‘Humanities Alliance’ History, VELS 3.75-5.0

1. ‘Humanities Alliance’ History, VELS 3.75-5.0 James H, Zoe, James C & Kate

2. History – VELS 3.75-4.75 • Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) Remember->Create Different types of knowledge -procedural, conceptual (themed), meta- Cognitive (reflection) • The Dreyfus Model Novice->Expert • Vygotsky – social constructivism, MKO Learning theory • Dewey Teaching philosophy • Get to know your students • Build relationships through bringing one’s ‘life world’ into the classroom Dewey takes issue with efforts of educators (and education opinion holders, philosophers) to focus on producing a ‘the child’ versus ‘the curriculum’ polarity (p.5). He asserts a median stance by suggesting that teachers should psychologise material (p.29) so that subject matter is developed to have scope and range relevant to the ‘child’s life’ (p.29) but not be driven by the child’s interests (p.15). Dewey, John (1902/1966), ‘The Child and the Curriculum’, Chicago IL: The University of Chicago Press. KE

3. Skill Requirements This task aspires to extend students in their development of (discriminative) research skills, identification of key words, ability to apply discipline-based conventions, and degree of comfort with Publisher. The skills required for successful completion of the task span three capabilities, being: • appropriate presentation • application of knowledge at personal and local levels, and c) responsiveness to peer feedback. Panelling in group situations, applying ICT publishing skills, and filtering information each contribute to the students’ ‘21st Century’ skillset (ACARA 2009, p.4) and some of the assessable skills within the timeline rubric. The narrative written piece and hand-written timeline can be the extent of assessed work in the case of a student requiring modified work, where the student’s individual progress report is focused upon communication through written language. ‘Young people will need a wide and adaptive set of skills to meet the changing expectations of society and to contribute to the creation of a more productive, sustainable and just society’ – 21st Century Skills’ (ACARA, 2009 p.4) • Different ways to represent data • Reflection on personal performance • Awareness of what happened ‘whilst they were sleeping..’ (informed citizenry)

4. Curriculum Links Bloom’s Taxonomy has been used by VCAA in the development of the VELS framework. Before undertaking instruction at VELS 5, students will have gained experience in producing timelines during studies in History at level 4 (VCAA, 2009d). Under History knowledge outcomes for VELS History: Middle Years, students are expected to learn about ‘key events’ in Australia’s development as a nation, as well as to study civilisations of the ‘far past’. They are supported by students in ‘making judgments about points of view’ and interact with ‘oral, visual and written online sources’. They learn to reference their sources, using varied ‘forms to present explanations’, recognise that events can be recorded from a ‘range of views’ - and learn that ‘explanations may be partial and incomplete’ (VCAA, 2009c). In pursuing this task, a student is not to be taken to be a tabula rasa, and their life experiences are welcomed into the history classroom via the knowledge/information applied to their timelines, and also as a base upon which they interpret resources they come into contact with. Starting with the immediately relevant should assist in personalising academic learning for students ( Victorian teachers are familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy and Bloom’s different types of knowledge (factual, conceptual, procedural, meta-cognitive), and this familiarity should support them to adjust the demands of this task in the case of students requiring extending or additional supports. ‘[Students] learn to develop explanations in a range of forms such as timelines, oral presentations, posters, multimedia presentations, reports and narratives…’ (VCAA, 2009d). At VELS 5, students ‘use historical concepts such as time, evidence, continuity and change, and historical conventions such as documenting sources by using a bibliography and footnotes. They present their understanding in a variety of forms such as annotated timelines... [and] oral reports’ (VCAA, 2009e).

5. Pitch The task has been written with a particular set of students in mind, following multiple instances of feedback/testing for prior skills-based knowledge which has been used to identify the class’ ZPD (the 50:50 point) and inform subsequent teaching. Instruction written into the project book for students attempts to stretch students from their point of ‘readiness to learn’ (Griffin, 2009) in a way that utilises feedback as a means of informing instruction (see Hattie & Timperley, 2007). ‘All students, irrespective of the school they attend, where they live or their social and economic status, have an entitlement to a high-quality school education and a genuine opportunity to succeed’ (Victorian DEECD, 2003 in Woods, 2011). To avoid being ‘humanitarian but not humanist’ (Freire 1970, p.24) by excluding some students from participation in a class activity, this project is suitable for Year 7 students performing within various cognitive ability groupings, as determined by feedback collected by their teacher as the task can be simply modified in a way that need not be obvious to the class as a whole. In the hurdle task, students can write dot points relating to events of their own lives (from one through to ten), or produce an integrated autobiography which weaves life events together through a common theme or emotion, at the other extreme. They can attempt to present life events along a hand-drawn continuum in variously appropriate language, or produce a timeline on Publisher which satisfies all conventions, and goes beyond what is asked by also including events of global significance, and how they relate to their personal lives.

6. Using Evidence VCAA – VELS – Conventions http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ict/glossary_terms/conventions.html Students will work with the conventions of a discipline, which are defined by VCAA as the ‘commonly understood or accepted ways of doing something’ (VCAA, 2009a). Specific conventions can be checked through the HTAV website, or teachers could use a textbook example to determine the conventions which their class(es) will apply. Students will also have to be organised enough to submit their draft and written work as appendices (or ‘add on’ proofs of their process), which will be taken by teachers as the source material informing their timelines and as such checked for continuity. Panelling VELS - Reasoning, Processing & Inquiry, http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/thinking.html When working towards proficiency in VELS 5 Thinking Skills, students ‘locate and select relevant information from varied sources when undertaking investigations’. This information can be derived from their own memories, news websites, volunteered by friends (and/or family members) or be informed by a Google search. Students at VELS 5 use reason and ‘analysis to evaluate evidence and consider their own and others’ points of view’. A highly successful panelling session will involve students acknowledging and evaluating peer offerings, which are ultimately worked into the timeline as deemed fit. NB: We have purposefully not stipulated in the rubric whether peer panelling must occur face to face, or via email or through anonymous exchange or written work: decisions to this end should be made by the teacher who best knows her/his students (VIT Standard 3) and the type of activities and skills which students have honed in other parts of the unit. However, the rationale for panelling, under Thinking Skills, is for students’ timelines to include events that are removed from the students’ immediate experience, and so that students can check their own understanding of the task through exposure to their peers’ work. Presenting VELS -Structure of the Information and Communications Technology Domain, http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ict/structure.html Information and Communications Technology - Level 4, http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/ict.html Students will use ICT for creating (‘process data and information to create…information products that demonstrate their knowledge and understandings…’) and communication (‘present ideas and understandings to audiences’; ‘communicate with known and unknown audiences’) purposes (VCAA, 2009b). At VELS 4 students ‘use ICT to produce information products that demonstrate their knowledge and skills for all areas of the curriculum’ (VCAA, 2009e). Students will variously require guidance in using Publisher, and professional development may need to be undertaken by teachers who are not confident with this technology. To account for inequitable prior exposure to the software, students will receive either a 0 or a 1 for presenting their work with Publisher. As an alternative to formal PD, web-based manuals and help guides are accessible online (e.g. http://desktoppub.about.com/od/microsoft/p/Microsoft-Publisher-2010-Preview.htm).

7. The Task KE

8. KE

9. Depending on the students, sentence starters could be incorporated into the space for reflection

10. Ways to scaffold reflective writing and draw attention to the value of recording process ‘Habits of Mind’ – Art L. Costa ‘An effective strategy for anticipating errors and monitoring student progress in learning from these is the submission of multiple drafts of a student’s written work. These drafts can be submitted to the instructor for feedback, to an institution’s writing center for assistance in editing, and/or to class peers for their input. In the case of peer review, students can be graded on the quality of feedback they provide to other students. Students can submit drafts of their work either as paper copies or online.’ University of Connecticut, available at: http://udi.uconn.edu/index.php?q=node/356 ‘Draft letters are a simple strategy that asks students to think critically about their writing on a specific assignment before submitting their work to a reader. Students write reflective letters to the teacher, identifying their own thoughts on the piece that the teacher is about to read. This lesson explains the strategy and provides models for the project, which can be adapted for any grade level and any writing project. It may be completed only for major assignments or on a more regular basis with all composition that students do.’ Swartzendruber-Putnam, Dawn. "Written Reflection: Creating Better Thinkers, Better Writers." English Journal 90.1 (September 2000): 88-93. KE Making each explicit: http://www.slideshare.net/suziea/habits-of-mind-explained-for-students

11. Progression Points Progression Points JC

13. Rubrics JC

14. Matrix JH

15. record of process and progress Variables dependent independent JH

16. Panelling Panelling Process Our panelling process occurred during the tutorial, as well as in the days preceding the submission of this assignment. We had our rubric assessed by a number of different groups who identified common areas for improvement. As a group we found the panelling process invaluable, and although we rejected some of the proposals we managed to implement a number of the minor alterations which were suggested, as well as some more major changes. Through panelling other groups’ rubrics we were also able to reflect on areas of our own which were lacking.  The main alteration which was made as a result of the panelling was our attempt to develop a more obvious and tangible progression between the criteria in our rubric. Pre panelling we were not able to justify the skills required to get 3 marks, which students who got 2 marks could not demonstrate etc.  When the criteria are set out on a matrix and against a framework then teachers should be able to justify what students can do at a certain level, and hence what they need to be able to do to reach the next level. This progression was not evident in our matrix and rubric prior to the panelling process. • \ JC

17. To think on: • What happens when we don’t assess students’ feedback? (behaviourism) • Where all students have a right to ‘success’ (week 10), panelling can return unequivocal responses for students to action • Place of group dynamics in determining success (unequal power relations)? • Absenteeism during a fortnight-long project…and data collection KE

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