Sustainable Development and Values Education in the Jordanian Social Studies Curriculum

Y

19

Foreign Countries; Sustainable Development; Values Education; Social Studies; Curriculum Design; Secondary School Students; Standards; Content Analysis; Public Schools; Natural Sciences; Technology; Economic Impact; Social Influences; Social Attitudes; Group Membership; Interpersonal Relationship

0013-1172

This study aims at identifying the values function, its relationship with sustainable development, and the extent of taking in to consideration the national education book for Jordanian tenth graders in the years 2004-2010. This study will attempt to answer the following questions: what is the values function that should be followed in the social studies curriculum?; to what extent should the Jordanian tenth grade social studies' books include values in the sustainable development function?; and what does sustainable development add to the social studies curriculum? The study used the method of content analysis, which is considered an analytical descriptive curricular form and aimed at describing the content's objectivity. The study's population consisted of the social studies education curriculum taught to Jordanian tenth grade students in government schools in the year 2002-2010. The Jordanian social studies' curriculum is considered the developmental focus in all types and dimensions: The economic, social, cultural, technological, environmental, demographic, human, security, global, health, and future education. All of these fields and others require providing the individual with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that consist of the elements of the Jordanian social studies curriculum. Natural science and technology are connected with these fields because scientific creations and technical specializations also create social, moral and environmental issues and problems. The results of analyzing the book units showed that the values of sustainable development included in the book were the belonging and loyalty values which were the most prevalent values in the tenth grade books. This was followed by economic development values, social values and finally, tolerance values. The researcher noticed that the loyalty value was the most important value due to the Jordanian social studies education curricula which is considered an essential factor to prepare the students for loyalty to his country, society, and people through making him politically aware and instilling his identity and loyalty through the curriculum. The researchers also include recommendations that address sustainable development functions and requirements, and the reality of applying the values function in the Jordanian social studies curriculum.

ERIC

35

2014

EJ1033590