Abstract:
The current study aimed to propose a vision for developing social studies
pre-service teachers' standards for the primary school in the KSA besed on the
Australian experience. The study followed the comparative analytical method
)Bereday Approach(, where the standards for social studies pre-service
teachers for the primary school have been examined in the relevant institutions
in the KSA, and their counterpart in Australia )Melbourne University(. The
study results showed many similarities and differences between the standards
of social studies pre-service teachers for primary school preparation programs
in both Australia and Saudi Arabia. Among the most important similarities
were the cultural, academic, and professional preparation felds, regardless of
the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the previous preparations. Among
the most important differences was the granting of a teaching profession
license in Australia after the awarding of the teacher's professional master's
degree (two academic years); however, in the KSA the license is granted
after the educational diploma. The results also revealed the low attention
given to the standards of preparing pre-service teachers’ programs in some
branches of education, social studies, such as citizenship, economics, business
administration, law, and sociology, compared to Australia. In addition, the
multiplicity of authorities responsible for teacher preparation leads to weak
accountability. The standards and regulations for accepting pre-service
teachers in preparation institutions in KSA are characterized by low accuracy.
This is clearly noticed in preparing these standards and regulations and
arbitrating them by experts to approve their implementation.
A proposed vision has been presented in light of the previous results