SOCIAL STUDIES
a. Career and entrepreneurial opportunities in Social Studies
The main goal of teaching social studies is to teach students to become good citizens. We are living in a diverse society — one that requires knowledge of social studies to succeed. With a social studies background, children become adults who can participate civilly in our democratic society. Social studies connect students with the real world.
Specific topics within social studies that are studied in school coursework include:
- geography,
- anthropology,
- economics,
- history,
- sociology,
- political science, and
Importanceofsocialstudies
- Better Reading And Learning
Social studies is one area in education where content integration is key. Students aregivenreadingmaterialthatcorrespondswiththecurrent
learning topics. Giving reading materials in context helps students become better readers. They also become better learners because they are asked to use analysis, critical thinking, and writing to show understanding.
- Citizen Responsibilities And Values
How can we expect young people to contribute positively to society, engage in discourse, and thrive in a democratic society if they are not exposed to the topics and aspects of history and life that made society the way it is?
Students needan understanding of history, political science, culture, and all humanities to be able to understand why it is important to be a good citizen.
- Cultural Understanding
Students should be exposed to cultures far beyond what they experience personally every day. Not every student has the opportunity to interact with other cultures on a daily basis. We need students to learn about, understand, and appreciate cultural differences if we expect them to have meaningful interactions with people of all backgrounds in the future.
- EconomicEducation
Economics is a crucial part of social studies, whether studied on its own, or as a part of history, anthropology, or political science. By learning economics, young people understand how their financial decisions have an impact on their future, as well as the future of society.
- CriticalThinking
Critical thinking is a part of social studies — students are taught to evaluateothers’decisionsand make connections between influences and
circumstances. Young people get the opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes through social sciences.
- Real-WorldUnderstanding
Studying social sciences gives students an understanding of the real world around them. Students learn about places, cultures, and events around the
world, what conspired to make them the way they are, and can make inferences about how the rest of the world works.
- PoliticalSkills
From social studies classes, students learn about government, political ideas, the country’s economy and resources, and more. Students gain political skills by analyzing and evaluating existing systems and imagining the future of the place in which they live.
- RespectHistory
History is what made the world the way it is, and it is essential that people study it in order to have an appreciation for and understanding of the way the world works. Learning about history is what makes it possible to learn from the past and plan for the future.
CareeropportunitiesrelatedtosocialstudiesSocialwork
Statistically, and probably unsurprisingly, the majority of Social Studies graduates gone to work in the broad field known as“social work”.
Counselling
Another popular career option for Social Studies graduates is to complete some further education and come a counsellor.
Prisonservicesandprobation
As part of your Social Studies degree, you’ll look at the legal system and ask important questions about crime and punishment.
If you have a particular interest in this area then a career in the probation or prison service might appeal to you. Roles could be administrative or you could be working indirect contact with offenders and those on probation.
Community development
This is similar to jobs in social work but you’ll be dealing with the community on a larger scale rather than on an individual or family basis.
Roles in community development have the overall goal of improving the lives of a larger group, sometimes within a specific geographical area or people who have specific needs.
Some career opportunities that one would pursue from studying Social Studies in Kenya and globally include
- teaching,
- surveying,
- law,
- archaeology,
- political science,
EntrepreneurialopportunitiesforSocial studies in the society
Therefore, we can state with conviction that social entrepreneurs(individuals, organizations, or groups) are innovative and proactive risk-takers who attempt to create a sustainable community, social, or industry-wide change to address endemic problems. These entrepreneurs identify, assess, and exploit opportunities in an attempt to create social value.
Further, they use a wide range of market-driven resources (and other resources)to create this transformation.
- In these markets, the profit margins are very low and the risks are high. Further, in certain sectors like microfinance, there is a constant debate as to whether a commercial operation can fulfil the needs of the poorest client groups more effectively than modified NGO models. In this niche, some examples of social entrepreneurship organisations are micro-clinics in low-income zones, affordable irrigation tools for poor farmers, etc.
- New and challenging markets where the entrepreneur is required to incur heavy expenses to stimulate demand and create opportunities. This is due to the prevalent stigma and the challenges faced in acclimatizing people to newer and more complex technologies as well as challenging perceptions about certain services which need to be provided by the state. Some examples are offering counselling services to people living with HIV/AIDS or other socially marginalized groups, microinsurance products for farmers, etc.
- Markets for products which offer environmental benefits but are not fully commercially competitive. Many environment-friendly business lines are completely commercially viable. However, there are many other programs suitable for hybrid social entrepreneurship.
StrategiesforaddressingGenderstereotypeassociatedwithcareerchoicesandEntrepreneurialopportunities
A gender stereotype is a generalized view or preconception about attributes, or characteristics that are or ought to be possessed by women and men or the roles that are or should be performed by men and women. Gender stereotypes can be both positive and negative for example, “women are nurturing”or“women are weak”.
Gender stereotyping is the practice of ascribing to an individual woman or man specific attributes, characteristics, or roles by reason only of her or his membership in the social group of women or men.
- revising textbooks;
- ensuring that teachers receive gender training;
- implementing programmes to encourage girls to pursue education and employment in non-traditional fields;
- undertaking public information and education programmes to change attitudes concerning the roles and status of men and women;
- taking measures to train public officials and the judiciary to ensure that stereotypical prejudices and values do not affect decision-making;
- emphasizing through awareness-raising activities the importance of women’s participation in decision-making roles;
- adopting measures, including temporary special measures, to eliminate occupational segregation based on gender stereotypes;
- adopting positive measures to expose and modify harmful gender stereotypes within the health sector;
- addressing gender stereotypes/ing that impair or nullify equality in marriage and family relations, including through implementing comprehensive policy
and awareness-raising initiatives designed to overcome stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family and society
RolesofSSTforpromotionofSocialcohesion
- Promotion of equality for everyone in the society
- Enhancingjusticeforeveryoneinthesociety
- Respect for self, and others in their opinions and choices
- Promoting unity of the society regardless of the differences
- Introducing activities that promote social cohesion
NATURALANDBUILTENVIRONMENTS
a.MapsandMap work
A map is a representation of the whole or part of the earth’s surface drawn to scale.
- Shows outline of objects on the ground
- Drawnas ifthedrawerwasabovetheground
- Itshowsdetails
- Most of the features are indicated by symbols. Position, Shape and Size of Africa