Eastern
College of Arts and
Sciences
NCSS/Social Studies
Education
XI. Matrix
Matrix Item 1.6 Theme
Six: Power, Authority, and Governance
Social Studies
teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize
and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Power,
Authority, and Governance.
Indications of
Capabilities for Teaching Social Studies
Teachers of Social Studies at all levels should provide
developmentally appropriate experiences as they guide learners in the study of
power, authority, and governance. They should:
* enable learners to
examine the rights and responsibilities of the individual in relation to his or
her family, social groups, community, and nation;
* help students to
explain the purpose of government and how its powers are acquired, used, and
justified;
* provide
opportunities for learners to examine issues involving the rights, roles, and
status of individuals in relation to the general welfare;
* ask learners to
describe the way nations and organizations respond to forces of unity and
diversity affecting order and security;
* have learners explain conditions, actions, and motivations that contribute
to conflict and cooperation within and among nations;
* help
learners identify and describe the basic features of the American political
system, and identify representative leaders from various levels and branches of
government;
* challenge learners
to apply concepts such as power, role, status, justice, and influence to the
examination of persistent issues and social problems;
* guide
learners to explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at
home and abroad.
1.6 Theme Six: Power,
Authority, and Governance
The program prepares
Social Studies teachers who possess the knowledge, capabilities and
dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school
level for the study of Power, Authority and Governance.
1.6.1 Programmatic
Evidence
Political science majors address this theme in the following ways:
1. The major includes a number of required and elective classes,
listed below, that address power, authority and governance:
2. All students must take PLSC
112 as part of their EMU program, which deals with issues of civic
society and the individual’s role in
Objectives for this class include:
1). Students will be able to define and analyze political power,
democracy, and majority rule.
2). Students will be able to define, identify and analyze the
Declaration of Independence and other precursors to the American Constitutional
system.
3). Students will be able to define and analyze the U.S.
Constitution, checks and balances, and separation of powers.
4). Students will be able to identify contemporary constitutional
issues and assess their political import.
5). Students will be able to define and analyze the concept of
Federalism.
6). Students will be able to identify and analyze the Bill of
Rights and assess its relationship to modern situations.
7). Students will be able to apply constitutional principles to a
modern legal case.
8). Students will be able to describe and analyze the electoral
system in the
9). Students will be able to assess the accuracy of opinion
polling.
10). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in the
presidency, the cabinet system, and federal agencies since 1787.
11). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in
legislative function since 1787.
12). Students will be able to assess the role of lobbying and
campaign contributions in the political process.
13). Students will be able to assess the political situation for
women and minorities in the
14). Students will be able to describe and assess the role of the
media in politics in the contemporary
15). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in the
role of the Supreme Court since 1787.
16). Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the above
to a simulation of the U.S. Federal government.
3. All Political Science majors must also take PLSC 301, the American Legal
System. This course surveys various substantive components of the American
system of law and its function in a democratic society. Special emphasis is
placed upon problems of law enforcement, legal agencies, and the processes
involved in the administration of criminal justice.
Objectives for this class include:
1). Students will be able to describe and analyze major cases
related to the American legal system in their historical and political context.
2). Students will be able to assess legal arguments, and evaluate
different resolutions to legal and political issues.
3). Students will be able to describe the components of the
Anglo-American legal system.
4). Students will be able to define and assess issues of
jurisdiction, equity, civil and criminal classification, court structure,
pleading, and damages.
5). Students will be able to describe and assess issues of
property law, including eminent domain, police power, nuisances, private
property interests, and property intents.
6). Students will be able to describe and assess issues of
contract law, including detrimental reliance, offer and acceptance, fraud,
capacity, warranties, unconscionability, and arbitration.
7). Students will be able to discuss issues in education law,
including due process and equal protection in public education.
8). Students will be able to define and assess issues in tort law,
such as duty of care, proximate cause, negligence, liability, immunity, workers
compensation, vicarious liability, and real property torts.
9). Students will be able to identity and assess issues in
criminal law, such as attempts, omission, abandonment, intent, insanity,
criminal liability, and constitutional standards of criminal law.
10). Students will be able to identify, describe, and analyze
major Supreme Court cases dealing with each of the above issues.
4. All students must take SOFD
328, Schools in a Multicultural Society. This course examines social,
political, and economic influences on schooling and emphasizes the teacher’s
role in preparing diverse students to succeed in school and participate in a
democratic society. The course studies the interactive relationship between
schools and society, and the development of a culturally responsible pedagogy.
Special emphasis is on educational equity and the theoretical foundations of
multicultural education.
5. All students must also take one course in one of the following
social science disciplines as part of their basic studies requirements:
anthropology, economics, geography, or sociology, which approach issues of
power, authority and governance from different disciplinary perspectives.
6. The teaching of civics and government is addressed in HIST 481, the Social Studies
Methods class.
Social Studies majors address this theme in the following five
ways:
1. All students must take PLSC
112 as part of their EMU program, which deals with issues of civic
society and the individual’s role in U.S. Society The
course studies the institutions and processes of American national government.
It includes critical comparisons of major foreign governmental systems. The
class satisfies the political science requirement of all curricula. This class
introduces students to the concepts and ideals of
Objectives for this class include:
1). Students will be able to define and analyze political power,
democracy, and majority rule.
2). Students will be able to define, identify and analyze the
Declaration of Independence and other precursors to the American Constitutional
system.
3). Students will be able to define and analyze the U.S.
Constitution, checks and balances, and separation of powers.
4). Students will be able to identify contemporary constitutional
issues and assess their political import.
5). Students will be able to define and analyze the concept of
Federalism.
6). Students will be able to identify and analyze the Bill of
Rights and assess its relationship to modern situations.
7). Students will be able to apply constitutional principles to a
modern legal case.
8). Students will be able to describe and analyze the electoral
system in the
9). Students will be able to assess the accuracy of opinion
polling.
10). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in the
presidency, the cabinet system, and federal agencies since 1787.
11). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in
legislative function since 1787.
12). Students will be able to assess the role of lobbying and
campaign contributions in the political process.
13). Students will be able to assess the political situation for
women and minorities in the
14). Students will be able to describe and assess the role of the
media in politics in the contemporary
15). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in the
role of the Supreme Court since 1787.
16). Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the above
to a simulation of the U.S. Federal government.
2. All Social Studies majors must also take PLSC 301, which addresses the American legal system and its
institutions. The course surveys various substantive components of the American
system of law and its function in a democratic society. Special emphasis is
placed upon problems of law enforcement, legal agencies, and the processes
involved in the administration of criminal justice.
Objectives for this class include:
1). Students will be able to describe and analyze major cases
related to the American legal system in their historical and political context.
2). Students will be able to assess legal arguments, and evaluate
different resolutions to legal and political issues.
3). Students will be able to describe the components of the
Anglo-American legal system.
4). Students will be able to define and assess issues of
jurisdiction, equity, civil and criminal classification, court structure,
pleading, damages.
5). Students will be able to describe and assess issues of
property law, including eminent domain, police power, nuisances, private
property interests, and property intents.
6). Students will be able to describe and assess issues of
contract law, including detrimental reliance, offer and acceptance, fraud,
capacity, warranties, unconscionability and arbitration.
7). Students will be able to discuss issues in education law,
including due process and equal protection in public education.
8). Students will be able to define and assess issues in tort law,
such as duty of care, proximate cause, negligence, liability, immunity, workers
compensation, vicarious liability, and real property torts.
9). Students will be able to identity and assess issues in
criminal law, such as attempts, omission, abandonment, intent, insanity,
criminal liability, and constitutional standards of criminal law.
10). Students will be able to identify, describe and analyze major
Supreme Court cases dealing with each of the above issues.
3. All students must take SOFD
328, Schools in a Multicultural Society. This course examines social,
political, and economic influences on schooling and emphasizes the teacher’s
role in preparing diverse students to succeed in school and participate in a
democratic society. The course studies the interactive relationship between
schools and society, and the development of a culturally responsible pedagogy.
Special emphasis is on educational equity and the theoretical foundations of
multicultural education.
4. All students must also take one course in one of the following
social science disciplines as part of their basic studies requirements: anthropology,
economics, geography, or sociology, which approach issues of Power, Authority
and Governance from different disciplinary perspectives.
5. The teaching of civics and government is addressed in HIST 481, the Social Studies
Methods class.
Geography, psychology, and history students address this theme in
the following ways:
All students must take PLSC
112 as part of their EMU program, which deals with issues of civic
society and the individual’s role in U.S. Society The
course studies the institutions and processes of American national government.
It includes critical comparisons of major foreign governmental systems. The
class satisfies the political science requirement of all curricula.
Objectives for this class include:
1). Students will be able to define and analyze political power,
democracy, and majority rule.
2). Students will be able to define, identify, and analyze the
Declaration of Independence and other precursors to the American Constitutional
system.
3). Students will be able to define and analyze the U.S.
Constitution, checks and balances, and separation of powers.
4). Students will be able to identify contemporary constitutional
issues and assess their political import.
5). Students will be able to define and analyze the concept of
Federalism.
6). Students will be able to identify and analyze the Bill of
Rights and assess its relationship to modern situations.
7). Students will be able to apply constitutional principles to a
modern legal case.
8). Students will be able to describe and analyze the electoral
system in the
9). Students will be able to assess the accuracy of opinion
polling.
10). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in the
presidency, the cabinet system, and federal agencies since 1787.
11). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in
legislative function since 1787.
12). Students will be able to assess the role of lobbying and
campaign contributions in the political process.
13). Students will be able to assess the political situation for
women and minorities in the
14). Students will be able to describe and assess the role of the
media in politics in the contemporary
15). Students will be able to describe and assess changes in the
role of the Supreme Court since 1787.
16). Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the above
to a simulation of the U.S. Federal government.
Test Evidence
Class evidence for social studies majors:
|
Grade range |
SOFD 328 |
PLSC 112/3 |
PLSC 301 |
|
A to A- |
15 |
5 |
19 |
|
B- to B+ |
9 |
3 |
2 |
|
C- to C+ |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
D- to D+ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
E |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Transfer credit granted (not below C) |
1 |
16 |
2 |
Class evidence for history majors:
|
Course |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PLSC 112/3 |
Cr |
a |
a |
cr |
cr |
c- |
c+ |
b- |
cr |
cr |
cr |
|
|
SOFD 328 |
a |
b |
a- |
a- |
a |
b- |
b- |
a- |
a |
b+ |
b |
|
Class evidence for political science majors:
|
Course |
Student 1 |
Student 2 |
|
PLSC 112/3 |
A |
C |
|
SOFD 328 |
B+ |
Not yet taken |
Class evidence for geography majors:
|
Course |
|
Student Grades |
|
|
|
PLSC 112/3 |
|
D |
CR |
CR |
|
SOFD 328 |
|
A- |
|
A |
Class evidence for psychology majors:
|
Class |
Grade |
|||
|
PLSC 112/3 |
C |
|||
|
SOFD 328 |
A- |
|||
|
|
|
|||
Political Science
Of the one 2002-3 graduate with a major of political science for
education, one student took the exam and scored 235. The passing score for the
MTTC is 220. This equals a pass rate of 65%.
State test data for Social Studies
Of the twenty two 2002-3 graduates with a major in History for
Secondary Education, seventeen student took the Social Studies MTTC, and
received a scores of 217, 220, 228, 228, 236, 241, 247, 255, 257, 263, 267,
268, 271, 271, 276, 276, 276. The passing score for the MTTC is 220. This
equals a pass rate of 94% for the exam, as compared to a state rate of 78%.
Performance Evidence:
Students scored as follows on the supplemental evaluation form on
this strand:
|
Score |
Social Studies |
History |
Political Science |
Geography |
|
5- Excellent |
8 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
4 – Very Good |
8 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
|
3 Average |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 Minimally acceptable |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 Inadequate |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
N Not applicable to this student |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Note: Neither psychology nor economics had any students complete
student teaching in Winter 2003 when the supplemental
form was instituted.