The Australian Curriculum & History

AIS LIBRARIAN’S CONFERENCEFriday, 15th October, 2010

Strengths•A real strength of the Australian Curriculum in

History is the explicit attempt to make clear the geopolitical, cultural and economic reality of Asia and the Pacific in the development of Australia as a nation.

•Strong emphasis on Chronology•Contemporary – recent history•19th Century Australia is back.

History Courses • Implementation will be gradual – from c. 2011? - by 2015 BOS has still to

decide on timeframe • History as a distinctive subject from K – 6 – (TIME?)• 7 – 10 History (consistent across the country) + (TIME?) – NSW • Implications for SC Test• Senior Ancient History – (Archaeology)• Senior Modern History – WWI??• NSW BOS will recommend a Core topic.• AH will remain Pompeii & Herculaneum• MH – WWI will be replaced with another option possibly Topic 4 ??• Extension History will remain as part of the NSW BOS subjects• Implications for the status of Elective History in Tears 9 – 10.

Cross curriculum priorities•Sustainability•Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia•Aboriginal and Torres Strait histories and cultures• Literacy•Numeracy• ICT•Critical and creative thinking•Ethical behaviour• Intercultural understanding

General Capabilities

• Literacy•Numeracy• ICT•Thinking Skills•Creativity•Ethical Behaviour ??????

World History Framework in K - 10

Focusing on Historical Skills

•Chronology and Historical language•Historical questions and research•Analysis and use of sources•Perspectives and interpretations•Explanation nd communication

•

World History Framework in K - 10

Historical Understanding

•Evidence•Continuity and change•Cause and effect•Perspectives•Empathy•Significance•Contestability

K – 10 History Continuum Kindergarten – Stories

What is my story/history?What stories do other people tell about the past?How are stories of the past told?

Year 1 – Present and Past•How has family life changed or remained the same

over time?•How can we show that the present is different from

or similar to the past?•How do we measure and describe time?

Year 2 – Past in the Present•What aspects of the past can you see today?•Why have some remains of the past been retained as

part of the local community?•How have changes in technology shaped our daily

life?

Year 3 – Community & Remembrance•Who lived here first?•How has our community changed?•What is the nature of the contribution made by

diverse groups and individuals in the community?•How and why do people choose to remember events

of the past?

Year 4 – First Contacts•What was life like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander people before the arrival of the Europeans?•Why did people (Europeans and Aboriginal & Torres

Strait Islander) explore? Where did they go?•Why id they decide to settle there?•What was the nature of the contact between

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people and early explorers and settlers.

Year 5 – Colonial Australia•What do we know about the lives of people in

Australia’s colonial past?•How and why did Australia’s colonies develop?•What were the significant events and who were the

significant people that shaped Australia’s colonies?

Year 6 – Modern Australia•Why and how did Australia become a nation?•How did Australian society change from colonial

times to the 20th Century?•Who were the people who came to Australia and

what contribution did they make?•What significant world events contributed to

Australia’s migration patterns and cultural diversity.

Year 7 Prehistoric to Ancient History

60 000 – c. 600 CE•Organised into THREE distinct areas.•Topic 1 – How we know about the past with special

emphasis on the Archaeology of Ancient Australia. •Topic 2 – The Mediterranean World with a Depth

Study on either Egypt, Greece or Rome. •Topic 3 – The Asian World with a depth study on

China or India.

Year 8 The Modern World

C 600 CE – 1750 CE•Organised into THREE distinct areas.•Topic 1 – The Islamic and Western World•One Depth Study to be studied from either the

Vikings, Medieval Christendom, The Ottoman Empire or Renaissance Italy.

•Topic 2 – The Asia-Pacific World •One Depth Study from either Angkor/Khmer Empire,

Shogunate Japan, the Polynesian expansion across the Pacific.

Year 9 The Making of the Modern World

1750 – to 1918

•Return of the 18th & 19th Centuries •Organised into THREE distinct areas.•Topic 1 – Making a Better World???•One Depth Study to be studied from either the

Industrial Revolution, Movement of Peoples, Progressive Ideas and Movements

Industrial Revolution • Impact of industrialisation on Australia and the

world•Progress and modernity

Movement of Peoples•Slavery •Convicts•Free Settlers•Australian experience of settlers on the frontier

Progressive Ideas and Movements•One of the following isms on Australia•Capitalism•Socialism•Darwinism• Imperialism•Nationalism•Chartism – (working class labour movement focusing

on reforming the political and social structure such as the voting system )

Topic 2 – Asia and Australia1750-1918

SIGNIFICANT REVISION TAKING PLACEWATCH THIS SPACE?

A TALE OF TWO CITIESCOMPARATIVE DEPTH STUDY –

AN ASIAN AND AUSTRALIAN CITY

Topic 3 – Nations in Conflict1750 – 1918

REVISION One Depth Study

WWI – Eastern and Western FrontsOR

WWI – Home fronts (1914-1918)

GREATER INTEGRATION NEEDED

YEAR 10 – The Modern World & Australia

• THREE topics with a degree of internal choice.• Topic 1 – Wartime experiences• One Depth Study from WWII (1939-1945) OR Vietnam (1945-

1975)• Topic 2 – Rights and Freedoms (1954 to the present)• One Depth Study from either Civil Rights & Freedom Rides OR

Women's Liberation Movement (1963 to the present)• Topic 3 – The globalising world • Choice of TWO Depth Studies – Popular Culture (1954 to the

present) OR the Environment movement (1960s to the present)

Programming of the Senior CoursesCHALLENGES FOR NSW

NO HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION in YEAR 11

PRELIMINARY COURSE?HSC COURSE?

EACH UNIT IS DESIGNED TO BE ONE SEMESTER IN DURATION

Ancient History – Year 11Unit 1 – Investigating the Past

•Methods of historians/archaeologists• Investigating ancient sources through ONE of the

following:•A significant archaeological source or written source

Ancient History – Year 11UNIT 2a

Representing & Interpreting the Ancient Past

•ONE representation of the ancient past•TWO controversies

OR

Year 11 Ancient HistoryUNIT 2 b

Ancient Lives•1 theme with reference to TWO civilisations???- Slavery- Death & burial- Art & architecture- Weapons & warfare- Technology & engineering- The family

Year 12 Ancient HistoryUNIT 3

Ancient People, Power & Politics

ONE HISTORICAL PERIOD

and

ONE HISTORICAL PERSONALITY

Year 12 Ancient HistoryUNIT 4

Ancient Societies, Sites & Sources•ONE Ancient Society•ONE Ancient Site

ORONE ANCIENT SOURCE

For Year 12 topics must be drawn from at least TWO of either Egypt, Near East, Asia, Greece or Rome

YEAR 11 MODERN HISTORYUNIT 1

Investigating Modern History

• Investigate key events, people, ideas•Evaluate significant historical debates•Working with sources•ONE Case Study and WW1

YEAR 11 MODERN HISTORYUNIT 2 a

The Nation State & National Identity

•Key events in the first half of the 20th Century•ONE Nation State and an individual from either - Australia, Germany, India, Japan, USA

YEAR 11 MODERN HISTORYUNIT 2 b

Recognition & Equality

ONE From the following:•Women’s struggle•First Nations•End of Apartheid in South Africa•Civil Rights in the USA

YEAR 12 MODERN HISTORYUNIT 3 a

International Tensions & Conflict

ONE from the following:

•Cold War Era•Conflict in the Middle East•Decolonisation/Independence in Asia/Africa

OR

YEAR 12 MODERN HISTORYUnit 3 b

RevolutionsONE from either of the following:

- America- France- Russia- China

YEAR 12 MODERN HISTORYUnit 4

Asia & Australia 1937- 2000

•World War II in the Pacific•Developments since WW2• Increasing influence of Asia

War in SE Asia and ONE Asian nation

Criticism of the Senior Courses•Restriction in number of topics and choices on offer

ie in AH – Old Kingdom •A degree of repetition in MH•Focus on Australia in MH• Jumping into Year 12 course without an experience

of Year 11 skills development•Timeframe – too rushed• Lack of transparency•Assessment

Contact Details

Carlo TuttocuoreHead of History & AIS History Convenor

tuttocuore@krb.nsw.edu.au