The Humanities and Social Sciences are the study of human behaviour and interaction in social, cultural, environmental, economic and political contexts. The Humanities and Social Sciences have a historical and contemporary focus, from personal to global contexts, and consider challenges for the future. Through studying Humanities and Social Sciences, students will develop the ability to question, think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, make decisions and adapt to change. Thinking about and responding to issues requires an understanding of the key historical, geographical, political, economic and societal factors involved, and how these different factors interrelate. The Humanities and Social Science subjects in the Australian Curriculum provide a broad understanding of the world in which we live, and how people can participate as active and informed citizens with high-level skills needed now and for the future.
Aims
The Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences aims to ensure that students develop:
• a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect about places, people, cultures and systems throughout the world, past and present, and an interest in and enjoyment of the study of these phenomena
• key historical, geographical, civic and economic knowledge of people, places, values and systems, past and present, in local to global contexts
• an understanding and appreciation of historical developments, geographic phenomena, civic values and economic factors that shape society,
influence sustainability and create a sense of belonging
• an understanding of the key disciplinary concepts applied to disciplinary and/or cross-disciplinary inquiries
• the capacity to use disciplinary methods and skills, including disciplinary-appropriate questioning, researching using reliable sources, analysing, evaluating and communicating
• dispositions required for effective participation in everyday life, now and in the future, including critical and creative problem-solving, informed decision-making, responsible and active citizenship, informed economic and financial choices, and ethical reflection.
The Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences is organised under two interrelated strands:
• Knowledge and understanding
• Skills.
Under each strand, curriculum content is further organised into sub-strands.
Core concepts
The core concepts for Humanities and Social Sciences F–6 have been drawn from the four disciplines of Humanities and Social Sciences to inform the knowledge, understandings and skills that will be developed to support further learning in the four Years 7–10 subjects.
The core concepts are:
• Significance – The importance that is assigned to an issue, event, development, person, place, process, interaction or system over time and place.
• Continuity and change – Aspects of society, such as institutions, ideas, values and problems, that remain/ed the same and/or changed over certain periods of time (some point in the past and the present) or in the past (two points in the past).
• Cause and effect – The long- and short-term causes and the intended and unintended consequences of an event, decision, process, interaction or development.
• Place and space – The characteristics of places (spatial, social, economic, physical, environmental) and how these characteristics are organised spatially (location, distribution, pattern).
• Interconnections – The components of various systems such as social systems, resource systems and natural systems, and the connections within and between them, including how they impact on each other.
• Identity and diversity – The factors, including values and traditions, that shape personal and shared identity and the diversity of Australia as a multicultural and multi-faith society.
• Democracy and citizenship – The key democratic and legal institutions, processes, rights and roles that underpin Australian democracy, and the responsibilities and obligations of citizens in local, regional, national and global communities.
• Resource allocation and making choices – The process of using available or limited resources for competing alternative uses and the choices that individuals and society make to satisfy needs and wants.