Modern Studies aims to give pupils an understanding of our society at local, national and international levels. It is also concerned with what is going on in the world today, how we find out about it and what we can do to change it.
Why study Modern Studies?
Modern Studies helps you gather information about social, economic and political issues evaluate the information you have and, most importantly, it helps you come to your own conclusions about these issues.
We use a wide range of activities to encourage our pupils to take responsibility for their own learning, provide them with the essential skills they will need to succeed in the world beyond school and enable them to better develop their understanding of the modern world. Modern Studies is a useful preparation for many careers.
What do you Study?
There are three main areas in the course:-
- Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
- Social issues in the United Kingdom
- International Issues
What skills will I develop and how will I learn?
Modern Studies seeks to develop pupils’ understanding through a range of learning and teaching experiences. These include:-
- Individual work
- Group work
- Written tasks
- Source work
- Class debate
Resources used to assist learning include iPad research and audio-visual resources alongside field trip opportunities, visits from guest speakers.
Pupils will develop important skills such as: –
- Detecting bias and exaggeration
- Drawing valid conclusions
- Making comparisons between sources
- Using evidence to argue a point of view
- Developing good investigative skills
Assessment
Through our varied learning and teaching strategies and the use of peer, formative, summative and self-assessment, the Department seeks to aid pupils in becoming independent learners.
Careers:
- Law
- Teaching
- Social Work
- Youth Work
- Social Care
- Journalism
- Police
- Housing
- Market Research
- Politics
- Local Government
- Civil Service
