Abstract
Given the present-day need for citizenship education (civics), growing university interest in engaging students with diverse members of the community, and university instructors seeking ways to help preservice teachers find relevance in learning and teaching civics, this paper discusses a study conducted in a South Florida university’s social studies methods course that supplemented the curriculum with an Oral History Project, a classroom-based project in which 38 elementary preservice teachers took part in as students and researchers. By conducting an oral history/interview with community members who shared first-hand knowledge or experience related to a historical or current social and/or political issue/event (e.g., immigration, government, law, diversity, war, poverty, inequalities, civil and human rights, rights and responsibilities, etc.), preservice teachers were able to analyze topics and human perspective in dialogue to determine how their interviewee’s shared experience impacted their attitudes, beliefs, and understanding of content knowledge/past-to-present societal issues, their own lives, and their future teaching. Though participants focused on a collage of events and issues that showcased local community citizens’ experiences, the topics were representative of what global citizens experience. As preservice teachers can help build a foundation of civic engagement with their future students, the Oral History Project is an example of such an endeavor which allowed preservice teachers to form a bond with community and gain real world civic knowledge and authentic social studies.
Presenters
Rina R. BousalisAssociate Professor of Social Studies Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Florida Atlantic University, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Education and Learning Worlds of Differences
KEYWORDS
ORAL HISTORY, PRESERVICE TEACHERS, CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION, CIVICS, SOCIAL POLITICAL ISSUES
