From an initial glance at the new Stage 6 syllabus it seems that the availability of options and choice for teachers has been reduced. This is noticeable with the decrease of the number of HSC depth studies from five to four, and with the transfer of Intercultural Communication to the Preliminary course. On closer inspection we find that there still exists a myriad of options for teachers of society and culture. This broad range of options is facilitated through the choice of country, culture, sub-culture and cross-cultural comparisons. This is an important part of the new syllabus, and while the directions in the syllabus must be maintained, there is an enormous degree of choice and flexibility.

The syllabus model allows teachers to program their individual choices as well as providing for a degree of specialisation, e.g. the same country could be studied for Intercultural communication and Social and cultural continuity and change. Teacher choice is limited only by the need to fulfil the requirements of the syllabus (see table below).

* See relevant syllabus pages for more examples

Learn to statements and the integration of social and cultural research methodologies

One or more learn to statements can be connected to specific contexts within the learn about statements to devise particular teaching and learning activities. It is important to note that both the learn to and the learn about sections are course content and therefore examinable.

Research methodologies have been clarified in the syllabus with the addition of Section 8.2, Social and cultural research methodologies (Syllabus, pages 17 & 18). Furthermore, many of the learn to statements in the syllabus ask students to investigate and apply research methods and they require students to be exposed to a wide variety of research methodologies.

The integration of social and cultural research methodologies through the learn to statements continues throughout the HSC course. These statements endeavour to provide students with the necessary skills in social and cultural research methodologies that they require to meet the aim, objectives and outcomes of the course.

The Personal Interest Project

The PIP remains an integral part of the HSC core, with some minor modifications:

• Introduction, Log and Conclusion: 500 words.
• The central material: 2500 to 5000 words.
• Word counts are based on all words written, as shown by a computer word count or manual word count of every word.
• Students must report their progress at three points during the process as well as in the final certification.
• The course outcomes will be used to assess the PIP.
• URLs or web sites used must be included in the resource list with the access date and a short annotation cited.

The Personal Interest Project and assessment

• Since the PIP will be assessed externally, no part of the product is to be assessed as part of the school assessment program (Syllabus note, page 56). The Personal Interest Project process, however, may be assessed. Students may report in written or oral form on the progress they are making.
• The syllabus suggests that students keep a Personal Interest Project diary, which would form the basis for their log. This diary will not be submitted with the final project, but may be submitted as a part of the school-based assessment program.
• Alternatively students may report on their PIP process in oral form. They can report and be assessed on such areas as:
  • selection of their topic and its relationship to the Society and Culture Syllabus
  • selection, application and evaluation of their methodologies
  • the process of, and problems with, writing the PIP
  • what the student learned from the experience of researching and writing a PIP
  • selection of information used for the oral presentation
  • how it helped achieve the syllabus aim of social and cultural literacy
  • communication skills.

Completing this assessment task would meet the requirements of an oral assessment component and form part of the mandatory 40% weighting for the HSC core. This task would also cover a variety of the HSC Personal Interest Project outcomes.

Outcomes: language and terminology

If students are to be assessed against outcomes it is necessary for the student to be aware of what the course outcomes are, as well as the outcomes targeted for each depth study in the course. This can be achieved by giving the students access to the relevant pages of the syllabus.

Syllabus outcomes, objectives, performance bands and examination questions all have key words that state what students are expected to be able to do. As a result, a glossary of key words has been developed to provide a common language and consistent meaning. This glossary can be found in The New Higher School Certificate: Assessment Support Document that has been distributed to all schools by the Board of Studies. Therefore we can find that to analyse, students must be able to “identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and relate implications”.

Using the glossary will help teachers and students understand what is expected in responses to examinations and assessment tasks.

John Gore
CEO, HSIE