Course Outline

EDU741 Teaching Junior Secondary History

Course Coordinator:Craig Johnston (cjohnston1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access

2024Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

 This course builds capacity to design and recognize effective pedagogy within History for Years 7 - 10. You organize and plan lessons using the Australian Curriculum for History, apply your knowledge, understanding and skills to interpret, implement and adapt learning, in order to engage Junior Secondary students. You integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, culture or languages into learning activities and reflect on your developing teaching practice.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – You are required to engage with online learning materials, associated activities and required/recommended course reading materials accessed through Canvas and using the required textbooks. 2hrs Week 1 9 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – A face to face tutorial which involves on-campus activities using technology to engage with and apply course content and outcomes. 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

  • Australian Curriculum Content, General Capabilities and Cross Curriculum Priorities
  • Key reports and policy in relation to teaching History in years 7-10
  • Strategies for meeting the diverse needs of learners
  •  Evaluation and interpretation of student assessment data
  •  Concepts, principles and structure of History pedagogy, lesson planning and presentation
  • Understanding of assessment, feedback, moderation and reporting 
  • ICT applications in teaching, learning and communication with parents and carers
  • Depth Studies, historical interpretation and argument in lower secondary History

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
1 Apply and explain knowledge of history content and historical inquiry and the Australian Curriculum History. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2
2 Apply and explain a range of teaching and learning strategies, including ICT, that provide achievable challenges and engage the diversity of students in junior high school histories. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
2.2, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.5
3 Plan, create, evaluate and justify principles of assessment, moderation, feedback and reporting, that measure students' progress towards achievement standards in junior high school history. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Engaged
2.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5
4 Evaluate and justify planning, resourcing, teaching strategies, ICT, literacy, numeracy and 21st century skills developed through ACARA 7-10 History curriculum and historical inquiry. Creative and critical thinker
Ethical
Engaged
2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
2.2 Content selection and organisation: Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting: Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies: Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals: Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs: Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.3 Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.4 Select and use resources: Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
4.1 Support student participation: Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
4.2 Manage classroom activities: Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically: Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
5.1 Assess student learning: Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning: Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements: Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
5.4 Interpret student data: Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
5.5 Report on student achievement: Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/ carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Prerequisite: Enrolled in Program ED706 and an History Teaching area

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Early feedback will be provided through examples and scaffolding of the expectations for task 1 between weeks 1 and 3. 

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Individual 20%
1000 words
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Portfolio Individual 35%
1100 words in total
Week 7 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Portfolio Individual 45%
3000 words
Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Generative AI and marking in Junior History - a reflection
Goal:
The goal of this task is to understand the benefits and limitations of generative AI and to understand and practise the process of marking and moderation.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
Working in groups, you will be allocated a topic from the 7-9 ACARA history curriculum. You will: 
a) generate a responses to an essay question related to the topic;
b) mark a response against the ACARA standard elaborations;
c) moderate with your group;
d) write and submit an individual reflection (1000 words) on the process of marking and moderation (aligned to APST 5.3) and ability, strengths and weaknesses of generative AI to create students' responses in junior history and what implications this has for your professional practice.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Application and description of history content, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment to the work of teaching junior secondary history
1 2
2
Create communication using credible sources.
1
3
Identification and application of principles of assessment and moderation with colleagues.
3
4
Reflection on marking, moderation and use of ICT (in particular, generative AI) in junior history.
2
All - Assessment Task 2:Inquiry questions, Unit plan introduction, History in a Global Context
Goal:
The goal of this task is for you to develop your ability to:
(1) Select a valid and engaging source and prepare to tech with it;
(2) Prepare the title page and introduction for a junior secondary History unit;
(3) Demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the global context of teaching History.
Product: Portfolio
Format:
Create a portfolio that contains the following:
(1) Locate a visual or print document that could be used as an authentic source of evidence (either primary or secondary sources) in a Year 7, 8 or 9 History unit. This may be news article, feature article, cartoon, photograph, picture of artefact, map, graph, set of statistics or other numerical data, painting, poster, song lyrics, poem etc. The evidence should be no longer than one A4 page. Internet sources can be used but the source must be downloaded, formatted, and able to be viewed on one A4 page only. Provide a reference for the source.
Develop a sequence of 8 – 10 questions using a range of high and low order questions, closed and open questions. Your aim is to promote more than simple recall and develop higher order thinking or what is known as “critical thinking”. Ensure that the questions are ordered appropriately, from simple to more complex questions. (150-250 words approx)
(2) Create the title page and introduction for a unit of work from Year 7, 8 or 9 from the current or proposed Australian Curriculum: History documents. (See Canvas for title page template and ACARA documents.) (250-350 words approx plus references)
(3) Historian and sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein described history as 'a mode by which persons are persuaded to act in the present in ways they might not otherwise act.' (2000, p. 301). In contrast, the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration sets a goal to 'teach young Australians the value of our nation's rich history.' (2019, p. 10.)
Discuss the competing views of History as an academic discipline and how this may impact your work as a history teacher. (350-400 words approx, plus references)
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Use of inquiry-based pedagogy to locate a source for an effective learning activity, using a series of questions that address higher order thinking.
1 2
2
Application of content knowledge of historical content and the Australian Curriculum to justify a unit of work that applies inquiry learning.
1 2 4
3
Knowledge and understanding of the Australian Curriculum: History reflecting on the goals of History education in a global context.
1
4
Written communication skills and academic literacies including grammar, English expression, APA referencing conventions, and technical accuracy.
2
All - Assessment Task 3:History unit of work with lesson plans and micro-teaching
Goal:
The goal of this task is to demonstrate your ability to develop aspects of a History unit plan, including lesson plans, resources and assessment, and to teach a section of a lesson to your peers.
Product: Portfolio
Format:
Using the Australian Curriculum History, your History discipline content knowledge, and inquiry-based pedagogic strategies for active and engaged learning, submit a portfolio of work. For your submission will need to:
(1) Create focus (inquiry) questions for 10-12 lessons for the unit you introduced in task 2. (150-200 words)
(2) Write a context statement (3-4 paragraphs) that orients your reader to the unit. The context statement should address subject knowledge, skills and pedagogy, and be written for other teachers. (500-600 words)
(3) Develop two consecutive lesson plans and three resources ready to implement in the classroom with clear instructions for students. (up to 1200 words total)
(4) Describe and justify the summative assessment task for the unit. You do not have to create the task, but your justification must show how the assessment relates to the selected aspects of the assessment standard at the end of the relevant year level. (200-300 words)
(5) Teach a 7-10 minute section of one of your lessons, utilising one of your resources.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Development of suitable key and focus questions to support historical inquiry learning.
1
2
Creation of a context statement that states unit aims and links to curriculum, and discusses core activities, concepts an inquiry-based learning.
1 2
3
Creation of effective learning plans with a range of teaching strategies and resources including ICT, literacy and numeracy, and effective pedagogy suitable for the student cohort.
1 2 4
4
Analysis and justification of a suitable summative assessment that is age-appropriate and which meets curriculum requirements, and an explanation of feedback practices.
2 3
5
Deliver lesson segment which flows smoothly, timed and paced for the 10 minute maximum period, which engages students and uses resources effectively.
1 2 4
6
Written and oral communication skills and academic literacies including grammar, English expression, APA referencing conventions, and technical accuracy.
2

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

Schedule

Period and Topic Activities
Module 1
Week 1	Curriculum, Key reports, Policy and Initiatives in History
Exploring the Australian Curriculum for History
Exploring integration opportunities in the curriculum with the General Capabilities and Cross Curriculum Priorities
Exploring National and State reports, initiatives and policy in History
Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration
QLD Closing the Gaps Report
Further readings and tutorial/ online activities see Canvas – teaching module 1
Module 2
Weeks 2-4	History skills and content for lower secondary
Exploring world and Australian History
Exploration of Depth Studies in lower secondary History content
History Skills: Exploration of the concepts of evidence and contestability
History Skills: Developing inquiry questions in History
History Skills: Examining teaching resources including ICT and its safe and ethical use in History teaching and assessment
Further readings and tutorial/online activities see Canvas – teaching module 2
Module 3
Weeks 5-7	Lesson planning for the student cohort
Designing and teaching History lessons with curriculum outcomes linked to the lesson objectives, assessment and teaching content
Exploring how to organise History content into an effective learning sequence
Examining a range of teaching strategies and skills for presenting a lesson in History
Exploring junior secondary pedagogies for inclusion, engagement and behaviour management in History
Exploring different types and purposes of assessment, feedback and moderation in History
Further readings and tutorial/online activities see Canvas – teaching module 3
Module 4
Weeks 8-10	Setting History learning goals and assessing junior secondary History
Exploring methods to evaluate students’ assessment data and set learning goals in History
Exploring strategies to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT by students in History classes
Exploring strategies for recording student achievement in History and reporting to parents/carers
Further readings and tutorial/online activities see Canvas – teaching module 4

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Heather Sharp,Jonathon Dallimore,Alison Bedford,Martin Kerby,James Goulding,Treesa Clare Heath,Darius von Guttner,Louise Zarmati 2021 Teaching Secondary History eBook Cambridge University Press

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au