Structure of the History Domain
The History domain is organised into three sections, one for each level of achievement from Levels 4 to 6. Each level includes a learning focus statement and a set of standards organised by dimension.
Learning focus
Learning focus statements are written for each of Levels 4, 5 and 6. At Levels 1 to 3, basic concepts related to history, geography and economics are included under the general umbrella of ‘The Humanities’. Learning focus statements outline the learning that students need to focus on if they are to progress in the domain and achieve the standards at the levels where they apply. They suggest appropriate learning experiences from which teachers can draw to develop relevant teaching and learning activities.
Standards
Standards define what students should know and be able to do at different levels and are written for each dimension. In the Humanities, standards for assessing and reporting on student achievement are introduced at Level 3. These focus on historical and geographical knowledge and understanding. Specific standards for History apply from Level 4.
Dimensions
Standards in the History domain are organised in two dimensions:
- Historical knowledge and understanding
- Historical reasoning and interpretation.
Historical knowledge and understanding
The Historical knowledge and understanding dimension focuses on particular concepts and contexts of history. Students learn the concept of time: chronology and sequencing; change and continuity; past, present and future in a range of historical contexts. Through studying the past they learn about change and its impact on people’s lives and the significance of continuity - how aspects of past societies have been preserved. They learn about cause and effect, the relationship between events and people’s actions and intentions. They learn about identity, personal, cultural, and national and the contributions of people past and present to that identity. They learn about evidence and the range of sources of information about the past.
Students gain a balanced coverage of historical content, including knowledge about Australian history, to provide a sense of chronology and to help them understand their present and shape their future.
Historical reasoning and interpretation
The Historical reasoning and interpretation dimension focuses on the nature of historical thinking. Students learn to frame questions in the light of their own knowledge and experiences and to develop research and inquiry skills. These include gathering and documenting evidence from a variety of sources, including artefacts, documents and graphics, and interpreting evidence.
Students develop skills in making judgments about sources of evidence, including the ideas and voices expressed, the culture and values represented and the literal and symbolic meanings expressed. They learn that there are multiple, conflicting and often partial interpretations of events.
Students learn the language of History including using terms such as primary and secondary sources and terms relevant to particular periods of history such as medieval and revolution. They communicate their understanding of History using the conventions of a range of forms of representation such as timelines, media reports, multimedia presentations, oral presentations, posters, photographic and written essays.
