The History Teachers' Association of NSW - The History Teachers' Association of NSW

2008 JANUARY

Rudd Government Announces Plan for national curriculum & appoints National Curriculum Board Chair

On 30 January the Prime Minister and Minister for Education announced the appointment of Professor Barry McGaw as Chair of the government’s new National Curriculum Board. The board, which will take some time to constitute, will oversee the development of national curriculum, K-12, in English, mathematics, the sciences and history.

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2008 FEBRUARY

National Curriculum Board Deputy Appointed

On 8 February Julia Gillard announced the appointment of Mr Tony Mackay as Deputy Chair of the National Curriculum Board. Mr Mackay is the President-elect of the International Congress on School Effectiveness and Improvement. He is currently the Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic Education in Melbourne, and President of the Australian Curriculum Studies Association.

Some comments, views and responses:

30 January 2008 - McGaw to Oversee National Curriculum - SMH

29 February 2008 - National Curriculum to Rate Performance - The Australian

2008 APRIL 14

Full National Curriculum Board Announced

Minister for Education, Julia Gillard today confirmed the membership of the National Curriculum Board, which will see a national curriculum be delivered within three years. As promised, the new National Curriculum Board is comprised of representatives from each of the States and Territories, and three representatives from the Catholic and Independent sectors.

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ANNA CLARK REPORT

A Comparative Study of History Teaching in Australia and Canada (Monash University)

Anna Clark is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Education, Monash University. She has recently completed the final report of her research project 'A Comparative Study of History Teaching in Australia and Canada' .

To read the full report click here

2008 JUNE

Statement Released by the National Peak Professional Associations in English, History, Mathematics and Science

To read statement click here

Tony Taylor Article: 'National Curriculum, History and SOSE: an Evidence-Based Perspective' (Monash University)

This article first appeared in Teaching History, June 2008. Click here to read

2008 JULY

HTAA President's Update

The past few months have seen a good deal of activity on the national curriculum front and, with consultation scheduled for the remainder of 2008, this activity will only intensify. While national curriculum may still be somewhere over the horizon for the vast majority of teachers, by early 2009 the development of national courses in history will become an increasing focus of attention for all of those concerned with the future of our discipline. This update has been divided into two sections, a report and a discussion. The discussion has been presented to provoke more discussion.

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2008 AUGUST 

Primary Principals Draft Paper

To read click here

2008 SEPTEMBER

HTAA President's Update

Last week The Australian contributed to the national curriculum discussion with a suggestion that Professor Stuart Macintyre’s appointment to oversee the writing of the history framework paper was ill-advised. A headline spoke of a reigniting of the history wars. An editorial concluded that ‘the appointments [of Macintyre (history) and Freebody (English)] reflect poorly on the National Curriculum Board and its chairman, Professor Barry McGaw.’ (10/9) In amongst some of the apocalyptic correspondence that came in on cue, Dr John Hirst provided a voice of reason: ‘The appointment of Stuart Macintyre to draw up the history section of the national curriculum should not re-ignite the history wars. I have seen his first draft and can assure you that the fears expressed in your pages about his appointment are misplaced.’ (12/9)

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2008 SEPTEBER 6

National Curriculum Forum at Macquarie University

Tony Taylor 'Learning from the Past: History and the National Curriculum' (Monash University)
This is an edited version of an address given at the NSW HTA/Macquarie University National History Forum, held at Macquarie University on 6 September 2008

2008 OCTOBER

National Curriculum Board releases History Framework Paper

To read Framing Paper click here     To read Initial Advice Paper click here

Some comments, views and responses:

13 October 2008 - "New History Curriculum Proposed", The Age

13 October 2008 - "Curriculum to Scale Back Aussie History", The Australian

20 October 2008 - "Politicians should leave history to the teachers", The Age

22 October 2008 - Interview with Professor Stuart Macintyre - recently appointed consultant to National Curriculum Board, WA Today

October 2008 - HTAA Statement. The HTAA Committee met at their AGM in Brisbane during the National History Teachers' Conference.