Understanding Social Sciences Education: Goals, Epistemology, and Values
General Education
Definition and Scope
General Education studies the phenomenon of education in a general way, without focusing on subject-specific changes. It considers teaching as a unified concept and develops theories, concepts, methods, and techniques applicable to all subjects.
Teaching Special (or Specific)
Bridging General Education and Specific Disciplines
Teaching Special elaborates principles and rules applicable to teaching in every field of knowledge, applying the principles of General Education to the educational context of each discipline.
Social Sciences Didactics
Understanding the Classroom Context
Social Sciences Didactics studies the relationships among teachers, students, and school knowledge within the context of a class and a specific historical moment. It researches the origins and traditions of societies across time and space.
Epistemology of Social Sciences
Defining Knowledge and Its Origins
Epistemology (from Greek episteme, “knowledge,” and logos, “reason” or “discourse”) is a philosophical discipline that investigates the scope, nature, and origin of knowledge.
Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge (Sarramona, 1989)
- Provisional: Knowledge is not definitive and is subject to change and improvement.
- Systematic: Knowledge should be interconnected and structured within established theories and laws.
- Explanatory: Knowledge should explain phenomena by identifying and elaborating on their causes.
- Objective: A challenging characteristic to achieve, objectivity aims to minimize bias and subjectivity in knowledge.
- With a specific language: The terminology used often has a distinct meaning that may differ from common language usage.
Concept of Social Sciences and Epistemological Field
Defining Social Sciences and Their Scope
Social Sciences encompass a diverse group of relatively young disciplines that study humans as social beings. Their epistemological field covers various aspects, including:
- The social nature of human beings and their evolution.
- Human behavior in various aspects.
- The relational nature of groups, their formation, evolution, and growth.
- The organization and exercise of power within and between groups.
- Human behavior within groups and the behavior of groups as collective entities.
- The occupation and organization of spaces and territories.
- The ways individuals and groups organize production and adapt to their environment.
- Material, intellectual, and spiritual expressions and communication within and between individuals and groups.
- Artistic expressions and the evolution of groups, institutions, and humanity over time.
Educational Goals of Social Sciences
Developing Key Competencies (Benejam, 1993)
According to Benejam, Social Sciences education fosters:
- Cognitive competence (“Knowledge”): Enhances the development of concepts and their relationships, crucial for understanding the world.
- Procedural competence (“Learn to do”): Develops strategies to enhance instrumental capabilities, enabling the use and management of power, resources, and the environment.
- Attitude competence (“Learn to be”): Supports an education based on values that society aims to transmit.
Values Promoted by Social Sciences Education
Fostering Responsible and Engaged Citizens
Social Sciences education promotes the following values:
- Personal and moral autonomy and social integration: Equipping students with knowledge and positive attitudes to understand society’s functioning, fostering critical thinking and responsible social integration.
- Glocal consciousness: Appreciating and valuing one’s immediate environment while recognizing belonging to a broader, interconnected world, following the principle of “think globally, act locally.”
- Problematizing consciousness: Developing values and strategies to address everyday life challenges.
- Commitment to environmental protection: Fostering responsible citizens committed to achieving harmonious development between humans and the environment.
- Critical consciousness: Encouraging critical and rational thinking to question social conventions such as consumerism, inequality, and exploitation.
Building a System of Meaning and Values
Social Sciences education aims to help students build a system of meanings and develop attitudes and behaviors aligned with the following values:
- Respecting the dignity of self and others: Recognizing the rationality, liberty, and equality of all individuals.
- Educating for participation: Encouraging communication, dialogue, tolerance, and negotiation as foundations for active participation in society.
- Understanding and appreciating diverse communities: Fostering awareness and appreciation for local, regional, national, and global communities, encouraging participation and understanding of their values, projects, and problems.
- Valuing natural and cultural heritage: Instilling respect and appreciation for inherited natural and cultural heritage, promoting responsible stewardship for future generations.