Teaching Of Democratic Values Through Social Studies At Elementary Level in The Province of Sind, Pakistan Study carried out by Tamkeen FatimaIn partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATION

Iqra University, Karachi, Pakistan

“Democracy is in our blood, it is in our marrow.”“Pakistan isa liberal, progressive& secular statewhere all political, religious & social human rights will be assured & practiced.”

Mohammad Ali Jinnah , founder of Pakistan.(9th June 1947)

Incompetent Bureaucracy

MARTIAL LAWS

MILITANT WINGS OF POLITICAL PARTIES

KALASHNIKOV CULTURE

Human Rights violations

SIALKOT INCIDENT

OBJECTIVES

To highlight the importance of the orientation of democratic values and attitudes at the grass root levels.

To highlight present status of teaching democratic values at elementary levels in public sector schools.

To highlight and analyze the teaching of democratic values through Social Studies.

OBJECTIVES To analyze the content of the social studies

textbooks with reference to teaching of democratic values.

2. To highlight the practical aspects of the Social Studies textbooks to practically involve pupils in activities related to democratic concepts and practices.

3. To Observe and analyze the pedagogical practices and school environment regarding orientation and inculcation of democratic values.

PROBLEM STATEMENT Pakistan is said to be failed in establishing

democracy in its true spirit. This failure points out the deficits in our

education system; which is supposed to produce civilized, vigilant, loyal and active citizenry. It refers to the associated deficits in curriculum design , objectives and delivery.

Our education system seems to be failed in infusing the democratic values among the nation.

DEMOCRATIC VALUES

Tolerance: Acceptance of diversity in religious social & cultural context.

Equality: Equal human rights regardless of religion, language & class.

Liberty: Freedom of choice, expression & question. Rejection of aggression & violence.

Justice: Impartiality,Honesty, Rule of law, Protection of human rights. Rejection of corruption and hostility.

Rationality: Reasoning, comparison, analysis, understanding cause and effect relatioships.

Participation: Understanding roles and accomplish responsibilities, practically participating in academic and extra curricular activities and sharing in different social, cultural and political events in the society.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS1. How many of the objectives set in the National

Curriculum for Social Studies can be categorized as having the democratic notions?

2. Is there any text in the Social Studies textbooks to create political awareness among pupils?

3. How much of the textbook script represents democracy or democratic values?

4. What opportunities are provided in the textbook to practically involve the pupils in democratic practices?

5-What are the methods and ways to present and convey democratic values in the Social Studies classrooms? 6- Do the Schools’ environment and culture support in promoting democratic values amongst the pupils and the community?

METHODOLOGY Content Analysis: Units of analysis are the

text books of Social Studies at Elementary level.

Classroom Observation: Observation of the classrooms during the periods of Social studies, teachers’ behaviour, way of teaching contents and students’ behaviour. Classes of VI, VII & VIII were observed in Three Public Sector High Schools in three different towns Malir, Gulshan and North Nazimabad in Karachi city.

School Environment Observation: Three high schools in different towns in Karachi were selected to observe the school environments in relation to the promotion of democratic values amongst the pupils.

MAJOR FINDINGS

50% of the objectives set in the National Curriculum (2000-02) for Social Studies can be categorized as having democratic notions.

No objectives of teachin Social Studies and learning outcomes are shared in the text books.

None of the teachers knows about the specific objectives for teaching social Studies as set in the National Curriculum.

Representation of Democratic Values in the Textbooks

29%

7%

7%14%

43%

0%

INTEGRATED THEMES

TOLERANCE

EQUALITY

LIBERTY

JUSTICE

RATIONALITY

PARTICIPATION

MAJOR FINDINGS The textbooks contain reasonable

representation of democratic values in the text.

Rationality is the most represented value in the textbooks contents.

Tolerance is the second most recognized value.

Most of the activities (58%) suggested in the textbooks are designed to promote participation skills.

MAJOR FINDINGS A sever lack of material to create civic

and political awareness was observed in the textbooks; as the syllabus is bifurcated in History and Geography only.

A significant lack was observed in effective delivery of the textbooks contents during the classroom observations. Most of the teachers avoided practical activities suggested in the textbooks.

MAJOR FINDINGS

Most of the teachers, seven out of nine did not try to invoke any classroom discussions and engage students in rational thinking.

Most of the students were obedient passive learners.

Most of the students were ignorant of the present political system of the country.

MAJOR FINDINGS

The general environment of all three schools was found inclusive, just and participative in terms of open admissions and extra curricular activities.

A significant lack of any vision or mission was observed in the schools’ environment s.

Schools were found detached of their neighbouring communities.

SUGGESSIONS

Practical approach is the most required element in the orientation and infusion of Democratic Values and attitudes among the young generation.

The National Curriculum documents should be provided in the schools with detailed and thorough information relating to the objectives of teaching Social Studies with the textbooks.

Appropriate guidelines and resource material should be provided in each school for the teachers of Social Studies.

SUGGESTIONS

Special attention should be given to infuse the democratic values among the students; in connection with real life issues and problems.

Assessment methods for social studies must be changed now, project base methods and practical approach of the students must be encountered to create realistic knowledge and trouble shooting skills.

SUGGESSIONS

Media can be used as great source of awareness and creating analytical thinking among the students, so it must be used effectively in the teaching of Social Studies.

The EndThanks For Watching