This paper reviews the characteristics and trends of research in the Journal of Educational Research on Social Studies, from its predecessor with Vol. 1 (1953) to 14 (1966) from the period of the Social Studies Association of Hiroshima University’s Faculty of Education, and from Vol. 15 (1967) to 25 (1976) of the Japanese Social Studies Education Research Association. Educational research on social studies is found to have developed in step with the establishment of research methodologies. At the time of the journal’s first issue, the view of such research was undergoing a major transformation. Then, around 1970, the research shifted from applied science in pedagogy, psychology, and various humanities and social sciences to the study of curriculum development and practice for social studies with its own research subjects and methods, becoming oriented toward “Analytical Rationale Studies”.

　　This study reviewed Vol. 26–50 of the Journal of Educational Research on Social Studies. This paper divided them into periods based on the research history of past presidents who have supported the establishment and development of our society as an academic one. After clarifying the germination and development of academic research during the aforementioned period, this paper proceeded to identify the axis of research trends in social studies. As a result, this paper was able to confirm that during the period between the publication of Vol. 26 and 50, academic research in social studies progressed steadily, and the scope of the research and methods continued to expand and deepen. By contrast, social studies in school education entered a period of institutional dissolution. During the examined period, we concluded that discrepancies between the reality of social studies in schools and the ideal pursuit of the subject in research at academic conferences began to grow.

　　The purpose of this study was to review the articles in Vol. 51–60 of the Journal of Educational Research on Social Studies (published from November 1999 to March 2004) as well as to explore the characteristics of research conducted during this period and its significance today. Based on a research framework for social studies education research presented by Takaharu Moriwake in 1999, we first identified an overview of the research from a quantitative perspective by classifying it by methodology. According to this, we then clarified the outline of the research during said period. Next, we focused on the areas in which the research was concentrated and qualitatively analyzed the objectives, contents, and methods of characteristic research. Thus, we examined how the research affected subsequent social studies education research as well as its significance today. Most of the research published in the examined period consisted of factual and theoretical research and studies that developed and analyzed social studies curricula, teaching materials, and lessons. Such research was considered meaningful. In addition, most research was focused on creating more desirable facts regarding social studies education or on constructing theories to create such facts and presenting concrete “facts of lessons.” The principles and norms of social studies education presented in research from this period remain the foundation of research today and have become the values of social studies education research. The historical significance of this period is high as it is when the value of social studies research was clarified.

　　Based on articles 61–70 published in the Journal of Educational Research on Social Studies (Shakaika-Kenkyu) during its period of expansion, this study clarified what perspectives they brought to social studies education research in terms of three research trends. First, in the trend of normative and principle-oriented research, articles from the following four perspectives were positioned and analyzed: law education research, social studies evaluation research, foreign studies research, and citizenship education research. Second, in the trend of developmental and practical research, articles were analyzed from the perspective of social studies classroom research. Third, in terms of trends in empirical research, articles were analyzed from the perspective of the history of social studies education research. This study concluded that the analyzed articles published during the academic society’s period of expansion contributed to the advancement and subdivision of social studies education research. First, with regard to its advancement, many of the articles were found to be the basis for the research and development of doctoral dissertations. The policy of emphasizing graduate schools in subject education research has also enhanced research in master’s and doctoral programs in social studies education research. This has led to a more sophisticated academic approach to such research. Second, the fragmentation of social studies education research can be attributed to the emergence of pioneering research during the studied period in areas that are now emphasized, such as law education and social studies evaluation. These subdivided research areas formed the theoretical basis for later social studies education research and had a major impact on practical research in each type of school.

　　The purpose of this study was to clarify how views of children are formed among social studies teachers’ professional competencies in the classroom for them to become proficient. A case study was conducted on a teacher named Fumio Nagaoka at Elementary School Attached to Nara Women’s University. Through analyzing the transformation of his discourse regarding children’s diaries, we clarified the formation of his view of children and the factors.

　　Our examination revealed that Nagaoka’s view of children transformed in the following four stages: the basic stage—approaching human solemnity through the hardships of his own life; the growth stage— considering human happiness through practical and relentless pursuit; the development stage—approaching human solemnity through his own individual pursuit; and the integration stage—approaching human solemnity through endless pursuit.

　　According to our analysis, Nagaoka’s view of children changed in the following two ways: (1) He had an underlying view that “children approach human solemnity by developing their own individualistic thinking,” which he renewed and consolidated; and (2) his view of children increased in stages, while the substance of his viewpoints also became more detailed. In addition, we found that Nagaoka transformed his viewpoints on children in accordance with their situations in each period and integrated them through reflections. Furthermore, the factors in the formation of his views on children included his perceptions of the following life events: (1) his own experiences of being educated; (2) learning from fellow teachers; (3) experiencing changes at the school; (4) continuously participating in study groups; (5) revising courses of study; and (6) witnessing historical and social events.