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Professor receives national award for contributions to social science education field

TAMPA, Fla. (July 28, 2020) 鈥� College of Education Professor Michael J. Berson, PhD, received the Irving Morrissett Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Science Education this month at the Social Science Education Consortium鈥檚 (SSEC) 2020 Annual Meeting.

The SSEC, founded in 1963, is a nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to strengthening social science content in social studies education. Since 2003, the SSEC Board of Directors has presented the Irving Morrissett Award to a member who has devoted their career to improving social studies and social science education. Individuals selected for the award have improved the field through significant scholarly publications and a continuing commitment to the field and the SSEC. 

Dr. Berson is a professor of social science education in the College of Education鈥檚 Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Learning. He coordinates the Social Science Education concentration of USF鈥檚 Curriculum and Instruction doctoral program and teaches numerous courses in the College of Education, including 鈥淭eaching Elementary School Social Studies,鈥� 鈥淪ocial Science Education Technological Innovations,鈥� 鈥淐ybersecurity and the Everyday Citizen,鈥� and 鈥淭eaching the Holocaust.鈥�

Dr. Berson鈥檚 research interests include elementary social studies education, civic education, Holocaust pedagogy, digital citizenship and cybersecurity in schools, and he has extensively published books, chapters, and journal articles and presented his research worldwide. He has received grants from the National Science Foundation, United States Department of Education, 91社区 Department of Education, the Spencer Foundation and the Library of Congress. He is also a Senior Fellow in The 91社区 Joint Center for Citizenship.