 |
 |
|
Social Studies |
||
Learning PathsProgression in Social Studies |
 |
|
About the process matrices
The matrices for the three processes, Inquiry, Values Exploration, and Social Decision Making, describe steps in the learning paths that students take to work through each process. These steps are not levelled. Each learning path can be applied in its entirety at any level to different social studies content and contexts.
Although the steps are presented here in a logical order, students will not necessarily follow a particular sequence: their learning paths may vary according to the content and contexts of their work and their level of learning.
Each of the three processes is likely to involve non-linear reiteration of steps as students reflect on the work and revisit an earlier step, for example, collecting more information to supplement the information they have already collected, as their processing of it raises new questions. One possible non-linear pathway is illustrated below for Values Exploration. Two further diagrams of learning paths for processes are included in the teachers' notes.
For any process, teachers, in consultation with their students, will select the starting point and sequence of steps that are most appropriate to the content and contexts of the work and to their students' level of learning.
Inquiry
Values Exploration
Social Decision Making
| Process | Steps in the learning path | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developing questions | Collecting information | Processing information | Communicating findings | Making generalisations | Reflecting and evaluating | |
| Inquiry | Uses or frames questions and develops a framework for inquiry. | Collects and records information. | Processes information using appropriate conventions. | Communicates findings using appropriate conventions. | Makes a generalisation from ideas about society. | Reflects upon and evaluates the learning process and the findings. |
| Process | Steps in the learning path | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explaining values positions | Explaining differences | Explaining consequences | Accepting and/or resolving differences | Changing values positions | Establishing criteria | Reflecting and evaluating | |
| Values Exploration | Explains their own and/or others' values positions. | Considers and explains reasons for any similarities and differences. | Considers and explains the possible consequences of people holding different values positions. | Describes ways of accepting or resolving differences arising from different values positions. | Explains how values positions change over time. | Establishes criteria to evaluate different values positions. | Reflects upon and evaluates the learning process and the findings. |
| Process | Steps in the learning path | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identifying issues | Understanding issues | Generating solutions | Establishing criteria | Planning and possibly taking action | Reflecting and evaluating | |
| Social Decision Making | Identifies a relevant social issue. | Identifies possible causes of the issue. | Generates possible solutions and explains the likely consequences of these solutions. | Establishes criteria for judging possible solutions to decide on and justify the best solution. | Plans and possibly takes action in relation to the preferred solution. | Reflects upon and evaluates the learning process and the findings. |
Print version of the process matrices (PDF, 28kb)
 |
 |