Humanities and Social Sciences

Head of Learning Area

Ms Alison Quinn

Email alisonquinn@education.wa.edu.au

The learning area of HASS in Years 7 to 10 covers breadth and depth across the significant disciplines of History, Geography, Economics & Business and Civics & Citizenship, with Aboriginal perspectives and numeracy and literacy embedded across these disciplines.

Students also develop Critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, ethical understanding and intercultural understanding. Through the discipline of History and Geography, students develop increasing independence in critical thinking and skill application, which includes the inquiry-based approach to learning using questioning, researching, analysing, evaluating, communicating and reflecting. They apply these skills in various research tasks that investigate event developments, issues and phenomena, both historically and contemporary. A continuing focus is the explicit teaching of course concepts, question interpretation, text construction and improving the length, depth and complexity of text types constructed by students.

In Economics, students are introduced to the concept of economic performance and living standards while continuing to further their understanding of the concepts of making choices, specialisation, allocation and the function of markets by delving into the reasons for variations in the performance of economies, both domestic and overseas.

In Civics and Citizenship, students develop knowledge of government systems across the globe and can compare these systems. Students continue to build on their understanding of the concepts of the Westminster system and democracy by examining the key features of differing democracies and the influences shaping and changing Governments. The concepts of justice, law, rights and responsibilities are further developed by focusing on Australia's legal system.

In Senior school, students can study

Geography

History

Economics

Courses are offered online with teacher mentor support and taught in the classroom.

The Modern History course promotes research skills, hypothesis testing and analysis of information as students engage in investigations. Through inquiries, they learn that historical judgements are provisional and tentative in nature. Students are encouraged to question and evaluate historical sources to identify history's various representations and versions. Students study American and European History from 1870 – 1950.

In the Geography course, a wide range of issues such as eco-tourism, world inequalities, energy-efficient planning, natural disasters, water management, biodiversity, urban living, geopolitics and changing agricultural practices are explored at local, and global levels to make sense of the present and pose solutions for the future.

Economics explores the choices all people, groups and societies face as they confront the ongoing problem of satisfying their unlimited wants with limited resources. The Economics ATAR course aims to develop students' ability to analyse the allocation, utilisation and distribution of scarce resources that determine our wealth and well-being. This knowledge and understanding are developed by understanding economics on a national and international level.

Additionally, in Senior School, a VET Pathway is offered.

VET industry-specific courses are for students aiming to enter further training or the workforce straight from school. These courses include a full AQF qualification and mandatory workplace learning and may contribute to the Certificate II requirement for WACE.

Please contact Pamela.Greenhart@education.wa.edu.au if you wish to understand the VET qualifications further.

At North Albany Senior High School, literacy and numeracy are a priority. Therefore, a heightened acknowledgement of the HASS role in promoting these competencies within the school is supported by cross-curricular literacy and numeracy strategies.

If you have questions about the Humanities and Social Sciences at NASHS, contact Ms Alison Quinn (Head of Learning Area HASS).