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Community and Cultural Contexts for Reflexive Social Studies Education


Course Description

Focuses on the communities and cultural contexts in which teaching occurs. Supports reflexive teaching practices informed by community and cultural contexts. Emphasis on understanding community and cultural contexts affecting social, political, economic, and civic decision-making.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students in this course will be required to complete additional reading and writing assignments throughout the semester. Graduate students will be assessed and evaluated according to more rigorous standards than the undergraduate students in the course.


Athena Title

SS Community Cultural Contexts


Undergraduate Prerequisite

ESOC 3450 and (EDSE 4030/6030 or EDSE 4030E/6030E)


Graduate Prerequisite

(ESOC 7050 or ESOC 7050E) and (EDSE 4030/6030 or EDSE 4030E/6030E)


Semester Course Offered

Offered fall


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

Demonstrate knowledge of culturally-sustaining/relevant pedagogies. Explore and reflect on community and culturally-informed civic decision making. Develop reflective teaching skills. Develop practices of sustaining community and culture within and beyond schools. Connect historical information to the community and cultural understanding. Explore and reflect on building community relationships within and beyond the classroom. Recognize and connect with various educational stakeholders, including parents, the board of education, and community leaders. Utilize knowledge of family, community, and cultural contexts to shape curricular, methodological, and pedagogical choices. Demonstrate knowledge of sociopolitical contexts of schooling and their manifestations in practice.


Topical Outline

Building and developing community relationships Historical and contemporary understandings of community and culture Community as the enactment of social studies Culturally-sustaining/relevant theories Developing reflective teaching practices Community and culturally-civic decision making


Syllabus