Date of Award
4-1-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Amany Saleh
Second Advisor
Twila Patten
Committee Members
Alicia Shaw
Call Number
ISBN 9798310167704
Abstract
Political polarization significantly impacts modern education, especially within social studies, where teachers confront sensitive issues in their curricula. This study addressed two research questions: RQ1 examined teachers’ perceptions of the influence of political polarization, and RQ2 explored how these perceptions affect their pedagogy. Through the lens of Reconstructionist Educational Theory, this research highlights the necessity for social studies education to cultivate critical thinking and civic engagement among students. The study aimed to determine whether social studies teachers modify their instructional approaches in response to political polarization, as avoiding "hard history" could jeopardize students’ critical thinking and cultural literacy. Participants shared their lived experiences regarding political polarization, reflecting its perceived impact on themselves, their students, and their futures as educators. This research is significant as it fills a gap in existing literature concerning middle school social studies teachers in Arkansas. Using a phenomenological approach, the study involved in-depth interviews with twenty teachers across urban, suburban, and rural districts, employing eight open-ended questions and one multiple-choice question about their pedagogical methods. Results revealed that a majority of teachers felt influenced by political polarization, identifying sensitive topics such as race, LGBTQIA+ issues, and recent elections. Most teachers emphasized their commitment to neutrality and empathy in classroom discourse. However, less than half of the teachers expressed intentions to leave the profession or shift roles due to the pressures of political polarization in social studies education, believing it harms their students. The findings suggest that the experiences reported by participants may resonate broadly across K-12 and higher education, as well as in other fields. The study calls for action from legislators, policymakers, and educational leaders to mitigate the effects of political polarization on social studies teachers and support their crucial role in fostering effective civic engagement, vital for the nation's future. Keywords: political polarization, sensitive and controversial issues, social studies, education, teachers’ perception, pedagogy
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Sheard Mitchell, Tianka Renee, "The Three Ps: Political Polarization, Perception, and Pedagogy" (2025). Student Theses and Dissertations. 5.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/5
