About this Research Topic
Despite the difficulties in defining the concept of 'controversial issue', it can be stated that it has general characteristics based on the integration of conflicting values and interests, on the presence of individual or social sensitivities, and on the potential generation of emotions. Its approach leads to multiple solutions, open to discussion, such as climate change, terrorism or war. From the theoretical principles of education for global citizenship, the development and acquisition of social competences aimed at providing solutions to contemporary controversial issues is expected. The didactic treatment of these contents favors the contrast of argued perspectives, elective rationality in decision-making in controversial or problematic contexts, and social commitment as an inherent part of the democratic process.
The scientific literature evidences that the teaching of controversial topics, advocated for decades, constitutes one of the most powerful tools for the promotion of active citizenship, the development and acquisition of critical-reflective thinking skills, and education for democratic citizenship. It also demonstrates, however, the complexities, risks, and interference of emotional reactions in learning about sensitive, delicate, controversial, or contentious historical issues.
Even though there is a relative availability of research linked to the analysis of the representations of future and current teachers on the curricular relevance of controversial topics, there are few studies aimed at understanding teachers' discourses and decision-making on controversial topics in the Social Sciences and Literature classroom and their association with the development of deliberative skills, and at analyzing the levels of coherence between their attitudes, positions and teaching practices.
This Research Topic aims to address the following issues:
What is the place of controversial topics in social sciences and literature education? What are the social representations of future teachers and in-service teachers about this field? Is there coherence between their representations, their pedagogical programs and their teaching practices?
What attitudes and causal factors motivate the presence or absence of its treatment in the social sciences and literature classroom? What are the justifications for addressing controversial, planned and unplanned topics in the social studies and literature classroom?
Articles on educational research and innovation based on the application of rigorous quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodological designs, whose results represent a significant contribution to the research topic posed, are welcome.
The scientific literature evidences that the teaching of controversial topics, advocated for decades, constitutes one of the most powerful tools for the promotion of active citizenship, the development and acquisition of critical-reflective thinking skills, and education for democratic citizenship. It also demonstrates, however, the complexities, risks, and interference of emotional reactions in learning about sensitive, delicate, controversial, or contentious historical issues.
Even though there is a relative availability of research linked to the analysis of the representations of future and current teachers on the curricular relevance of controversial topics, there are few studies aimed at understanding teachers' discourses and decision-making on controversial topics in the Social Sciences and Literature classroom and their association with the development of deliberative skills, and at analyzing the levels of coherence between their attitudes, positions and teaching practices.
This Research Topic aims to address the following issues:
What is the place of controversial topics in social sciences and literature education? What are the social representations of future teachers and in-service teachers about this field? Is there coherence between their representations, their pedagogical programs and their teaching practices?
What attitudes and causal factors motivate the presence or absence of its treatment in the social sciences and literature classroom? What are the justifications for addressing controversial, planned and unplanned topics in the social studies and literature classroom?
Articles on educational research and innovation based on the application of rigorous quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodological designs, whose results represent a significant contribution to the research topic posed, are welcome.
Keywords: Controversial issues, teacher training, in-service teachers, controversial pedagogy, political dimension of education, social studies education, literary education
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