Social Studies Teaching with Technological Media in Secondary Education

Abstract:

Information and communication technology is an emerging trend in education.

In the current Scenario, Traditional education is changing towards technical

education. This paper focuses on Teaching Social Sciences by implementing

ICT in classroom. This paper is written on the basis of review of literature. It

also describes on learning environments that encourage the students as

problem-centered and teachers role to implement inquiry-based activities.

With the help of ICT Teachers plays the role of facilitator instead of

gatekeepers to knowledge as subject matter experts.

Introduction:

Social studies are the combination of history, civics, geography,

and economics. Teaching social studies with practical approach create a good

effort among the students. It is all related with society and social needs. So it

could be successful when the students understand about the society. For that

purpose information and communication technology is a useful medium to

fulfill these needs. The information not only in textual form but in audio,

video or any other media is also to be transmitted to the users. Information and

communication technology is used to collect the information .Those Collected

information are processed and depending upon the societal needs which could

be transformed. History helps to evaluate and understand about the major

stages in the society as well as human behaviors and civilization. Culture,

customs and habits are parts of our history. History develops the students as

responsible citizens because Indian freedom struggle, freedom fighters their

values and patriotic ideas makes them a responsible persons. Through

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geography we can know the sites, places and various other identifiable areas

around the world. Civics is useful to know the rules and responsibilities of

people in the society. In day to day life Economics plays a major. We are in

globalization filed. Economy creates awareness about planning, budget, policy

making, social setup and all basic things. Using ICT in schools should motive

to adopt new ways of teaching. ICT skills must be built at school level for

acquiring Standard education and for building future carrier.

Flash card methods:

Flash card is compact visual aids. Teaching becomes more interesting and

meaningful for students with the help of visual aids. Information can be

conveyed step by step through visual aids and relevant definitions and

information about the topic can be added. With the help of flash card the

important information about the lessons can to pinpoint for further discussion

and clarification.

Flash card is used to talk about single idea. It will provide the information in

the sequential order. Flash cards items differ depending upon the group

members. The specialty of flash card is that single information would cover

the whole concept. Making skilled Presentation is another aspect of it. We

could explain in methodical and clear understandable format about the concept

.It is one of the methods to communicate with students. By observing the

facial reactions, feedbacks we can analyze the students’ interest in using the

flash cards.

Technology In flashcards:

Flash cards are created using software which enhance the standards of

teaching and learning process. This flash software is mainly used for testing

and evaluation purpose. It has got number of slide designs, formats, and

patterns for setting the test. The questions and answers needs to be uploaded in

the flash software before the test. Once the test is conducted the score of the

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students will be automatically displayed.

For discussion of the answers we can put questions on one side and the

answers in the other side. We can use software for creating multiple slides.

Software support to provide images, some software has audio support and

printable information. We can use in the classroom with all the tools with

presentation format.

Benefits for students:

It increases the readability of the students. All the information is available in a

short and simple format. So students have time and chance to learn more

things related with the subject. It highlights the critical features on the topic so

students can easily grasp the ideas. It reduces irrelevant details and simplifies

the layout. Especially subject matters related with visual cues like pictures,

diagrams, maps, illustrations can be colorful made and visually displayed.

Creativity is used to convey the information effectively. Methods of

description include selected content (essential content, experienced based or

interest based). Alternative materials such as models, videos are used for easy

understanding of the subjects. It helps to create new materials not only for

teaching and learning and also in general life. So it increases the students

thinking power.

Geographical information system:

Map method is followed all over the world. Traditionally it was used to find

the roots and directions. After the decades the development of information and

communication technology it is used for multiple purpose. In secondary

education students are exposed to basic information about geography. If we

adopt geographical information system in the classroom, teachers can easily

teach various information on historical and contemporary issues. If we see the

Map in book we can see only the available information. Instead by using the

software detailed information is available at all the level. Maps are used to

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identify the places, location, find the roots, boundaries of the countries,

population, economics, statistical purpose, political division, religious

relationship, find the natural resources. Colors are used to differentiate the

things like mountain, river, forest, water sources. GIS information provides

complete list of the above mentioned areas. All this information is collected

from survey of India 2005.It have 3 categories 1. Spatial information

2.demographic maps 3. Sectoral map

Spatial map:

Spatial layers information related with district, town, forest, soil, roads,

railways, airport, basin, catchments based on their needs we get the

information about all the states.

Demographic mapping:

It provides information on population, sex ration, male population, female

population, and gender gap in literacy, SC and ST community details and

information according to 1991, 2001 census report.

District level information:

Information is available about all the districts. If we select the wanted column

about the districts, information will available in the PDF format.

Forest: Forest details of each district, bounties of the forest, and available

resources in the forest we can gather through GIS.

Water facilities provides the information about basin and catchments canal

and water bodies drainage, drinking water facilities, irrigated land, source wise

irrigation, un-irrigated land details available.

Communication: approach road availability, availability of bus facilities, rail

facilities, and transport facilities like highway rode, district road and other

rode facilities available.

Education: education facility location, female literacy, gender gap literacy,

other education facilities, secondary school buffer, total literacy percentage

also available.

Health: health dispensaries, hospitals, medical facility locations, public health

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centre, health centers, workers locations, sub centre buffer. Details are

immensely available.

Post and telecom: mobile telephony, post and telegraph facility, village

telephone connections

Soil: soil depth, soil erosion, soil productivity, soil slope, soil texture.

Other information: agriculture, banks, cinema, video halls ect.,

All the above mentioned areas can be well explored in detail for the students

with the help of ICT in class rooms.

Audio-visual aids:

Social studies have the information about the past and present, all over the

world .It reflects experience of people all over the period. If we use audio

visual aids in the classroom it could be lively and more interesting. Audio

visual aids helps the students easily memorize the information, and provides

gathering information with accuracy. There are three categories in this

method. First one is audio method recording system, sound system. Through

this method students can only listen to the audio and receive the information

through listening. Second category visual learning like pictures, maps,

photographs silent films visual slides provide by PowerPoint. Third category

audio visual method both visual as well as hearing method tools like, short

films related with subjects, television PowerPoint with sound effect, sound

filmstrips are used.

Audio visual aids are initial motivators. This method of teaching could be

more inspiring. Teacher has a dual role to teach and show the information and

correlate the information related with picture. Because of these demo students

themselves collect and create details related to the subject. So automatically

their knowledge and thinking power will increase. It simulates the visual aid

with subject matters. Especially in social studies within short time students can

learn more information about the subjects as well as the world outside. In

secondary level students have less opportunity to visit all the places and see all

the things. So visual method provides the details with life style, culture, habit,

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customs, places everything related with the subject make the class amazing.

Educational movies:

Educational programmes are sponsored by Government as well as commercial

channels. For example Gyan Darshan-1 is provided by Government and some

channels are provided by private organizations.

Movie is quite way of convey the message through story with best characters

and emotions, reflect the human relations. Good movies can equate a great

teacher. The Main aim of the movies is to educate the students through the

society. It introduces the various carrier opportunities for students from young

age. Educational movies make an understanding about society. Important

sources of educational films are:

1. Children’s film society, New Delhi.

2. Central film library, National institute of audio-visual education,

Indraprastha estate, New Delhi.

3. British council in India, Rafi Marg, New Delhi.

4. Burmah shell Film Library, New Delhi.

5. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Parliament Street, New

Delhi.

6. Indian National commission for cooperation with UNESCO, Ministry

of Human Resources Development, Development of Education,

Government of India, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.

7. United Nations information centre, New Delhi

Conclusion:

Through technological media, teachers as executors of prescribed tasks,

implying that detailed tasks had to be formulated in order to get teachers to use

the computers in the classroom. Technical skills and experience is necessary

for teachers. So training is needed for teachers about the new technologies for

effective participation in the classroom teaching. ICT creates the students an

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Independent atmosphere. The Teacher can creatively use the ICT for

generating best results from the students. Socially students get more awareness

and that indirectly Increase their confidence level. Through Educational

movies teachers has responsible role to educate the students about the outside

world.

References:

1. Teaching of social studies, a practical approach – J.C Aggarwal

2. Technology communication and audio visual aids in extension education –

v.venkatasubramanian

3. Critical thinking and learning, an encyclopedia for parents and teachers –

edited by joe L. Kincheloe and Danny Weil.

4. The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on

The Teacher, University of Leuven, Belgium,University of Cologne, Germany

Nexus Europe Ltd., Ireland,University of Barcelona, Spain

5. Use of ICT in teaching – learning & evaluation, Prof. D N Sansanwal,Ex

Director, School of Education, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore

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