conceptual, inquiry, skill and affective objectives of teaching social science

 

Conceptual, inquiry, skill and affective objectives of teaching social Sciences

Objectives are the immediate aims of transacting a content. The teaching learning process is carried out on certain objectives that are to be achieved by the learner. A teacher plans a lesson with some objectives. The transaction process of the lesson is aimed to achieve these objectives.

The objectives to be achieved by a lesson are termed differently like instructional objectives, curricular objectives, learning objectives and so. Though there have some slight differences between these terms, generally all are being considered as objectives to be achieved by the learners from classroom teaching. There are different types of objectives. Out of which four are discussed here – conceptual, inquiry, skill and affective objectives.

Conceptual Objectives

The objectives to be achieved by a learner on concepts, themes, ideas, abstract information and so are called conceptual objectives. The individual capacity to develop concepts, ideas, themes and generalizations are the conceptual outcomes of the learner. Once learner become able to achieve these outcomes, it can be said that the teaching was effective to transact the objectives.

The conceptual objectives can be;

·       Recognizing the concepts behind any concrete materials, or physical objectives or happenings in learning or life situations.

·       Recognizing role and responsibilities of the individual at various situations in the process of learning and also in life.

·       Identifying the role and responsibilities for social welfare and cultural development. (for example, if the lesson is on environmental pollution the learner must understand that he has some role to act against the causes of pollution. Recognizing this role by him is exemplifying the achievement of conceptual objective. If the lesson is on freedom movement, learner has to develop her/his understanding on the need of love towards nation or patriotic sense. This understanding is the conceptual objective)

·       Understanding the concept of acculturation or enculturation

The concepts behind any learning content that are to be achieved by a learner is generally called conceptual objectives.

Specifically, the conceptual objectives may be achieving respect towards humanity, developing national and international understanding, developing democratic values, developing social values and so on. The conceptual objectives are different according to the content to teach. A good teacher must assure the outcome of the conceptual objectives through a lesson.

Inquiry Objectives

            The objectives that are associated with developing the individuals’ inquiring capacity can be categorized as inquiry objectives. Inquiry objectives develop the learners’ capacity to inquire, analyze explore and so on. Inquiry objectives assure certain outcomes in the learner such as the ability to compare, contrast, interpret, define, generalize, analyze, synthesize, infer, predict and etc. These objectives are designed to develop certain capacities in learner such as the capacity to analyze the cause and effect, investigating the reasons behind problems, deriving conclusions ad so.  The inquiry objectives make the individual able to carry out investigative learning on social science topics. These objectives are to promote the individual capacity to reach on conclusions from generalizations and find solutions at any learning or life situations.

Skill Objectives

            Skill objectives are indented to develop learners’ personal-social skills and competencies. As outcome of the skill objectives, learner can develop social skills, work habits, cooperative learning skills, group work abilities, interpretive skills, socio-personal competencies and so on. The outcomes of these objectives (learning outcomes) are

-       Developing the positive attitude in living together nd working together

-       Developing behavior and character in socially desirable manner

-       Developing the capacities of planning and administering learning situations

-       Developing learning skills, intellectual skills, group cohesiveness and observation

The skill objectives are generally introduced in a learning situation to develop the skills or competencies of learner in all learning and life situations.

Affective Objectives

            Affective objectives are directly associated with the feelings. These objectives are focused on the outcome of individual’s highly desirable social behaviour. Designed to make changes in attitude, interests, approaches, values and feelings.

The learning out come of these objectives are;

-       Recognize personal feelings and understand others feelings

-       Develop sympathy and empathy

-       Analyzing the problems based on the causes, not with prejudice

-       Developing desirable values and attitudes towards social sensitivity, democratic values, national symbols, patriotic sense, constitutional values, secular sense and others individuality

 

Social science as school subject is designed to develop personal, social, traditional, constitutional, national and other desirable values in learners. The learning objectives of a lesson are to be designed accordingly to achieve these objectives. A teacher can design her or his lessons with proper plans to develop values through the classroom teaching.