1916年，美國的中小學才開始設有以社會為名的學習領域或學科。過去，與社會領域課程相關的學科主要為歷史，一般中小學社會領域課程也以開設歷史科者為最普遍，間或有開設地理或是公民政府者。然而，社會領域的課程究應以增進學生的社會科學知能為目的，抑或以提昇其社會探究能力為目的，始終未有定論；又，該一領域的課程究應以學科知識為其組織的核心，抑或以議題中心為其組織的重點，變異亦時有所聞。若將持前一觀點者稱為傳統論者，則持後一觀點者或可稱為革新論者。本文的主旨即在以美國二位革新論者H. Rugg及J. S. Bruner分別在1930年代和1960年代，所領導的社會領域課程改革運動為對象，梳理其來龍去脈，評估其改革成效，期能歸納其啟示。

This paper presents the lessons we can learn from the curriculum reform in social studies initiated by two progressive scholars, Harold Rugg and Jerome S. Bruner. In the 1930s, Rugg and his colleagues developed a set of social studies textbooks focusing on the fundamental problems faced by Americans. In the1960s, Bruner led a research team in the construction of a multi-media based curriculum, “Man: A Course of Study.” These two programs of social studies curriculum reform, although both widely acclaimed by the American educational community at the time, did not last long because they provoked controversy among politicians and in the American public. Several implications of this for Taiwan’s recent curriculum reform in social studies are suggested.