Introduction to the Australian Curriculum:

History

Curriculum K-12 Directorate

Consultation

A period of public consultation, with the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft Australian Curriculum in English, Mathematics, Science and History, will occur from:

1 March until 23 May 2010.

150 schools across Australia will be trialling the new curriculum over the next three months.

ConsultationThe purpose of the Department’s consultation process is to initially:

Brief teachers about the draft Australian Curriculum: History

Seek feedback from teachers about the draft Australian Curriculum

Identify issues for implementation of the Australian Curriculum: History for teachers

Consultation

This round of consultation must focus on the Draft Australian Curriculum that has been presented.

This consultation process provides the opportunity to ensure that the Australian Curriculum: History

Is a quality Curriculum

Is clearly understood and can be implemented by teachers at all stages of their career

Consultation

ACARA:http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Board of Studies:http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/australian-curriculum/

Department of Education and Training:http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/home/consultation.htm

Consultation

Consultation

Online Consultation forums have been established so that you can have a say

Consultation

ImplementationThe process of implementing the Australian Curriculum is a matter for each state.

Commencement of implementation will depend on:extent of difference with existing curriculumalignment with existing credentialing arrangements

provided the K–10 Australian Curriculum is implemented by 2013.

There is no time allocation identified for the Australian Curriculum: History

Your feedback should be based on how successfully the curriculum can be taught in the current time allocated to history

Time allocation

Curriculum Structure

The Australian Curriculum History:

is developed for K-10 and Years 11 and 12

is described in years not stages

is described around content descriptions NOT outcomes

• no stem to content i.e. students learn...• includes content addressing 10 General capabilities• includes content addressing Cross curriculum

dimensions

Curriculum Structure

Australian Curriculum identifies essential content that all students should be taught, by year of schooling. The content descriptions will incorporate, where appropriate:

the 10 general capabilities e.g. ICT, literacy, numeracy, thinking skills, creativity

and cross-curriculum dimensions in ways appropriate to each learning area

Curriculum Structure

The General Capabilities:

literacy self management *numeracy teamwork *ICT intercultural understandingthinking skills ethical behaviourcreativity social competence *

Curriculum Structure

The Cross-Curriculum Dimensions:

Indigenous perspectives, to ensure that all young Australians have the opportunity to learn about, acknowledge and respect the history and culture of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders

a commitment to sustainable patterns of living which will be reflected in curriculum documents

skills, knowledge and understandings related to Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia

Curriculum Structure

Australian Curriculum is described around content descriptions NOT outcomes

Each learning area includes:

Content descriptions which specify what teachers are expected to teach

Elaborations which are examples that illustrate each content description

Curriculum StructureAchievement standards that describe the quality of

learning (the depth of understanding, extent of knowledge and sophistication of skill) expected of students at each year level

Annotated student work samples will illustrate the achievement standard at each year level.

Achievement Standards

An achievement standard is an expectation of the quality of learning that students should reach by a particular point in their schooling (e.g. the depth of their understanding, the extent of their knowledge and the sophistication of their skills).

Achievement Standards

For K-10, they will be represented at every year by:

a statement of the learning typically expected of students for that year

a set of work samples that will illustrate achievement of the standard.

They will be linked to the A-E reporting framework.

Each year has a focus

The Year 7 curriculum focuses on history from the time of the earliest human communities to the end of the Ancient period (c. 60 000 BP - c.500AD).

and broad enquiry questions

what are the defining characteristics of societies? how did people live in other times and places? who should rule in a society?

Broad enquiry questions

An understanding of world history will enhance students’ appreciation of Australian history.

It will enable them to appreciate Australia’s distinctive path of social, economic and political development, its position in the Asia-Pacific region, and global interrelationships that are essential to an informed and active participation in Australia’s diverse society

World history approach

Years 7 – 10 includes

An overview designed to introduce the broad content and contexts for study

Depth studies investigate studies in greater depth providing scope for the development of historical skills

School developed depth studies in Years 7 - 9

Overview and Depth Studies

The history curriculum is organised into two interrelated strands

Historical knowledge and understanding

Historical skills

Content Strand Descriptors

This strand includes skills that are used in the process of historical inquiry associated with:

historical questions and research; the analysis and use of sources; perspectives and interpretations; comprehension and communication.

There is an increasing emphasis on historical interpretation and the use of evidence within this strand.

What historical skills will be taught?

Kindergarten to Year 2 students begin to look at the stories of their families and communities

Examples include: how families commemorate past events that are

important to them terms that are used to express time such as

tomorrow and a long time ago significance of local place names

What will students learn in Kindergarten to Year 6

The content of Years 3 to 6 broadens to regional and national history.

It includes life in Australia before 1800, the building of the Australian nation and Australia’s links with other nations.

Years 3 - 6

Year 7 focuses on history from the time of the earliest human communities to the end of the Ancient period (c. 60 000 BC–c.500 AD).

Year 7

Year 8 focuses on history from the end of the Ancient period to the beginning of the Modern period (c.500–1750).

Year 8

Year 9 focuses on the history of the Modern World and Australia from 1750 to 1901

The history of Australia is 40% of course time

Year 9

Year 10 focuses on the history of Australia and the Modern World from 1901 to the present.

The history of Australia is 60% of course content

Year 10

Broad feedback on the curriculum is sought in relation to:

Content coverage Content clarity Content placement and sequence Manageability for teachers The digital format and layout

Your feedback

More specific feedback on the curriculum is sought in relation to:

Content descriptions Content elaborations Achievement standards Structure of the curriculum General capabilities Cross-curriculum dimensions

Use the Curriculum Support forum

Send your feedback to

Pauline Sheppard SCA HSIE 7-12 Phone 9886 7692pauline.sheppard@det.nsw.edu.au

Brian ElliottManager HSIE Phone 9886 7603brian.elliott@det.nsw.edu.au

Your feedback is important