The Australian Curriculum & History AIS LIBRARIAN’S CONFERENCE Friday, 15 th 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 19 th 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 20 th 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 – 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 18 th & 19 th 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 Australia SIGNIFICANT REVISION TAKING PLACE WATCH THIS SPACE? A TALE OF TWO CITIES COMPARATIVE DEPTH STUDY – AN ASIAN AND AUSTRALIAN CITY

Topic 3 – Nations in Conflict 1750 – 1918 REVISION One Depth Study WWI – Eastern and Western Fronts OR WWI – Home fronts ( ) 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 ( ) OR Vietnam ( ) 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 Courses CHALLENGES 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 11 Unit 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 11 UNIT 2a Representing & Interpreting the Ancient Past ONE representation of the ancient past TWO controversies OR

Year 11 Ancient History UNIT 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 History UNIT 3 Ancient People, Power & Politics ONE HISTORICAL PERIOD and ONE HISTORICAL PERSONALITY

Year 12 Ancient History UNIT 4 Ancient Societies, Sites & Sources ONE Ancient Society ONE Ancient Site OR ONE 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 HISTORY UNIT 1 Investigating Modern History Investigate key events, people, ideas Evaluate significant historical debates Working with sources ONE Case Study and WW1

YEAR 11 MODERN HISTORY UNIT 2 a The Nation State & National Identity Key events in the first half of the 20 th Century ONE Nation State and an individual from either -Australia, Germany, India, Japan, USA

YEAR 11 MODERN HISTORY UNIT 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 HISTORY UNIT 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 HISTORY Unit 3 b Revolutions ONE from either of the following: -America -France -Russia -China

YEAR 12 MODERN HISTORY Unit 4 Asia & Australia 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 Tuttocuore Head of History & AIS History Convenor