A New History for Victoria

It was recently announced that the History curriculum for Victorian students has been updated and revised as part of Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0.

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The new mandates include a stronger focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, something that is welcomed by the National Trust of Australia (Vic), says Education and Public Programs Manager, Nicole Dziadkiewicz.

 “The new history curriculum invites students to explicitly consider multiple perspectives about historical events, such as considering the experiences and perspectives of those who fought in wars or were deployed overseas, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and women.” Nicole Dziadkiewicz

Changes have been made across the curriculum, including introducing the concept of Deep Time and archeology for Years 7 and 8, Aboriginal responses to colonisation (Years 5 and 6) and significance of Country and Place (Years 3 and 4).

Multiple Perspectives

The significance of the new history curriculum is its focus on increasing the range of perspectives from which the past is viewed.

“Supporting students to understand historical contexts from multiple perspectives enables them to develop a better understanding of their world and of other learning areas,” explains Dziadkiewicz. “Considering multiple perspectives supports students to develop the skills to be informed citizens and critical thinkers.”

With multiple perspectives comes a wider range of sources, something which can admittedly be overwhelming. And just like students are taught media literacy, teachers should also be mindful of the accuracy of online resources.

“When teachers are considering resources that are focussed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, I recommend a great resource by AIATSIS who have published a guide about evaluating and selecting education resources,” suggests Dziadkiewicz.

There are also resource starter packs for history teachers on the History Teachers’ Association of Victoria website.

Connecting to Local Elders

Teachers will be encouraged to find Indigenous Elders to speak to students. If a school is interested in establishing a connection with Aboriginal groups, Dziadkiewicz says, it’s best to start local.

“Find local organisations like an Aboriginal Land Council, or local cultural centre. Reaching out to your local council is also a good idea,” says Dziadkiewicz. “Teachers should check out the Victorian Government’s guidelines for creating culturally safe school environments too.”

Resources are available to teachers who want to update their own understanding and provide exciting learning opportunities for students.

“For many students, excursions are the highlight of their year,” says Dziadkiewicz. “Place-based learning creates memorable shared experiences, and contextualises students’ developing understanding, taking it from the abstract to the tangible. However, rising costs, particularly transport costs, are presenting budgeting challenges for school.”

Her solution, like before, is to start local. She suggests teachers consider what significant local places are nearby, and importantly, how do they bring local history to life for learners?

Some excursion providers offer free or discounted excursions to eligible schools under the government’s Strategic Partnerships Program.

“The National Trust’s archaeology excursions and incursions are subsidised… and offer students first-hand archaeological experiences at simulated archaeology sites at Como House in South Yarra and at Barwon Grange in Geelong. Guided by a trained archaeologist, students explore tools and techniques that archaeologists use to reconstruct the lives of past peoples and the landscapes in which they lived,” says Dziadkiewicz.