History k-10 Syllabus 2012

Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia

History students develop an understanding of the diversity of the peoples of Asia and their contributions to the region and the world, and an appreciation of the importance of the region for Australia and the world. Students understand the dynamic nature of social, cultural and political relationships within the region over time, and the role that individuals, governments and other organisations play in shaping relationships between peoples and countries. Students develop an appreciation of the history of the Australian–Asian engagement and how this influences contemporary Australian society and relationships with the countries of Asia. They understand the long history of migration to Australia by people from Asia and acknowledge the contributions made over time by Asian Australians to the development of Australia’s culture and society. They also understand the ongoing role played by Australia and individual Australians in major events and developments in the Asia region.

Sustainability

History enables the development of students’ world views, particularly in relation to actions that require judgement about past societies and their access to and use of the Earth’s resources. Students are provided with opportunities to develop an historical perspective on sustainability by understanding, for example, the emergence of farming and settled communities, the positive and negative impacts of peoples and governments on pre-modern environments, the development of the Industrial Revolution and the growth of population, the overuse of natural resources, the rise of environmental movements as well as the global energy crisis and innovative technological responses to it. Making decisions about sustainability to help shape a better future requires an understanding of how the past relates to the present, and needs to be informed by historical trends and experiences.

Critical and creative thinking

The process of critical and creative thinking is central to historical inquiry. Students are introduced to sources which, in later stages, will be questioned for their reliability and usefulness. These sources are critically selected and analysed to provide evidence and information in the process of constructing and defending an argument or interpretation. Students explore viewpoints and perspectives in the context of studying history. When investigating the past, sources are incomplete and in this context, both critical and creative modes of thinking are engaged in the construction of an historical explanation using limited evidence. They also provide scope for presenting new and challenging interpretations when difficult or distracting information, newly discovered sources or unsettling recent events contest our familiar understanding of the past and require that this past be reinterpreted.