Social science education in Iceland: a country report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11576/jsse-8302Keywords:
social science education, national curricula, teaching practices, classroom democracyAbstract
Highlights:
- Schools and teachers in Iceland enjoy considerable autonomy in their work.
- The National Curriculum Guides advocate for democratic education and social objectives.
- The National Curriculum Guides do not prescribe specific content to be taught.
- Teaching practices appear to be more teacher-centred, despite teachers’ intentions to the contrary.
Purpose: The article aims to provide an overview of the status of Social Studies within the Icelandic educational system.
Design/methodology/approach: As research on the teaching of social studies in Iceland remains limited, this article draws on a range of studies and policy documents to compile as comprehensive and authentic an account as possible at this time.
Findings: Schools and teachers in Iceland enjoy considerable autonomy in their work, as the National Curriculum Guides do not prescribe specific content. These guides emphasise democratic education and broader social objectives. Nevertheless, despite teachers’ intentions to the contrary, teaching practices tend to remain teacher-centred and relatively uniform.
Practical implications: The report identifies opportunities for improvement in both teacher education and school practices, in line with national education policy
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