1. Impact of Australian Curriculum for tertiary courses and students
Presented by Annabel Astbury, HTAV
for School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne
February 2012

2. Timeline for implementation – VIC
2013 – F - 10
2015 + Senior Curriculum

3. Policy: States and Territories still responsible for
implementation of curriculum

4. Policy:
In Victoria the framework will incorporate current approaches as used in
VELS but be called AusVELS

5. Current VCE History Curriculum is valid until end December 2014
Australian History
Revolutions
Renaissance Italy
Proposed Structure for Australian Curriculum: Senior History courses
Modern History Ancient History
Four unit structure Four unit structure
Year 11 Units 1 & 2 Year 11 Units 1 & 2
Year 12 Units 3 & 4 Year 12 Units 3 & 4

6. First Year University Cohort School curriculum undertaken
VELS / Australian Curriculum
2014 VELS/VCE
2015 VELS Year 10 (2012)
VCE Year 11 (2013)
VCE/Year 12 (2014)
2016 VELS until Year 9 (2012)
AC Year 10 (2013)
VCE Year 11(2014)
AC/VCE (2015)
2017 Australian Curriculum Years 9 & 10 (2013-14)
AC/VCE Year 11(2015)
AC/VCE Year 12 (2016)
2018 Australian Curriculum Years 8 - 10 (2013 - 2015)
AC/VCE Year 11(2016)
AC/VCE Year 12 (2017)
2019 Australian Curriculum Years 7 - 10 (2013 - 2015)
AC/VCE Year 11(2016)
AC/VCE Year 12 (2017)

7. Content Structure: History 7-10 (Secondary)
Year Level
Key Inquiry Questions
‣Overviews
Strands
Historical Knowledge and understandings ‣Depth Studies
Historical Skills
Content Structure | Annabel Astbury 2011

8. Overviews
Aims
‣give students an introduction to the period
‣make links to and between the depth studies
‣consolidate understanding through a review of
the period
Teaching
‣An overview will constitute approximately 10%
of the total teaching time for the year
‣Overview content identifies important features of
the period as part of an expansive chronology
‣The overview could be built into different parts of
the depth studies as appropriate
© Milan Surkala - Fotolia.com Content Structure | Annabel Astbury 2011

9. Depth Studies
Aims
‣To provide students with the opportunity to
develop and apply the concepts and skills of
historical inquiry
‣ Content in each elective is designed to allow
detailed study of specific aspects of the historical
period
Teaching
‣An overview will constitute approximately 10%
of the total teaching time for the year
‣Overview content identifies important features of
the period as part of an expansive chronology
‣The overview could be built into different parts of
the depth studies as appropriate
Content Structure | Annabel Astbury 2011

10. VELS Australian Curriculum Significant
Differences
Year 7 Ancient worlds Year 7 Ancient worlds to 650CE Includes Ancient
Australia
Must do 1 Asian
context
Year 8 Medieval Period Year 8 Medieval Period 650 - Must do 1 Asian
1750 context
Black Death
figures
prominently
Year 9 Australian History 19th – Year 9 World History 1750 - Movements of
early 20th Centuries 1918 people /
Industrial
Revolution
appears more
prominent
Year 10 20th Century History Year 10 20th Century History Must do WW2
Australian / International Australian / International Must do
contexts contexts Indigenous
Rights and
Freedoms

11. Differences in Senior Courses: Year 11
VCE Australian Curriculum Significant
Differences
Year 11 Twentieth Century Year 11 Modern • Ancient
History 1900 – 1945 History Unit History
1 (choice of Stream
• Modern
contexts in
History
unit) course
encapsulati
Year 11 Twentieth Century Year 11 Modern ng many
History 1945 – 2000 History Unit options
2 (choice of
Year 11 contexts in
unit)
Year 11 Conquest and Resistance Year 11 Ancient
History Unit
1
Year 11 People and Power Year 11 Ancient
History Unit
2

12. Differences in Senior Courses: Year 12
VCE Australian Curriculum Significant
Differences
Year Australian History 3 & 4 Year 12 Modern • Move away in AC
from National
12 History Unit 3 Studies in
(choice of Modern History
contexts in • Focus on ideas,
movements and
unit) significant events
that have shaped
the modern era
• Appears to
broader sweeps
of time
• Australia
included but not
Year Renaissance Italy 3 & 4 Year 12 Modern in its own right
12 (Florence and Venice) History Unit 4
(choice of • Ancient History
contexts in Stream
unit)
Year Revolutions 3 & 4 Year 12 Ancient
12 Two of France, America, Russia History Unit 3
and China
Year 12 Ancient
History Unit 4

13. First Year University Cohort School curriculum undertaken
VELS / Australian Curriculum
2014 VELS/VCE
2015 VELS Year 10 (2012)
VCE Year 11 (2013)
VCE/Year 12 (2014)
2016 VELS until Year 9 (2012)
AC Year 10 (2013)
VCE Year 11(2014)
AC/VCE (2015)
2017 Australian Curriculum Years 9 & 10 (2013-14)
AC/VCE Year 11(2015)
AC/VCE Year 12 (2016)
2018 Australian Curriculum Years 8 - 10 (2013 - 2015)
AC/VCE Year 11(2016)
AC/VCE Year 12 (2017)
2019 Australian Curriculum Years 7 - 10 (2013 - 2015)
AC/VCE Year 11(2016)
AC/VCE Year 12 (2017)

14. Policy and curriculum implications
Curriculum:
• disjoint (in theory and practice) for a while between AC and what they do at senior years
• Depth studies -> Overview and Depth -> Depth (this pattern will remain until 2015ish)
• Hopefully a more ‘Asia Literate’ cohort emerging.
• Hopefully students with wider knowledge of world history narrative.
• Australian History content in senior years limited.
• Cohorts ready for first year university 2016 most likely to have emerged with VCE History
• Consider skills they have and content that they have covered.
• Cohorts ready for first year university in 2019 have had Australian Curriculum: History 7-12
• Will there be different skills and content that they have covered.
Policy
School level – what will change?
Practice? Spaces in which history is taught?
State level – what will change? Breadth of courses on offer?
What assistance will teachers need?
Content area expertise
Pedagogical refreshers