A Pedagogy of Questions: What is the purpose of a social studies education?

Here are some telling questions for social analysis: what would you add?

Keep in mind these overarching questions regarding social studies education when considering the social analysis questions below? What is the purpose of social studies education? What should be the content of a social studies education? What approaches and methods are appropriate for a meaningful social studies education for preparation in a democracy?

General Awareness• What is happening?• Who is it happening to? Who is affected? Who is benefiting?• Why is it happening political, economic, social, cultural, intellectual, historical evidence?

Political• How is power distributed?• How are decisions made? Who participates in decisions at the moment of decision making?• Who implements decisions?• Who evaluates, rewards and punishes ?• Who is rewarded? Who is punished?

Economic• How are resources allocated? Who allocates?• What types of labour are most valued?Who does this work?• What kind of labour are the least valued and compensated? Who does this work?• Who accumulates profits?

Social• What are the relationships among persons/groups here?• How, when, where and under what circumstances do people relate to one another?• How are decision made and by whom?• How is conflict encouraged, avoided or resolved?

Cultural• What are the popular values publically exhibited?• What other sub-cultures and value systems coexist?• Who controls the representation of culture?

Environmental• What is condition of the natural environment, air, water, land, plants, and animals?• What is the nature of the relationship between society and natural environment?

Intellectual• What ways of knowing, exploring, thinking and talking about the world (epistemologies and ontologies) and ideas/positions are privileged?

Historical• How did this situation develop over time?• Nature of interaction of political, economic, social, cultural, and intellectual