Social Sciences & Human Ecology Education

Social Sciences & Human Ecology Education

Social Sciences is the study of people in relation to each other and to the world in which they live. In Manitoba, social sciences comprise the disciplines of history, geography, social sciences, and integrates relevant content from the humanities. As a study of human beings in their physical, social and cultural environments, social sciences courses examine the past and present, and looks toward the future. Social sciences help students acquire the skills, knowledge, and values necessary to become active democratic citizens and contributing members of their communities, locally, nationally, and globally.

Sustainable Tourism

The curriculum focuses on tourism that is sustainable and minimizes negative impacts on the environment and people, while maximizing benefits. Sustainable tourism includes, for example, ecotourism, heritage or cultural tourism, study tourism, and volunteer tourism. Travel Manitoba indicates that “tourism in Manitoba is a $1.52 billion industry, representing 2.8% of the province’s GDP, and some 10.6 million visitors to Manitoba. (2012 figures). This curriculum allows students to understand the important and growing tourism industry and gives them the opportunity to envision themselves as part of it. The curriculum is designed to allow schools to focus on the local ecology, incorporate local history and culture, and meet the specific needs of local communities. 

This curriculum has been developed as part of Manitoba’s commitment to be a world leader in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and will help students understand the relationships between tourism activity and conservation issues, taking into account the local context, natural environment, and social considerations. Students will learn to contribute to and become leaders in implementing sustainable principles in tourism, including some of the knowledge and skills required to manage sustainable tourism organizations.