Its a course for all 100 level Social Studies Major and other related field of study.

1. BY
Lasbat Omoshalewa AKINSEMOYIN
Social Sciences Education
University of Ilorin

2.  The United States of America appeared to be the
“mother” country of Social Studies, Obebe (1990) ,
opined that Social Studies first appeared as a
curriculum of the educational system of USA.
 Originally, a committee on Social Studies set up in
USA in 1916 defined soc std as those whose subject
matter relate directly in the organization and
development of human society and to man as a
member of social group.

3.  This definition formed the basis for subsequent
definition.
 Social studies does not have a universally accepted
definition as different authors and writers defined
soc std in varied ways.
 Some countries refered to soc std as citizenship
education, others call it cultural education,
environmental education or population education.

4.  CITIZEN EDUCATION- gives people the
knowledge and skills to understand, challenge and
engage with the main pillars of the society.
 CULTURAL EDUCATION-generally refers to the
beliefs, perceptions, relationships, attitudes, and
written and unwritten rules that shape and
influence every aspect of how a school functions.
 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION- is a process
that allows individuals to explore environmental
issues, engage in problem solving, and take action
to improve the environment.

5.  POPULATION EDUCATION-is important in
countries that are in danger of overpopulation
because it informs students on population trends
and aims to promote having smaller families.
Educating students on population dynamics was
introduced in many Asian countries during the
1970s
 The definition of soc std continue to be modified
every year.
 This may be due to the fact that social studies is
culture bound and culture is not static. It is dynamic.

6.  Social Studies is not a subject out of the blue or in
isolation.
 Social Studies is an integration of many of the subjects
of the social sciences, arts and sciences.
 Some scholars argue that ss is another form of history,
geography, economics or combination of them.
 However, Ogunsanya (1984) clarified social studies is a
synthesis rather than a mixture of relevant component
subjects:economics, political science, sociology, history,
geography etc.

7.  WHY DO WE SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE IN
SOCIAL STUDIES?
 Social studies was introduced as a separate subject
in Nigerian schools because of certain philosophical
consideration.

8.  To fulfill the declaration of the National Policy on
Education.
 1. The inculcation of national consciousness and
national unity.
 2. The inculcation of the right type of values and
attitudes for the survival of the individuals and Nig
society.

9.  The development of democratic society made it
necessary for a child to develop national
consciousness and unity.
 There are several aspect of dimensions of values;
political, social, cultural and economic.
it is only in broad subject like social studies
which investigates the social, political, cultural
and economic aspects of the life of the child that
all the dimension of values can be taught.

10.  Another philosophical argument, is that education
should be more functional and relevant to the needs
of both the child and the society.
 The realization of this can be made possible by
teaching social studies that is child centered and
community-oriented programmes.

11.  The subject was introduced as an integrated
programme, to make education real to life and it
also address social issues.
 Social studies serve as an ideological orientation
that enable learners think independently, weigh
evidence and ideas critically in other to make
decisions.

12. 1. SOCIAL SCIENCE AS A SEPARATE SUBJECT
 There are some experts who view social studies as
the study of social science as separate discipline.
 These experts argued that social studies is different
from social science in the four concepts:
 SCOPE, SIZE, PURPOSE AND
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY.

13.  From both Scope and Size, social studies seems to be
narrower than social science.
 Scholars representing the various social science
disciplines,
 research into a greater diversity of social and human
relationship
 gather more data and information than it is possible
in social studies.
 These experts assert that the purpose of social
science is to search and contribute new knowledge
to this discipline.

14.  Whereas social studies direct students to learn a
selected segment of what social scientists have
discovered.
 Social scientists deal frequently with abstract theory
and sophisticated modes of enquiry, that in most
instances are beyond the level of many children.
 However, this theory has been criticized on the
basis that there is inadequacy of social science when
taken alone, to fulfil the need of CITIZEN
EDUCATION.

15.  This theory emanates from another group of
experts.
 This experts view social studies as part of the school
general education programme
 which is concern in preparing the citizens to
participate in the society.
 Citizen education implies the mode of teaching in
which the teacher intends children learn certain
behaviour, knowledge and values.

16.  These experts contend that the most important aim
of social studies is to help students acquire
knowledge which are relevant to social issues.
 The teacher transmit those important culture wish
he believes society wishes him to transmit.
 This theory abide with indoctrination but does not
recognize the worth and initiative of the child.

17.  The weakness of this theory is the confusion made
between education and indoctrination (to force sb
to accept a particular belief).
 It does not allow free flow of culture contact
through knowledge explosion (rapid increase).
 It holds value as static for all ages.

18.  The third
 The experts of this thinking do not reject social
science as the parent disciplines of the new social
studies.
 They believe that social studies is a way of life that
focuses on decision making within social and
political frame work.

19.  These experts noted that social studies is a means
of reflective enquiry.
 i.e. it is a subject that is out to find the social
problems and finding solutions .
 That is why some people see social studies as a
research;
a. You identify
b. Observe
c. Analyze using appropriate method
d. Reach conclusion
e. recommendations

20.  Social studies is a subject of emerging challenges.

22.  Social studies and social sciences are generally
related. i.e. they share common content.
 Social sciences are the parent disciplines of the
social studies (Ogundare, 2000). The root of
social studies.
 The center of focus of social studies and social
sciences is man relationship to man and his
environment.

23.  This implies that social studies has its foundation
in the content of social sciences.
 Social foundation: Societal values, problems and
changing condition.
 Psychological foundation: child development and
methodological aspects of instruction.
At the same time, social studies and social
sciences are dissimilar.

24. 1. The social sciences are scholarly disciplines -
Anthropology, Geography, Economics,
History, Political Science, Psychology and
Sociology.
On the other hand, the focal point of Social Studies
is how the children will learn.
2. Careful research orientation is the hallmark of
social sciences and Social studies is about
developing socio-civic behavior in the child.

26.  Social studies and History differs in Nature.
 Social studies work in the present while History
work on past.
 Both are programme of study in school But
History is a form of knowledge, pertaining to one
particular structure of experience
whereas
Social studies is an integration of knowledge, i.e.
drawing knowledge from different sourcee to
explain or resolve a problem.

27.  History refers to the study of the various events
that took place in the past in the realm of the
human world.
While
 Social studies refer to the studies made with an
intention to promote social competence.
 In social studies, if children learn a lesson about
Africa that lesson incorporates many factors.
 For example, they will learn something about the
history of Africa.

28.  They will learn something about the economic
condition of Africa.
 They will also learn about the political system of the
country as well as the culture of the people.
 Social studies is broader as it has portions of history,
political science, social science, and economics.
 Social studies encompass many disciplines While
history is a specific study and can be classified by
period.

30.  The groundwork for the introduction of social
studies as a school subject was laid in 1882 in a
conference held in Maidison, Winsconsin to set for
the content to be taught in the schools from history
and social sciences.
 The conference recommended that American,
English, Greek, Roman and French History be
taught,
 That one of these be taught intensively, that
government be taught and economics be somehow
wooven into this course.

31.  Ogundare, (2000) stated that the recommendation
of the conference, not a programme of social studies
but still served as a precursor for the origin of the
subject in the U. S. A.
 Their was a time the county was faced with Racial
discrimination against the blacks in particular. Also
Religious, Political and Cultural problems.
 A committee was set up in 1916 prepared a report
entitled ‘the social studies in secondary education’.
 This report was accepted by the US department of
education.

32.  Social studies achieved status as subject in schools.
 The introduction of social studies in the
curriculum of American Schools came as a result of
problems within American society.
 The curriculum was organized around social
problems.
 The origin of social Studies as a School subject was
traced to US in 1916. This implies that USA is the
mother country of Social Studies.

33.  After the 1st World war, education in Britain begin to
be criticized.
the primary and secondary education failed
to developed the desired values in pupils.
 The content taught at that time included materials
from economics and political science which were
taught as civics.

34.  In 1926, the Hadow Report on Education in Britain
suggested that the general character of the teaching
should account of the pupils natural and social
environment.
 This was the beginning of the thinking towards
social education in Britain.

35.  In 1930, there was suggestion that teaching of
values and attitudes should replace education for
submission.
 After this report, social studies education was
introduced as a school subject.
 Social studies existed around 1930s in Britain and
other European countries.

36.  Social studies in Africa is a fairly recent curriculum
innovation coming after 1960 in the wake of
independence.
 During this period, most African countries were
European Colonies.
 They faced the problem of educating their citizens
in the European values which had been embeded in
the curricula of African Schools.

37.  The educational policies of the colonial government
were formulated to serve the needs of the colonial
masters.
 Teaching was geared towards training Africans
who would serve the interest of the colonial
government.
 African traditional values, attitudes and skills were
ignored.
 Although the colonial education had some aspect of
social studies inform of general knowledge and
religious and moral instructions.

38.  It was also taught in another form as civics and
government.
 The teaching of geography, history and
government in schools during the colonial period
was considered important in order to achieve
objectives of colonialism.

39.  Social studies as an integrated subject was
introduced to African at the conference in
Mombasa, Kenya between August 16 and 30, 1968.
 The conference was attended by African,
Americans and British Educators.
 Eleven African Countries were represented:
Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho,
Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda
and Zambia.

40.  Mombasa conferences agreed that no curriculum can be
better than content related to national aspirations and
responsilities of the citizens.
 The agreement of the conference include;
1. The teaching of subject such as history and geography
should be reviewed.
2. There were also need to develop materials that can
promote inter-ethnic understanding, co-operation and
national unity.
3. There should be integrated social studies.


41.  The Mombasa conference launched the African
Social Studies Programme (ASSP).
 The eleven countries that were represented became
the founding members of the ASSP.
 The purpose of ASSP was to propagate the idea of
the integrated social studies to solve societal
problems.

42. 1. That every school-going child in Africa shall
be given opportunity thru social studies
education to acquire attitude and values.
2. Shall be given opportunity to learn about
social and physical environment.
3. Shall discover knowledge thru self
involvement.

43.  The development of social studies as a school
subject in many countries aside USA is less than a
CENTURY Old.
 Many countries view social studies in different
ways and this has made it difficult to have an
acceptable universal view.
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN
NIGERIA

44.  Social studies as an integrated discipline was not in
existence during the colonial era in Nigeria (1840-
1960).
 What was found in schools was the teaching of a
curriculum called ‘General Knowledge’.
 Later in the 1950s, social sciences subjects which
include geography, economics and government
were introduced to the secondary schools.

45.  As Nigeria approached independence, there were
efforts to indigenize the content of most of the
courses in the primary and secondary schools.
 When independence was achieved in 1960, there
was the opportunity to experiment American
education. It was the experiment that brought the
new social studies into Nigeria
 It was at Aiyetoro Comprehensive High School in
Ogun State of Nigeria that social studies as an
integrated subject was first introduced to the
secondary school students in 1963.

46.  The school introduced many new subjects to the junior
classes of the school among which was social studies,
taught by a few Americans assisted by two Nigerians at
the beginning, Messrs M. A. Makinde and A. A. Oladiji.
 By 1967, the department of social studies in the school
had twelve members of staff.
 In 1965, the Western Nigeria Ministry of Education
began preparation for the propagation of the subject by
convening a conference of the principals of schools in
the region.
 The conference agreed to outline the social studies
syllabus for secondary school classes I and II, and this
was assigned to the department of social studies in
Aiyetoro Comprehensive High School.

47.  In 1963, Ford Foundation Aid and the Comparative
Education Study and Adaptation Centre (CESAC),
produced a textbook for classes I and II.
 The trial and experimental teaching of social studies
as could not go on well in the Eastern states owing
to the civil war.
 In the northern states, the educational committee
decided that social studies should be introduced
into schools and colleges in the northern states.
 In 1969, the department of social studies was
established in the Institute of Education A.B.U.

48.  Social studies began to get national recognition.
 In 1969, National Curriculum Conference was held
in Lagos ; in other to achieve the national objectives
of education social studies should form part of the
learning experiences.
 More states; Kaduna, Kwara and Lagos introduced
the subject in 1971.
 In 1971, the first National Curriculum workshop
was held in Ibadan under the auspices of Nigeria
Education Research Council (NERC) and the first
national social studies syllabus for primary schools
was produced.

49.  The syllabus became the fountain from which most
states derived their social studies programmes.
 By 1980, social studies was being offered at all levels
of our education. The new National Policy on
Education has made it a core subject in primary and
junior secondary schools.
 Social studies was made a core subject at all levels of
the 9-Year programme.

50.  The challenge that the subject has not been received
in so many schools in the country.
 This necessitated the formation of Social Studies
Association of Nigeria (SOSAN).
 SOSAN became one important agency for the
development and propagation of social studies and
also its first professional body of the subject.

51.  It was the Aiyetoro experiment (Ohio Project) that
provided the base for the emergence of SOSAN in
1971.
 The idea of forming a national body was muted by
Mr. M. A. Makinde who eventually was elected its
first national secretary while Professor A. B.
Fafunwa was elected the first national President.
 The broad aims of SOSAN are to:
a. Promote the teaching, learning and understanding
of social studies in Nigeria;

52. b. Organize conferences, seminars, refresher courses
and workshops for the improvement of the
knowledge, the methods and competencies of
social studies learners and teachers in the country.
 Membership of SOSAN is open to:
a. All teachers of social studies in all institutions and
levels of education in the country.
b. All bodies, institutions and organisations involved
in teaching and learning of social studies.
c. All interested person(s) in allied disciplines; and
d. All students of social studies in institutions of
learning in the country

53.  Two professional bodies with similar objectives to
that SOSAN, have since been founded;
a. National Association of Social Studies
Educationists (1991)
b. Social Studies Teachers Association of Nigeria
(1998).

54.  Social studies takes different forms in different
countries but in Nigeria, the subject is taught as an
integrated discipline.

55.  The major purpose of social studies in Nigeria are
a. the inculcation of national consciousness and
national unity
b. creating awareness of the physical and social
resources
c. socio-civic skills for the survival of the individual,
and understanding citizenship and moral
education.

56.  According to Mansaray (1991), the objectives of social
studies can be grouped into three broad categories;
a. Knowledge: implies understanding the social and
physical environment, acquiring basic facts and
information about our environment.
b. Skills: acquiring basic skills as listening, speaking,
reading and writing, skills of observation, data-
collection, analysis and inference, which are essential to
the forming of sound judgment.
c. Attitudes and values: development of positive attitudes
of togetherness and cooperation, the inculcation of
values of honesty, hardwork, fairness and justice.

57.  Social studies is a vehicle to achieve the philosophy
of the nation.
i. the inculcation of national consciousness and
national unity;
ii. the inculcation of the right type of values and
attitudes for the survival of the individuals and the
Nigeria society;
iii. the training of the mind in the understanding of
the world around; and
iv. the acquisition of appropriate skills for the
individual to live in and contribute to the
development of the society.

59.  A scope and sequence following the expanding
environments model would be as follows:
a. Nursery School: Self, Family, School
b. Lower Basic School One: Family and School
c. Lower Basic School Two: Neighborhood and
Community
d. Lower Basic School Three: Our Community and
Other Communities
e. Lower Basic Four: Our State
f. Lower Basic Five: Nigerian History
g. Upper Basic Six: Global Studies