FOCUS AREA, (with

descriptor)
Content and teaching
strategies of the
teaching area
(Demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of the
concepts, substance
and structure of the
content and teaching
strategies of the
teaching area.)

ELABORATION

ICT
There are so many wonderful technological resources available
for teachers in the Humanities. In particular, in History there
are countless great videos on youtube and elsewhere which
point out and elaborate upon some of the skills you need in
historical analysis - ie. observational skills.
Pedagogy
Why use technology to teach the subject you have been given
the responsibility of teaching? I think the real question is why
the hell wouldn't you?
Technology is available and it helps to keep attention span, to
engage students, to provide examples, to make the topic more
relevant, and to add a sense of fun and creativity to the
subject.

Content selection
and organisation
(Organise content into
an effective learning
and teaching
sequence.)

ICT
In this respect I can see how powerpoint can be so useful. To
have the lesson summary presented in a clear, articulate
manner, to lay out each aspect of the course and the structure
the lessons will be taught in, can be so useful in giving
students the security they need to be able to learn to their
best. It also ensures no time is wasted in class writing
instructions or summaries on the board - it is all already there
for the students to read. And no worries about messy
handwriting either.
Pedagogical Justification
Structure and coherence are crucial for an efficient,
streamlined and harmonious learning process. If students need
to worry about what comes next, where a lesson fits in the
scheme of the overall unit, what a particular bit of assessment
is teaching, etc. then that is all energy used up on things other
than the content curriculum and subject matter. If a teacher
can get the planning and structure of a lesson right, they are
already halfway to creating a great lesson that will help
students towards the ultimate goal of holistic and long-term

learning.

Curriculum,
assessment and
reporting (Use
curriculum, assessment
and reporting
knowledge to design
learning sequences and
lesson plans.)

ICT
ICT can be a very useful tool in organising assessment over
the year, so that all students can see what is in front of them
and what work they are expected to produce. In History and
English, both of which have major long term assignments and
several short term assessments as well, I would use a program
such as Edmodo just to allow students to keep track of this, as
well as discussing amongst themselves their progress on the
longer term research essays. Using technology to provide
these answers will also save a lot of time in class that might
otherwise have been wasted explaining the assessment tasks
and when they are due. In fact the School of Education at this
Uni could learn a lot about this....
Pedagogical Justification
Structure and security are crucial to the efficient learning
process of students. Most students are not able to work well or
for particularly long stretches if they don't have a clear goal
that they are working towards. They need goals, plans and
structure to allow them to produce their best work. This is
what assessment strategies and content planning provides,
allowing them to see the bigger picture and know exactly what
work is expected of them and when.

Understand and
respect Aboriginal
and Torres Strait
Islander people to
promote
reconciliation
between Indigenous
and non- Indigenous
Australians
(Demonstrate broad
knowledge of,
understanding of and
respect for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait

I like the idea of introducing aspects of Indigenous culture into

the classroom through the internet. In English, for instance,
perhaps we could talk about dreamtime stories and what they
represent, how they came to be, etc. The oral tradition and the
passing of stories through generations as found in traditional
Aboriginal culture is something that most modern Australians
don't come into contact with that often, so I can see how that
would be of interest in the subject and a unique approach to
the idea of storytelling.

Islander histories,
cultures and
languages.)

Literacy and
numeracy strategies
(Know and understand
literacy and numeracy
teaching strategies and
their application in
teaching areas.)

In History, Indigenous culture and the history of settlement in

Australia is and should be part of the curriculum, so using ICT
to explore this and contextualise modern history is something
that could be useful. There are of course issues regarding the
viewing of deceased Aborigines that should be remembered,
and some stories that may be quite disturbing. On the other
hand, hearing and viewing footage of Indigenous Australians
telling their stories can be a great way of introducing students
to another side of history they may not have otherwise been
exposed to.
ICT
I can see how ICT can come in very handy for teaching these
basic skills. For instance, the basic skill of learning to type,
whilst not directly affecting literacy per se, does make it so
much easier for students to master spelling. Typekwik is a
great program I used myself as a student, and now I can touch
type with ease which allows me to focus on correct spelling
rather than always looking at the keyboard.
Similarly, great fun games like MathDodger are a way of
improving numeracy in a fun and interactive way, rather than
just endlessly reciting the timestables. They are perfect for
younger children who just need that extra bit of motivation
and assistance - it honestly doesn't feel like you are learning!
Pedagogical Justification
You can't even get past go as a teacher of English and History
if students lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. It's a
confidence issue more than anything. If students don't feel
competent and capable of basic skills such as reading aloud,
spelling correctly, adding up and using punctuation, then it will
be ten times harder to convince them to think analytically,
explore ideas in-depth, and engage in intellectual discussion.
Getting the basics right and the confidence in learning up can
make so much difference.

Information and
Communication
Technology (ICT)
(Implement teaching
strategies for using ICT
to expand curriculum
learning opportunities
for students.)

The internet is full of resources for use in the classroom. From

Edmodo to Prezi, from powerpoints to vlogs. From podcasts to
multimedia presentations. From Paint to Adobe Photoshop. The
opportunities really are endless and almost every subject can
utilise it in a variety of ways.
For English I think my favourite is Prezi, because it is such an
aesthetically pleasing and highly interactive tool that allows
students to combine visual creativity with in-depth textual
analysis. It doesn't dumb down the content so much as allow a
different way of unpacking it, and I love that.
In History, I am particularly fond of engagement through
online sources, such as photos, texts, historical documentaries,
interviews, etc. There is a wealth of knowledge online
regarding all the historical periods, and so many new points of
view and avenues of information gathering than ever existed in
a single textbook. I would love my students to be able to
compile great online toolkits regarding their chosen subjects,
as well as the confidence of knowing howto search online and
avoid the poor quality research. For younger years, Podcasts
and Vlogs are also a great way of engaging students with what
might otherwise be rather dry source materials.