The course will provide pupils with the opportunity to develop thinking skills, collecting, processing, comparing and interpreting/evaluating information. There will be opportunities to use and develop skills in ICT.
Studying MODERN STUDIES will encourage you to develop important attitudes, including: An open mind; Respect for the values, beliefs and cultures of others; Openness to new thinking and ideas; A sense of responsibility and global citizenship
A wide range of teaching strategies are used with classes, such as thinking skills, direct teaching, paired and/or group work. Work in class is supported through the use of work guides, ICT and other digital media. Pupils will be involved in setting their own targets and evaluating their own as well as others progress. Pupils are expected to take on an early responsibility for their learning.
The aim of this course is to provide pupils with a broad experience of social studies, providing coverage of the Level 4 experiences and outcomes. The three units we will study are:
Who’s in charge in Scotland?
Where does the power lie?
Participation
Influence on voting behaviour of media/pressure groups
The USA - American Dream or Nightmare?
The immigration debate
Fake News!
How are Americans policed?
Gun violence
Inequality in the USA
China as a Global Power
China's global influence
The political system in China
Media censorship
Human rights abuses
CCTV and AI
Crime
Social issues in Scotland - The Drugs Trade:
How drugs are produced and sold
Scotland's current situation
Possible solutions
Decriminalisation
Everything you need to know before selecting this course
Homework will be set by the class teacher on a regular basis and may involve practice of skills, preparation for assessments or research assignments.
Knowledge and skills will be assessed in different ways, depending on the topic being studied. This will include project work and assessed work/homework. Pupils will undertake peer evaluation of class work and use assessment to set achievable short-term targets.
Everything you need to know about future pathways from this course