Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit is designed to meet the requirements for a primary specialisation in Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) education F-6. Particular focus is given to advancing pre-service teachers’ understandings of best practice in primary teaching and will be developed through inquiry learning and assessment. This unit is underpinned by the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences framework, and relevant state-based documents related to history, geography, civics and citizenship, economics and business.
In this unit, pre-service teachers will analyse central concepts in Humanities education to structure and resource learning experiences to progress each child’s social, environmental and experiential learning. Pre-service teachers will undertake an investigation project in a focus area of choice from the HASS/relevant state-based curriculum. Additionally, this unit expands pre-service teachers’ understanding of and skills in key learning areas (KLA) integration, literacy, numeracy and critical thinking. A deeper engagement with pedagogical practice through inquiry, action-based research and problem-based learning promotes a permeable classroom with links to real-world issues important to developing critical and creative students as active and informed citizens.
The aim of this unit is to provide pre-service teachers with enhanced pedagogical and discipline specific knowledge, enabling them to be available within their schools to assist other teachers with the knowledge and expertise to effectively teach HASS.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify and critically assess a diverse range of ...
Learning Outcome 01
Evaluate and apply a range of resources and ICT ba...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically discuss inquiry as a pedagogical approa...
Learning Outcome 03
Critically examine through key national and intern...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- The role of the teacher in a HASS classroom. Constructivist pedagogical approaches and their application to practice:
- Inquiry as pedagogy
- Action research in Humanities classrooms
- Understanding by Design
- Problem based learning
- Conceptual inquiry
- Integrating curriculum KLAs into HASS
- Creating meaningful questions for inquiry
- Integrating general capabilities: literacy, numeracy, critical and creative thinking as part of HASS
- Differentiation and inclusion strategies in Inquiry learning
- The environmental movement in Australia
- Emergence of sustainable practices & their role in future shaping
- Historical thinking and inquiry
- Civics and action-based research to promote active and informed citizenry
- Core History content
- Core Geography content
- Economics and business
- Social justice and equity issues in HASS
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural contexts and reconciliation
- Social contexts and the role HASS can play in social justice
- Promoting an equitable and just future in HASS education
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements. (http://www.acu.edu.au/policy/student_policies/assessment_policy_and_assessment_procedures).
The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed to allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the unit learning outcomes. The unit will focus on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the Graduate Attributes and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate level. The assessment tasks focus on different sub-strands in the Australian Curriculum Humanities and Social Sciences. Assessment Task 1 uses Inquiry pedagogy to explore issues of social justice in the Economics and Business sub-strand. This assessment task requires pre-service teachers to think critically and consider their responsibilities for the common good. Assessment Task 2 requires pre-service teachers to critique resources and their appropriateness to expand learning opportunities for students with a focus on ICT and the sub-strand of geography. Assessment Task 3 focuses on the sub-strand of civics and citizenship and/or history through the research and critical analysis of documents building pre-service teacher research skills. These three types of assessments involve a variety of tasks to challenge pre-service teachers’ learning and enable differentiation of achievement and be equitable and ethical. The assessments engage pre-service teachers in diverse forms of communication including: A presentation, a resource portfolio and a report.
The three assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development of content knowledge and skills to prepare pre-service teachers for pedagogical knowledge units in the sequence of Economics and Business units.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to complete ALL assessment tasks and gain an overall Pass mark.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Critical Inquiry Paper: Living...
Assessment Task 1: Critical Inquiry Paper: Living Humanities
Critical discussion paper to apply an Inquiry pedagogy to a social justice issue that is either affected by or affects business and economics in which pre-service teachers consider:
An issue or wicked problem with social justice implications that is of relevance to Primary-aged students
Key local, national and international research
Justification of chosen inquiry pedagogy method as a tool for inquiry
Pre-service teachers may choose to submit in the following formats:
- Essay/Discussion paper
- Narrated power point and script
- Video
Curriculum area: Business and Economics
Examples: Fast Fashion; modern day slavery; globalization; renewable energy etc.
30%
Assessment task 2: Resource portfolio Select, ap...
Assessment task 2: Resource portfolio
Select, appraise and justify a range of 10 age-appropriate resources , including technologies to inform and support Inquiry learning in the Primary Geography classroom.
Curriculum area: Geography
30%
Assessment Task 3: Report Examine, and compare, ...
Assessment Task 3: Report
Examine, and compare, based on literature, a contemporary issue in either History or Civics and Citizenship education and its implications for creating active and informed citizens in Australia and one of the following countries:
- Canada
- Finland
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
Include:
- The settings
- Literature review in relation to the issue
- Compare and examine key curriculum documents for each country
- Compare and contrast types of pedagogy in relation to the issue/curriculum area
- Stakeholder interests
- Professional associations that support the teaching of CCE and/or history in each country
Explain and critically reflect on the implications in terms of producing active and informed citizens in the 21st Century.
Curriculum area: History and/or Civics and Citizenship education
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy for this unit is based on a Constructivist approach that recognises that learning builds on pre-existing understandings and is shaped by a learner’s sociocultural context. In line with the chosen learning and teaching strategy, this unit includes: content delivery designed to encourage active learning and engagement, and teaching methods designed to consolidate the learning of content, apply knowledge to problem-solving tasks and develop analytical and evaluating skills. The learning and teaching strategy is achieved through a range of learning activities such as reading, reflection, discussion, and engagement with webinars, podcasts and video resources. Pre-service teachers should expect to participate in a range of presentations, discussions, self-directed study activities and assessment tasks. Some participation in appropriate educational settings may be required.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.
Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.
On Campus
Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
Multi-mode
Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
Online unscheduled
Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable.
Online scheduled
All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
ACU Online
In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Relevant national, state and territory curriculum documents primary settings
Recommended references
Allender, T., Clark, A., & Parkes, R. (Eds.) (2019). Historical thinking for history teachers. Allen & Unwin
Bowes, J. M., & Grace, R. (2012). Children, families and communities: Contexts and consequences (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Browett, J., & Ashman, G. (2011). Thinking globally: Global perspectives in the early years classroom. Education Services Australia.
Gilbert, R., Tudball, L., & Brett, P. (Eds.). (2020). Teaching humanities and social sciences: Teaching and learning across Australia (7th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (Eds.). (2019). Teaching humanities and social sciences: History, geography, economics and citizenship in the Australian curriculum (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Green, D., & Price, D. (Eds.). (2019). Making the humanities and social sciences come alive: Early years and primary education. Cambridge University Press.
Marsh, C., & Hart, C. (2011). Teaching the social sciences and humanities in an Australian curriculum (6th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Reynolds, R. (2019). Teaching history, geography & SOSE in the primary school (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Taylor, T., Fahey, C., Kriewalt, J., & Boon, D. (2019). Place and time: Teaching history, geography and social sciences (2nd ed.). Pearson.