 (evaluating sources and using evidence), and dimension 4 (communicating conclusions and taking informed action) equal status with dimension 2 (applying disciplinary tools and concepts), the Framework creates an interesting balance. Common Core does a lot that overlaps with dimensions 3 and 4, but ultimately, I think most teachers spend the majority of their time and effort on dimension 2, because that’s where the content comes in.
Many social studies teachers choose to go that route with their profession because they have a passion for their content, thus causing a natural inclination towards dimension 2. However, one has to question, in the modern age, is that where the greatest value lies in teaching social studies? Maybe it is, but I’m not sure. In an age of instantaneous information, the skills of inquiry, evaluation of sources, and communication may be of paramount importance to creating a society, which is capable of handling modern problems with modern solutions. Social studies is better equipped to teach students these things than the other subject areas.
What do you think of the balance between the four dimensions of the C3 Framework? Are they all equally weighted? Should they be? Will social studies teachers embrace that balance? Let me know in the comments below.