Action research of the new approach in teaching social studies in primary school

Abstract

The paper discusses some possibilities of the application of the thematic and group research work in the teaching of the subject Society in junior primary school classes. The action research of the teaching process was conducted in one fourth grade class in the form of a case study. The research included planning, realization and evaluation of the teaching process related to the teaching of the Medievalm Serbia thematic field, and the whole process was conducted in cooperation of the researchers and the teacher. Formative evaluation included observations of both the researchers and the teacher regarding the process, problems, and effects of the group research, aimed at the advancement of studying. The research experience, apart from speaking for thematic planning and group-research teaching model, indicate to the need of introducing new themes and contents into the teaching of the subject Society. It was noted that students of this age are able to: form a greater number of concepts in a shorter period, develop their understanding of history, epoch and time, and consequently achieve a better understanding of historical sequence.

U radu se govori o mogućnostima primene tematskog pristupa i grupno-istraživačkog rada u nastavi poznavanja društva, u mlađim razredima osnovne škole. Akciono istraživanje nastavnog procesa obavljeno je u jednom odeljenju četvrtog razreda, kao studija slučaja. Istraživanje je podrazumevalo planiranje, realizaciju i evaluaciju nastavnog procesa koji se odnosi na izučavanje tematske oblasti Srednjovekovna Srbija, a čitav proces odvijao se u saradnji istraživača i nastavnika. Formativna evaluacija odnosila se na zapažanja istraživača i nastavnika o samom toku nastavnog procesa, problemima i efektima grupno-istraživačkog rada, s ciljem unapređivanja nastave. Iskustva iz ovog istraživanja, pored toga što govore u prilog uvođenju tematskog planiranja i primeni grupno-istraživačkog modela učenja, ukazuju na potrebu za uvođenjem novih tema i sadržaja u nastavu poznavanja društva. Primećeno je da učenici na ovom uzrastu za kraće vreme mogu da formiraju veći broj pojmova, i u većoj meri razviju shvatanje istorije, epohe i vremena i tako bolje razumeju istorijski sled.