Abstract:

The aim of this article is to compare the chapter of the Croatian National Curriculum Framework pertaining to the Social Sciences and Humanities Area with the U.S. National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Specifically, we will consider the assumed purposes and goals, as well as the listed topics and the set learning outcomes that refer to the knowledge, skills and values of students. Seeing as the Croatian National Curriculum Framework does not provide the ways in which these competences could be realised, the second part of the article will attempt to consider that question. In this context, we will use the suggestions proposed by the U.S. National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies as guidance. We believe that these suggestions are worthy of attention and that they could be a welcome element of any framework, including the Croatian National Curriculum Framework. The ideas about the ways of achieving and realising learning outcomes in a document such as the national curriculum would be useful to teachers, students, parents, authors of textbooks, and everyone else in some way involved in the teaching and educational process.

Keywords:

Croatian National Curriculum Framework, U.S. National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, topics and learning outcomes, ways of achieving learning outcome.