Historical Inquiry

This subject is not offered in 2014.

125 hours

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject explores approaches to historical inquiry in the classroom. The Australian Curriculum underscores the importance of historical inquiry. What is the nature of inquiry in history? How might this inform learning and teaching in schools? These questions are applied to disciplinary content from the Australian Curriculum: The Making of the Modern World and The Modern World and Australia. This includes overview material and chosen depth studies (social, political, economic and cultural developments). Special attention is paid to historical skills, the use of sources and contestability in history.

On completion of this subject students should:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of theory and practice in history education;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of two historical periods included in the Australian Curriculum (including social, political, economic and cultural developments);
• Engage in historical thinking through analysis of primary and secondary sources;
• Critically analyse leading models of historical thinking and their implications for learning and teaching;
• Demonstrate sufficient depth of knowledge and understanding to design, use and evaluate resources for teaching history.

There are two assessment tasks:

• Essay (Historical Inquiry), 2500 words, due mid-semester (50%)
• Project (Historical Inquiry in Schools), 2500 words, due end-of-semester (50%)

A reading pack will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should:

• Be skilled professionals who can effectively articulate and justify their teaching practices;
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence;
• Demonstrate highly developed analytic and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrate a capacity for independent critical thought, inquiry and self-directed learning;
• Have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems;
• Demonstrate openness to new ideas, intellectual curiosity and creativity.