|
|
|
History
Head Of Department - Mr M Stewart, BA (Hons) (London), MA (Hons)(Auckland), Dip Tchg Why do History? History offers an understanding of human activities in the past in the context of change through time. It enables students to understand their heritage and that of their community, society and nation. Students will be challenged to think about continuity and change, similarities and differences. They will learn how individuals influence History. Their studies will also show the relationship between cause and effect in human affairs - that events did not simply succeed each other in time but developed out of others. Moreover, History examines the heritage of other societies. Students come to appreciate the values and attitudes of other people while clarifying their own. The study of History contributes to the student's use of language. Students are encouraged to read a range of source materials carefully, with discrimination and insight. They learn to write effectively for a range of purposes, expressing their views in a clear, well-organised, and convincing manner. The study of History enhances skills of observation, research, reasoned debate and communication. It also opens up a great variety of leisure interests - the study of History can be a source of lifelong pleasure and intellectual satisfaction. Students acquire skills that will benefit them in any endeavour they pursue. They will learn how to:
So Where Does History Lead? History provides a sound foundation for ALL careers, but ones that have been especially identified include:
At all three levels, Years Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen, the course of study is primarily the Cambridge International History Examinations. These examinations provide interesting topics and promote and assess the sound development of historical skills. There is also one NCEA course of study available at Year Thirteen, Level Three.
The IGCSE History course offered in Year 11 provides students with a fascinating insight to Modern European History in the period 1918 to 1941. Students are provided with an extensive range of resources that will enable them to develop the analytical and evaluative skills needed to fully appreciate this pivotal period of history. Detailed notes are provided to enable students to read ahead and identify areas for discussion in class. Then, through the use of keynote presentations, which integrate relevant video material and a range of activities and questions, students are able to gain a thorough understanding of the topics studied. The course of study begins by examining three core topics focusing on key developments between the two World Wars (1919-39). Students will be challenged to assess the Treaty of Versailles and the extent to which it was sensible given the circumstances of the time. The strengths and weaknesses of the League of Nations will then be evaluated in the 1920s and 1930s. Finally, the collapse of international peace in the 1930s, with special reference to the foreign policy of Adolf Hitler, is the focus of the third core topic. Students will be asked to evaluate questions such as did Hitler intend a general European war or were his aims confined to building a greater German Reich? Following the core topics the course then focuses on a depth study: Russia 1905-41. Arguably, one of the most tumultuous periods of world history, this study examines the rule of Tsar Nicholas II culminating in the Bolshevik murder of the Romanovs in July 1918. It then investigates the reasons why the Bolsheviks were successful in taking control of Russia and how, under the ruthless leadership of Lenin, they consolidated their control by 1924. Finally, the policies and personality of one of the worldʼs most influential leaders, Joseph Stalin, is evaluated. A man who transformed his country, but at a human cost virtually impossible to comprehend. The IGCSE course provides an ideal foundation for students intending to study the AS Modern European History course in Year 12 or the NCEA Level 2 course. Students will have gained a very good content knowledge and also will have acquired the analytical writing skills needed. AS Modern European History, 1789-1939 The AS Modern European History course is open to both Year 12 and Year 13 students and can be taken by students with no prior experience of studying History. History is unique when compared to other CIE subjects in that this paper can be combined with another AS History paper (International or New Zealand) for an A2 qualification. Alternatively, courses can be kept as separate AS qualifications. The course provides students with a detailed overview of Modern European History with a particular focus on the period 1870 to 1939. Students are provided with an extensive range of resources that will enable them to develop the analytical and evaluative skills needed to fully appreciate this pivotal period of history. Detailed notes are provided to enable students to read ahead and identify areas for discussion in class. Then, through the use of keynote presentations, which integrate relevant video material and a range of activities and questions, students are able to gain a thorough understanding of the topics studied. The course examines four main historical themes. Firstly, three of the most tyrannical and influential figures in world history are investigated - Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini - with the main focus on how they and their respective movements gained power and maintained it. There is also a comparative element to this theme and students are challenged to consider similarities and differences between the three regimes and evaluate which one was the more totalitarian. The second theme in the course examines Russia in the period 1900 to 1924. Entitled ʻRussia in Revolutionʼ, this topic evaluates the rule of Tsar Nicholas II from 1900 to 1917; the factors why Lenin and the Bolsheviks were able to gain power in November 1917; and finally, how, under the leadership of Lenin, the Bolsheviks were able to consolidate their control by 1924. The third theme is one that will be new to many students and it examines the period 1870 to 1900. The theme is entitled ʻNew Imperialismʼ and focuses on why a range of countries decided to involve themselves in gaining colonies throughout the world. Students are challenged to evaluate the extent to which this era was different to other periods of colonisation and how far the powers concerned enjoyed the benefits they hoped for from their exploration. A fascinating theme that will take you from the explosive ʻScramble for Africaʼ to the French colonisation of Vietnam. The final theme examined in this course investigates the Origins of World War One, 1870-1914. It is slightly different to the other themes as it is not examined in an essay form in the end of year examination. Rather students are provided with a range of primary sources and are asked to find evidence to support or challenge a given viewpoint. Students need to be able to evaluate the sources in context from their own content knowledge as well as questioning the credibility of the sources provided. These are excellent skills needed for further study for a range of courses at university. The AS Modern European History course provides an ideal foundation for students intending to go on to study the AS International History course in Year 13. Students will have gained a very good content knowledge and also will have acquired the analytical writing skills needed. AS International History, 1945-1991 The AS International History course is open to both Year 12 and Year 13 students and can be taken by students with no prior experience of studying History. However, we would recommend that this course is undertaken by Year 13 students. Any Year 12 students wishing to study this course will need to contact Mike Stewart, the Head of History. History is unique when compared to other CIE subjects in that this paper can be combined with another AS History paper (Modern European or New Zealand) for an A2 qualification. Alternatively, courses can be kept as separate AS qualifications. For more information contact Mike Stewart, the Head of History. This course provides students with a detailed overview of the start and end of the Cold War in the period 1945 to 1991. Students are provided with an extensive range of resources that will enable them to develop the analytical and evaluative skills needed to fully appreciate this period of history. Detailed notes are provided to enable students to read ahead and identify areas for discussion in class. Then, through the use of keynote presentations, which integrate relevant video material and a range of activities and questions, students are able to gain a thorough understanding of the topics studied. The first theme studied, ʻThe Origins of the Cold War, 1945-49ʼ examines the reasons why the relationship between the ʻBig Threeʼ (Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt) deteriorated towards the end of the Second World War. The theme focuses on areas such as the actions taken by Stalin in Eastern Europe 1945-48; the personality clashes between the key leaders, especially Truman and Stalin; and the reasons why Europe became divided by an ʻIron Curtainʼ by 1949. The second theme, ʻThe Globalisation of the Cold Warʼ, challenges students to explain why the Cold War struggle spread throughout the Third World. By examining a range of case studies, including the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam conflict, students are asked to evaluate the motives of the leaders concerned and the respective contribution of the superpowers to the outbreak and outcome of these conflicts. The final essay-based theme, ʻThe Collapse of Communismʻ focuses on one of the most important periods of modern world history. Students are asked to investigate the events leading up to the Tiananman Massacre in China in June 1989. These include the impact of Deng Xiaopingʼs economic modernisations and the subsequent demands from many Chinese students for greater freedoms within communist China. At the same time the USSR was undergoing a transformation under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev. Despite not wanting to end the Cold War Gorbachev unleashed a series of nationalistic forces he could not control which ultimately led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989 and then the disintegration of the USSR in 1991. The final theme studied in this course, looks at the peace-keeping role played by the United Nations in the period 1945 to 1991. Students are provided with a range of primary historical sources and are required to test these against a given assertion. This theme builds on the skills developed in the Year 12 Modern European History course. AS New Zealand History, 1800-1900 The AS New Zealand History course is open to both Year 12 and Year 13 students and can be taken by students with no prior experience of studying History. We would recommend this course to students who have never studied History prior to Year 12 and wish to develop the analytical essay writing skills and interpretation skills required at this level. History is unique when compared to other CIE subjects in that this paper can be combined with another AS History paper (Modern European or International) for an A2 qualification. Alternatively, courses can be kept separate as AS qualifications. This course provides students with a detailed overview of New Zealand History in the period 1800 to 1900. Students are provided with an extensive range of resources that will enable them to develop the analytical and evaluative skills needed to fully appreciate this period of history. Detailed notes are provided to enable students to read ahead and identify areas for discussion in class. Then, through the use of keynote presentations, which integrate relevant video material and a range of activities and questions, students are able to gain a thorough understanding of the topics studied. The first theme studied, ʻMaori and Pakeha Relations 1800-1840ʼ examines the impact that the early groups of European settlers had on Maori communities. Groups such as sealers and whalers interacted with tribes such as the Ngapuhi, as two very different worlds came into contact. In the space of forty years Maori society adapted many European ideas and technologies into their own culture. The second theme studied, ʻMaori-Pakeha Relations 1843-1900ʼ examines a fascinating period in which the two cultures came into direct conflict in the New Zealand Wars 1860-72. Students will investigate the factors leading to these conflicts and the impact they had on Maori-Pakeha relations. The success of Maori attempts at gaining independence, such as the Kingitanga and the Kotahitanga movements, will also be evaluated as well as the part played by dynamic leaders, both Maori and Pakeha, such as Sir George Grey and Wiremu Tamihana. The final essay theme, ʻThe New Zealand Economy 1800-1900ʼ focuses on the development of the main industries in New Zealand and the ways in which the government directed the economy. Spectacular schemes, like the one initiated by Julius Vogel in the 1870s, will be assessed as well as the impact of the ʻLong Depressionʼ of the 1880s. The Liberal government of the 1890s will also be examined. The final theme focuses on the period leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Students will be presented with a range of historical sources, usually primary in nature, and will be asked to test them against a given viewpoint. Students will be expected to evaluate these sources in context and assess their credibility. NCEA Level 2 European History The NCEA Level 2 course is open to Year 12 students and can be taken by students with no prior experience of studying History. Students will complete both internal and external standards throughout the year that will contribute to their NCEA Level 2 qualification. This course provides students with an overview of Modern European History with a particular focus on the period 1900 to 1939. Students are given an extensive range of resources that will enable them to develop the analytical and evaluative skills needed to fully appreciate this period of history. Detailed notes are provided to enable students to read ahead and identify areas for discussion in class. Then, through the use of keynote presentations, which integrate relevant video material and a range of activities and questions, students are able to gain a thorough understanding of the topics studied. The first theme studied, ʻWeimar and Nazi Germany 1918-1939ʼ examines how an historical movement, such as Fascism, under the leadership of an individual, like Hitler, could come to power in Germany. Students will be challenged among other aspects to evaluate how Hitler and the Nazis were able to overcome the opposition they faced from the Weimar Republic and explain the factors helping to develop the identity and values of the Nazi movement. The second theme examined in this course, entitled ʻRussia in Revolution 1900-1924ʼ focuses on the regime of Tsar Nicholas II and also the rise of the Bolshevik movement under the leadership of Lenin. Again the external standards challenge students to identify historical movements and individuals and explain the factors that helped develop their identity and values. This theme is also studied for two internal standards which require students to plan and carry out an historical investigation. Students are required to produce a radio broadcast by a BBC reporter during the time of the Bolshevik Revolution. Through their research students will produce a script for the broadcast as well as an mp3 recording of their interview. Students will also undertake an external standard that will require them to evaluate a range of historical sources, both primary and secondary, on a historical topic they will have never studied before. This standard requires students to display the abilities of historical comprehension as well as to cross reference sources and question their provenance. A range of questions will be asked relating to the different sources provided. NCEA Level 3 New Zealand History, 1800-1900 The NCEA Level 3 course is open to Year 13 students and can be taken by students with no prior experience of studying History. Students will complete both internal and external standards throughout the year that will contribute to their NCEA Level 3 qualification and University Entrance. This course provides students with an overview of New Zealand History in the period 1800 to 1900. Students are provided with an extensive range of resources that will enable them to develop the analytical and evaluative skills needed to fully appreciate this period of New Zealand history. Detailed notes are given to enable students to read ahead and identify areas for discussion in class. Then, through the use of keynote presentations, which integrate relevant video material and a range of activities and questions, students are able to gain a thorough understanding of the topics studied. Through the examination of external standards at the end of the year students will be required to identify significant decisions made by individuals or groups in a period of time. They will also be required to identify and explain a situation in the context of change. Students will select from the themes they study relevant examples that link to the standards noted above. The first theme studied, ʻMaori and Pakeha Relations 1800-1840ʼ examines the impact that the early groups of European settlers had on Maori communities. Groups such as sealers and whalers interacted with tribes such as the Ngapuhi, as two very different worlds came into contact. The early contact period clearly represents a historical period in the context of significant change and could be used to address the external standard noted. The second theme studied, ʻMaori-Pakeha Relations 1843-1900ʼ examines a fascinating period in which the two cultures came into direct conflict in the New Zealand Wars 1860-72. Students will investigate the factors leading to these conflicts and the impact they were to have on Maori-Pakeha relations. This theme could be used to address the external standard requiring students to identify significant decisions made by an individual or group. Students will also undertake an external standard that will require them to evaluate a range of historical sources, both primary and secondary, relating to the content they have studied in the course. This standard requires students to display the abilities of historical comprehension as well as to cross reference sources and question their provenance. A range of questions will be asked relating to the different sources provided. In addition to the external standards completed students will also undertake internal standards that will require them to plan and carry out an historical investigation. These standards build on the skills developed from the NCEA Level 2 course. |
||
 |
 |