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FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1976

SOCIAL STUDIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES RELATIONSHIP

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY SPOKE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL STUDIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES WHEN HE OPENED THE SOCIAL STUDIES PROJECT EXHIBITION AT THE GRANTHAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION THIS MORNING.

+AS I SEE IT, SOCIAL STUDIES ARE A DERIVATION FROM THE BASIC SOCIAL SCIENCES WHICH SUPPORT THEM. IF YOU LOOK AT A PRE-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY IT HAS NT MUCH NEED OF SOCIAL SCIENCES BECAUSE CHANGE IS VERY SLOW AND AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL OR EVEN AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT HOW SOCIETY WORKS BECAUSE IT DOES'NT CHANGE THAT FAST. LAST YEAR'S EXPERIENCE OR EVEN LAST CENTURY'S EXPERIENCE IS PRETTY USEFUL FOR TOMORROW,+ HE SAID.

BUT, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT IN A MODERN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY IT WAS VERY MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND VERY MUCH MORE ON-THE-MOVE. IT WAS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL FOR CITIZENS AND FOR GOVERNMENTS TO KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT HOW SOCIETY WORKS.

+WHEN THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION FIRST HIT THE WORLD, PEOPLE TRIED TO, SO TO SPEAK, CONTROL SOCIETIES BY DEVELOPING ABSTRACT IDEAS BASED REALLY ON TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHIES AND IT WAS ONLY LATER WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCES THAT WE GOT INTO CHECKING AND MEASURING. NOW I THINK WE REALISE THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE IDEAS BUT YOU'VE ALSO GOT TO CHECK UP ON THEM TO SEE WHETHER YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT IDEA OR NOT.+

HE STATED THAT SOCIAL SCIENCES WERE ADVANCING AND WE NOW KNOW MUCH MORE FOR INSTANCE ABOUT HOW TO CONTROL UNEMPLOYMENT.+ AND WE WERE LEARNING HOW TO CONTROL INFLATION.

MR. TOPLEY EMPHASISED THAT SOCIAL SCIENCES WERE DIFFICULT TO DO.

+SOCIAL SCIENCE PREDICTIONS,+ HE ADDED, +CAN BE MUCH MORE EASILY FALSIFIED BY THE REACTION BY THE VERY PEOPLE THAT THE SCIENCES ARE TRYING TO DESCRIBE. SO THAT WE CANNOT EXPECT MAGICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN HUMAN SOCIETY THROUGH SOCIAL SCIENCES.+

BUT, HE SAID, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO UNDERSTAND THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY WERE LIVING, AND TO UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES SO AS TO CONTROL THEIR OWN FATE.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT IT WAS FOR TEACHERS TO WORK OUT HOW THESE TOPICS SHOULD BE TREATED IN THE SCHOOLS, THE PRESENT EXHIBITION SHOULD GIVE SOME GOOD INITIAL CLUES.

MR. TOPLEY SAID THE EXHIBITION DEMONSTRATED A MUCH CLOSER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ADVISORY INSPECTORATE AND THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN THE ORGANISATION OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN WHAT WAS BEING TAUGHT TO TEACHERS IN TRAINING AND TO IN-SERVICE TEACHERS.

/CNE OF THE