Example A: four themes, six inquiry topics Themes Inquiry topics and studies Time allocation Introductory topic “Seven lives”: the major features of the world in 1901 8 hours History and the global perspective “Appealing to the people” (a) Inquiry The role of popular art and music (32 hrs) (b) Bridging study: Effects of decolonisation (4 hrs) 36 hours Studies of change “Technology, work and the human spirit” (a) Inquiry Comparative study of liberal capitalism in the and state capitalism/communism in the (24 hrs) (b) Bridging study: Comparative study of labour/capital settlement in (8 hrs) (c) Comparative study: Fordism and Taylorism (2 Hrs), and impacts of technologies to 1950s (4 hrs) (d) Inquiry topic: The digital revolution (32 hrs) 70 hrs Studies of conflict “Land and freedom” (a) Background study: Colonial Australia (5 hrs) (b) Inquiry Comparison of two Australian campaigns — one racial, one environmental (32 hrs) study: Current debates in (3 hrs) (d) Inquiry topic: Apartheid in (24 hrs) (e) Comparative study: Other racial and environmental struggles (4 hrs) 68 Studies of the world” (a) Background studies: Late 19th century (2 hrs); Suffragist struggle in ; impact of WW2 (3 hrs); (1 hr), second wave feminism (4 hrs) (b) Inquiry topic: Gender developments since 1980 (18 hrs) (c) Comparative study: Men and women in non-Western nations (2 hrs) 30 hours Concluding study “Seven lives”: The lives of seven different people in the world today 8 hrs
Category 1: Extended written response to historical evidence Characteristics By monitoring By verification 1. Format Essay under test conditions in which the student gives a response to a question or statement, mainly by reference to sources supplied. The question or statement is not provided before the test (unseen). If the sources are unseen, they should be sufficient to allow students to engage with in a reasonable preparation time, e.g. about four in Year 11, and about six in Year 12. Recommended time Conditions: all sources provided prior to the test; students may have assistance from teacher with comprehension, interpretation of sources OR some sources provided prior to the test, and some unseen; students may have assistance from teacher with comprehension and interpretation of sources OR all sources unseen. All conditions must be clearly stated on the assessment instrument. Clean copies of sources to be provided for test. No allowed for test. Conditions: some sources provided to the test, and some unseen; no teacher assistance OR all sources unseen. All conditions must be clearly stated on the assessment instrument. Clean copies of sources to be provided for test. 2. Criteria All are possible, C2 and C3 most likely. All are possible, C2 and C3 most likely. 3. Length 500–600 words 600–800 words 4. Types of sources all primary, or primary and secondary Varied, including at least one “visual” ( e.g. graph, cartoon, photograph, map, illustration) Varied, including at least two “visuals” (e.g. graph, cartoon, photograph, map, illustration) 5. Relevance of sources All relevant May vary 6. Reliability and representativeness of sources May vary May vary 7. Extent that sources support statement Clearly for or against Contestable — evaluation and application of perspectives must be applied to make judgments.
Category 3: Multi-modal presentations Characteristics By monitoring By verification 1. Format. Multi-modal presentations are the outcome of research and may take a wide variety of forms. All multi-modal presentations should be accompanied by a detailed criteria sheet that makes explicit the presentation skills demonstrated. All presentations must be accompanied by research notes. Presentations should conform to the characteristics of the mode and medium selected. Possible formats: a dramatic presentation followed by an out-of-role account and rationale for the script with accompanying key items of evidence a presentation involving any of the visual and performing arts, e.g. sculpture, dance, artwork, music, with rationale and key items of evidence a presentation that is interpretive and interactive. a computer simulation that is interpretive and interactive non-written assignment: seminar, debate or formal speech; presentations will vary but must include referencing appropriate to the genre, and research notes any combination, or other as described in section 3, Communicating historical knowledge. Possible formats: a dramatic presentation followed by an out-of-role account and rationale for the script with accompanying key items of evidence a presentation involving any of the visual and performing arts, e.g. sculpture, dance, artwork, music with rationale and key items of evidence a video presentation that is interpretive and interactive a computer simulation or website that is interpretative and interactive non-written assignment: seminar, debate or formal speech; presentations will vary but must include referencing appropriate to the genre, and research notes any combination, or other as described in section 3, Communicating historical knowledge. 2. Criteria All are possible. All are possible. 3. Authentication of research processes Selected evidence that may consist of annotated preparation in response to issues that emerged during research, teacher observation sheets, research checklists, and/or self/peer assessment Selected evidence that may consist of annotated preparation notes in response to issues that emerged during research, teacher observation sheets, research checklists, and/or self/peer assessment 4. Teacher involvement Consultation and feedback on research process should be provided judiciously, gradually diminishing with student experience and confidence. Consultation and feedback on research process should be provided judiciously, gradually diminishing with student experience and confidence. See 8.5.1. 5. Origins of presentation concept Provided by the teachers and/or negotiated Negotiated; rationale that acknowledges origins of question expected
Category 4: Additional test formats Characteristics By monitoring By verification 1. Formats: objective tests short response tests, e.g. items requiring 1–2 line responses or short paragraph responses response to stimulus test essay test other written responses under test conditions such as editorials, news articles. Conditions for each format: supervised objective tests supervised short-response tests supervised response to stimulus tests: all sources used provided prior to the test; students may have assistance from teacher with comprehension, interpretation of sources OR some sources provided prior to test, and some unseen; students may have assistance from teacher with comprehension, interpretation of sources OR all sources unseen. essay testing an unseen question derived from student research; no notes or additional material permitted during test an extended written response to an unseen question or task (analytical, persuasive or argumentative); no teacher assistance; no or additional material permitted during test. All conditions must be clearly stated on the assessment instrument. copies of sources to be provided for test. Conditions for each format: supervised objective tests supervised tests supervised response to stimulus in which questions are unseen: some sources provided prior to the test and some unseen; no teacher assistance OR all sources unseen. essay testing an unseen question derived from student research; no notes or additional material permitted during test an extended written response to an unseen question or task (analytical, persuasive or argumentative); no teacher assistance; no notes or additional material permitted during test. All conditions must be clearly stated on the assessment instrument. Clean copies of sources to be provided for test. 2. Criteria All three are possible. There should be sufficient evidence within a task to support a result in a criterion. All three are possible, C2 and C3 most likely. There should be sufficient evidence within a task to support a result in a criterion. 3. Length Variable, according to nature of task; essays 500–600 words, other written responses about 400 words Variable, according to nature of task; essays 600–800 other written responses about 500 words
8.8 At the conclusion of the two-year course of study, the completed student profile must show: the three exit criteria the assessment plan as implemented by the school a method of identifying the assessment used for exit purposes (a tick, circle, highlight, etc.) achievement standards in each of the exit criteria. In the period between verification and exit, one or more criteria must be assessed, including criterion 2. 8.9 On completion of the course of study, the school is required to award each student an exit level of achievement from one of the five categories: Very High Achievement High Achievement Sound Achievement Limited Achievement Very Limited Achievement. The school must award an exit standard for each of the three criteria, Planning and using an historical research process, Forming historical knowledge through critical inquiry, and Communicating historical knowledge, based on the principles of assessment described in this syllabus. The criteria are derived from the general objectives and are described in section 3. The standards associated with the three exit criteria are described in table 4. When teachers are determining a standard for each criterion, it is not always necessary for the student to have met each descriptor for a particular standard; the standard awarded should be informed by how the qualities of the work match the descriptors overall. Criteria and standards for each task are to be derived from the exit criteria and standards matrix. The standards descriptors are to be selected so that they are specific to the task. Not all criteria, or all aspects of a criterion may be present in any one task. Across a two-year course, students should be several opportunities to develop the understandings and processes that are described in each criterion. Of the seven key competencies, the four that are relevant to assessment in this subject are embedded in the descriptors in the standards matrix. The descriptors refer mainly to elements of collecting, analysing and organising information, (criteria 1 and 2) communicating ideas and information, (criterion 3), planning and organising activities (criterion 1), and solving problems (criterion 2).
Table 5: Sample student profile School: Student’s name: Entry year/Exit year: / Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3 Semester 4 Standards Assessment task L O A L O A L O A Monitoring Verification Exit Date Criterion 1. Planning and an historical research process 2. Forming historical knowledge through critical inquiry 3. Communicating historical knowledge LOA LOA LOA LOA Exit LOA