Relevance of Social Studies Curriculum in the 21st Century: Exploring the Experiences of Secondary Level Learners

Abstract

The study aims to explore secondary school learners' experiences with the relevance of the social studies curriculum in Nepal in the 21st century. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed for the study. In this study, the semi-structured interview technique was used as a method of data collection. Four secondary-level social studies learners were interviewed. Data were analyzed by developing themes or categories from the raw data. The themes were divided into seven groups, and analysis was conducted through the interpretative method. The results showed that the study explored the secondary-level learners' perspectives on the relevance of the social studies curriculum in the 21st century. The findings indicate that learners perceive social studies as highly relevant in the 21st century because it fosters global citizenship, encourages civic participation, enhances cultural awareness, develops critical and creative thinking, promotes financial literacy and conflict resolution, and supports moral and ethical development among learners.