ASSESSING SOCIAL STUDIES LEARNING RESOURCES.
Here are two sample sets of questions/criteria that you can use to evaluate Social Studies learning resources. You may design your own set of criteria by combining elements from both samples. You may decide to add other criteria.
Sample 1: A Curriculum Materials Analysis System for Social Studies (Abstracted from Teaching and Learning Elementary Social Studies, Second Edition, by Arthur K. Ellis.
1. Name of Materials; Author(s) Publisher; Cost (If available):
2) Description of Materials (textbook, multimedia program, etc.); Recommended age level(s); Do you agree with the recommended age level? Why or why not?:
3) Contents: Which topics are covered?
4) Objectives of the program: What are the stated cognitive objectives?; Affective objectives?
5) Concepts: What concepts or ideas about human beings and their interactions are presented (e.g., adaptation to environment, supply and demand, roles, culture)?
6)Processes: Which processes are used by students in this program (observation, classification, inference making, etc.)?
7) Teaching Strategies: What teaching strategies are used (lecture, guided discussion, inquiry)?
8) Activities: What do the students do?; How do they spend their time?; Do they read, construct, meet together, decide things, answer questions?
9) Disciplines: Which social science disciplines are utilized (anthropology, economics, psychology, etc.)?
10) Levels of questions and tasks: At what levels are the questions found in the students text, teachers guide, and other materials (recall, explanation, synthesis, etc.)?
11) Provisions for transfer of learning: Does the material give evidence of presenting issues, problems, and skills that students can make use of in other areas of their lives?
12) Provisions for individual differences: Are alternative activities suggested for students who need greater depth or greater simplification?; Are varied interests provided for? Is everyone always expected to do the same thing?
13) Teachers guides and helps: Does the program finish background materials?; How complete are the lesson plans?; Is there sufficient support for you to teach this program?
14) Teacher role: What role(s) does the teacher play in this program-facilitator, lecturer, director of learning, etc.?
15) Classroom environment: What type of intellectual climate would this program enable a teacher to develop?; What kind of social climate might accrue from this program -- competitive or cooperative?; What kind of physical environment is needed-desks in rows, interest centres, etc.?
16) Evaluation Strategies: Who gets evaluated and by whom?; How often?; How do students, parents, and teachers know what learning outcomes are occurring?
17) Summary: What inferences do you make about this program?:
18) Judgment: What value judgments can you make about this program?; Would you want to use it?:
Sample 2: Criteria for Assessing Learning Resources
General Criteria
The criteria outlined below apply to all learning resources -- not just Social Studies learning resources. Although not ALL learning resources will meet ALL of the criteria listed below, it is expected that staff members will exercise their professional expertise, judgment, and sensitivity to apply the criteria when choosing resources.
1. Appropriateness to Program
2. Suitability for Students
3. Nature and Degree of Bias
4. Canadian Content and Publication
5. Quality of Visual and Physical Format
6. Cost and Durability
Specific Criteria
The criteria listed below expand on the six general criteria categories by highlighting key points to be used in such areas as: gender; race, religion, and culture; values; and Canadian content. The use of these specific criteria reflects the policies of the Board pertaining to equity in the curriculum and anti-discriminatory education.
1. Appropriateness to Program
2. Suitability for Students
3. Nature and Degree of Bias
Recognizing that bias exists in all learning materials:
4. Canadian Content
5. Quality of Visual and Physical Format
6. Cost and Durability