An Investigation of Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Students of Elementary School Teacher Education Study in Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aims at identifying various types of conflicts experienced by students of elementary school teacher study program during online learning of elementary social studies learning courses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and determining the strategies they used to resolve conflicts they encountered . This study uses a descriptive research method with a survey design. The research participants were 4th semester students of the PGSD study program in a private university in the West Java region, totaling 243 that consisted of 182 female students and 61 male students. The instruments used in this study were interviews that were used to identify the conflicts experienced by students during online learning, and closed questionnaires that were distributed to determine the strategies used to resolve the conflicts; which were analyzed descriptively. Based on the data obtained from the interviews, it was revealed that the conflicts experienced by students during online learning were completing group assignments, bullying between students, discriminatory attitude, and acknowledging/taking goods/works of others without asking permission. Meanwhile, based on the data obtained from the questionnaires regarding the students' strategies in resolving conflicts, it was found that students used cooperative strategies in resolving these conflicts.

Assessing Civic Literacy in Elementary Social Studies amidst the Pandemic

Assessment in the zenith of the COVID-19 pandemic challenges the teacher’s administration of assessment and evaluation tools to identify learners’ pace in self-learning. This study examined elementary social studies teachers’ assessment tools and practices during the closing of schools and the zenith of distance learning through SLMs. Using content analysis, the researchers examined the SLMs (SLM) and the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) as the components of the emergency curriculum. The findings exposed the exquisite adaptation of conventional assessment tools among the types of assessment manifested in the SLM. Monitoring and feedbacking, reporting students’ ratings, and authenticity of students’ work were the common problems encountered by teaches. The researchers recommended the utilization of alternative assessment tools to better address the dynamics of civic literacy and flexible appraisal of student achievement. Using technology for assessment will also enhance the delivery of assessment instructions and easiness in validating students’ work.

Moving Asian American History from the Margins to the Middle in Elementary Social Studies Classrooms

This article describes how three Asian American elementary teachers in Texas reflected on the absence of Asian American histories in their own educational experiences, which later inspired them to teach Asian American histories in their classrooms. The teachers’ lessons about Asian American history required them to first (re)define the term Asian American with their students, and the teachers also (re)defined what it meant to be American. Ultimately, they promoted cultural citizenship, which is more inclusive and critical than traditional forms of citizenship that are defined by individual acts like voting and following rules. Cultural citizenship promotes difference as a resource; emphasizes the need to respect and humanize others; includes the voices, experiences, and perspectives of People of Color; and emphasizes human rights and agency. Asian American children’s literature was an essential tool in disrupting exclusionary histories and notions of citizenship as equal to whiteness, and the teachers' work demonstrates how educators can move Asian Americans from the margins to the middle of social studies instruction to support better teaching of U.S. history and democracy.

The use of photo comics media: Changing reading interest and learning outcomes in elementary social studies subjects

Reading is useful for gaining understanding, knowledge, and information. This study aimed to determine the effect of using photo comics media on reading interest and learning outcomes in elementary social studies subjects. This research is a quasi-experimental study with a Non-equivalent Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. The subject of this study is elementary students at the fifth grade level. Data obtained through the implementation of direct learning to school by assessment using questionnaires and tests. Analysis of the data using the t-test. The results showed that the use of photo comics media has a significant positive effect on reading interest and student learning outcomes. This was evidenced after a positive change in asking students to read after being treated with photo comics media. In addition, student learning outcomes are satisfactory after integrating photo comic media in learning activities. Keywords: learning outcomes, photo comics, reading interest, social studies;

Teaching and learning with morning meeting in elementary social studies methods courses

PurposeUsing morning meeting, an evidence-based practice that is part of the responsive classroom (RC) approach, the authors (two teacher educators [TEs]) created opportunities for teacher candidates (TCs) to experience representations, decompositions and approximations of practice in multiple iterations of an elementary social studies methods course.Design/methodology/approachThe authors detail how TEs can expose TCs to social studies content (e.g. the National Council for the Social Studies themes) that can be incorporated into structured, daily classroom routines, such as morning meeting.FindingsThe authors include TE-created morning meeting facilitation guides with components such as a morning message, greeting, share, group activity and theme justification. Furthermore, the authors outline TCs' reflections on planning and implementing a morning meeting with a partner in addition to their own reflections on the TCs' feedback.Originality/valueThis work has implications related to TEs and TCs in elementary social studies methods courses as well as current and future students in elementary classrooms.