EDUC9311 Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Primary R-7 GE

This topic is designed to develop pre-service teachers’ capacity to plan for learning and assessment in the HASS curriculum. Pre-service teachers will investigate effective and innovative teaching practices to develop primary school students’ curiosity and understanding of a rapidly changing world and develop their skills to actively participate in their classroom, their school, their community and the world. Pre-service teachers will critically appraise the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) and the discipline of Social Studies in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. Pre-service teachers will explore the nature of history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business, and the concepts of interdisciplinary thinking which underpin the HASS curriculum: significance; continuity and change; cause and effect; place and space; interconnections; roles, rights and responsibilities; and perspectives and action.

This topic aims to:

• Develop pre-service teachers’ understandings of the methodology of teaching of history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business in the Primary Years
• Enhance pre-service teachers’ capacity to plan for learning and assessment in the curriculum area of HASS supported by well-developed pedagogical reasoning and disciplinary knowledge and skills
• Develop pre-service teachers’ capacity to apply relevant research findings in effective and innovative HASS teaching practices
• Develop pre-service teachers’ ability to combine inclusive teaching practices when planning HASS curriculum

1. Appraise the curriculum frameworks of the Australian Curriculum: HASS and the discipline of Social Studies in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program
2. Critique scholarly works and resources to support the effective teaching and learning of the HASS curriculum in the Primary Years
3. Identify current and effective practices for the teaching and learning of HASS
4. Plan for learning and assessment in the curriculum area of HASS supported by well-developed pedagogical reasoning and disciplinary knowledge and skills
5. Demonstrate communication skills aimed at professional, academic and lay audiences