Agora 2024-1 Teaching the Capabilities through History

Non-members can purchase print and digital issues from the HTAV Shop.

Teaching the Capabilities through History | Agora vol. 59 no. 1 (2024)

	Download complete issue

REFLECTION/EDITORIAL
	Reflection Ashley Keith Pratt Editorial Guy Nolch
SUNGRAPHO Research and analysis
	Teaching Indigenous Histories through Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being Ken Hayward, Libby Jackson-Barrett, Mary-anne Macdonald and Sarah Booth, Edith Cowan University Teaching Indigenous histories requires an understanding that time and place are not linear in Aboriginal cultures, but are connected through changes in relationships.
THEMA Reflections on the theme
	Critical Evaluation of Who Edits Wikipedia Entries, and Why Heather Ford, University of Technology, Sydney The evolution of a Wikipedia page about the Egyptian protests in 2011 provides a fascinating example of the need for critical thinking about knowledge produced in the digital age.
	Critical Thinking about Colonial News Reports of Attacks by Indigenous Tasmanians Lyndon Pratt, Bacchus Marsh Grammar Reports that Indigenous attacks on Tasmanian settlers were led by rogue ‘blacktracker’ Musquito provide useful material for students to evaluate the evidence and claims presented in original sources.
	Teaching Intercultural Capability Starts with a Diverse History Curriculum Brad Nguyen, Docklands Primary School Teaching the history of cultures from every continent can be achieved over several years of schooling in which content is carefully sequenced and taught in a structured and cumulative way.
	Integrating Intercultural Capabilities in the History Classroom Byron Haast, St Michael’s Grammar and Phillip O’Brien and Dafina Spahiu, McKinnon Secondary College Engagement with different cultures, curriculum design, teaching strategies and assessment methods can all be employed to incorporate intercultural capabilities within the History curriculum.
	Making Space for First Nations Peoples in Intercultural Understandings Thara Brown, Culture Is Life and Scott Alterator, La Trobe University The intercultural capabilities must begin with cross-curriculum priority learning about Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
	How to Foster Respectful Discussions when People Disagree on an Issue Nyree Wilson, Dandenong High School Building students’ social and emotional capacity can create communities of learners who work cooperatively with each other and participate in reasoned and respectful discussion.
	Teaching War Histories to Students with Personal Experiences of Warfare Dr Bronwyn Cook, Monash University and Dandenong High School Victoria’s classrooms have a high proportion of refugee students for whom the history of warfare is confronting, but there are ways teachers can approach these topics with sensitivity.
	The Capabilities Gained from Studying History Will Get You a Good Job, Studying STEM Might Not Peter Acton, Humanities 21 History studies develop capabilities that employers in a range of sectors value.
	Approaches for Activating the Ethical Understanding Capability Selena Prior, Federation University History provides case studies that navigate complex ethical scenarios in a way that no other learning area can. Here are some approaches to incorporating the curriculum’s ethical capability.
	Teaching Ethical Capability through History Aristidis Galatis, The University of Melbourne By critically exploring the traits, actions and motivations of people in the past, History teachers are well-placed to develop students’ ethical thinking and decision-making.
PRAKTIKOS Teaching ideas
	Pharaoh: Creative and Critical Thinking at the NGV Johanna Petkov and David Menzies, National Gallery of Victoria Historical objects on display in the National Gallery of Victoria’s upcoming exhibition Pharaoh offer students the opportunity to extend their critical and creative thinking skills through object-based learning.
	The Story Box of Life: Sharing Identities through Objects Annelies Van de Ven and Sharyn Volk, The Hands-on-Humanities Project Objects demonstrate a unique ability to inspire storytelling, open conversations, grow connections, and develop observation, analysis and interpretation skills while nurturing intercultural empathy.
	Why Did Colonial Art Make Australia Look So English? Sue Rabbitt Roff, University of Dundee The Anglicisation of early settler art reflects intercultural misunderstandings in the first 25 years of contact.
	The Power of Socially Shared Regulation of Learning Nathan Wood-Davies, Port Melbourne Secondary College Socratic Circles are an effective way to help students achieve the personal and social capabilities by working together to meet the same learning goals.
	Teaching the Capabilities through a Variety of Historical Tasks Diana Millar, Author and former teacher History teachers can employ some simple activities that address the four capabilities outlined in the curriculum. Here are some you can use in your class.
KRITIKOS Reviews	Reviews available online Dreamers and Schemers By Frank Bongiorno Reviewed by Sue Rabbitt Roff, University of Dundee The Emperor's Grace By Mark Baker Reviewed by Linda Letten, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Australia: A new more inclusive history By Michael S. Pahoff Reviewed by Katrina Burge, Upwey High School