As I've seen throughout my own research, inquiry can be a powerful pedagogical tool in the classroom that can both engage students and help them to learn more effectively. To put this into practice, I've designed a unit of work using the principles of inquiry learning. Given my background as a history teacher, I've chosen a unit on the Frontier Wars. This topic is part of the 2019 Senior Modern History syllabus for Queensland and as such, it is new unit of work. It is the first topic in four units covered by this syllabus and focuses on the Frontier Wars of Australia from the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 until the end of the Caledon Bay Crisis in 1932. The unit is approximately nine weeks in duration - roughly equivalent to one term. Although I will not be personally be teaching this unit, as the teacher-librarian I will be involved its delivery through collaboration with the teacher to plan and implement the inquiry approach with students.
As the first topic of the Modern History syllabus in Year 11, this unit will be students' first introduction to historical inquiry at a senior schooling level. This unit therefore gives students the opportunity to develop their inquiry skills under the guidance of a teacher during the early stages of the Modern History course. This will provide students with the confidence and ability to demonstrate independence and proficiency in historical inquiry by the end of Year 12.
This unit examines many aspects of the Frontier Wars. In addition to exploring key events, people and concepts, it will also cover the historiography of the Frontier Wars. Students will be exposed to the perspectives of different historians from Henry Reynolds to Keith Windschuttle. Equally important will be the views of Indigenous historians and peoples. Furthermore, Indigenous perspectives will be embedded into this unit through the use of Aboriginal pedagogies. Given the breadth of this topic, an inquiry approach will allow students to investigate their own interests and formulate their own opinions.
Learning Intentions:
Explore the causes (historical context) and consequences of frontier conflicts in Australia and the implications for modern Australian society.
Expose students to a range of perspectives and types of historical evidence in relation to the Frontier Wars with an emphasis on Indigenous perspectives.
Experience and appreciate that there are different but equally valid ways of learning and communicating knowledge.
Gain experience in using effective research/inquiry processes.