Reexamination of the 7th Grade's Social Studies Null Curriculum

To improve both the content and the processes of the 7th grade’s social studies curriculum, a group of 15 teachers and 20 students from districts 3 and 4 in Karaj were purposefully invited to participate in a series of semi-structured interviews. The validity and reliability of the data collected was ascertained through their credibility, dependability, and confirmability. The results of content analyses show that teachers have failed to accomplish the attitudinal and skill related objectives of the curriculum, as these aspects of the program have practically been omitted. In relationship to the content presented it is limited to the memorization level and higher cognitive skills are ignored. The absence of active methods of teaching is the most important cause in this area. Content difficulty, time shortage, inadequacy of space and facilities, and inappropriate evaluation are among other hurdles on the way of the intended curriculum. As a result, changes in these areas are needed if the new curriculum is not to be strangled by tradition and habits.