Key facts

UNE unit code: EDSS379

*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.

Start
  • Trimester 2 - On Campus
  • Trimester 2 - Online
  • Trimester 3 - Online
Campus
  • Armidale Campus
24/7 online support
  • Yes
Intensive schools
  • No
Supervised exam
  • No
Credit points
  • 6

Unit information

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Enhance your skills for teaching humanities and social sciences as a primary school educator.

By undertaking this unit, you will focus on pedagogy and the NSW K-6 History and Geography syllabuses. You will learn how to plan and execute learning sequences and how to identify and access appropriate resources which support student learning in the primary years.

This unit emphasises student-centred teaching strategies, aimed at integrating academic knowledge with problem solving, understanding, practical skills and values outcomes. You will explore how literacy, numeracy and ICT skills are relevant to the teaching and learning of humanities and social sciences.

Offerings

For further information about UNE's teaching periods, please go to Principal Dates.

Teaching period
Mode/location
Trimester 2On Campus, Armidale Campus
Trimester 2Online
Trimester 3Online

*Offering is subject to availability

Intensive schools

There are no intensive schools required for this unit.

Enrolment rules

Pre-requisites
candidature in AssocDTeach(PacFocus) or BEd(EC-Prim) or BEd(InServConv) or MTeach(Primary); candidature in BEd(K-6Teach) or BSpecIncEd(Prim) and 24cp discipline units; candidature in BEd(K12Teach) and 24cps Discipline/Listed Education Units.
Co-requisites
For candidates in BEd(K12Teach) or BEd(K-6 Teach) or BSpecIncEd(Prim) or BEd(EC-Prim) EDUC104 or EDUC105 or EDUC106.

Notes

This unit addresses Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate Stage, otherwise referred to as Graduate Teacher Standard Descriptors (GTSD).

Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.

Unit coordinator(s)

Catherine Volpe

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. demonstrate an understanding of the range of academic disciplines taught within the Humanities and Social Science contemporary primary school curriculum (GTSD 2.1.1);
  2. demonstrate knowledge of a range of research-based pedagogies supported by current curriculum requirements for the Humanities and Social Sciences, including values education and problem solving, for developing knowledge, understanding, skills and values outcomes (GTSD 1.2.1, 1.6.1, 3.1.1);
  3. design learning experiences, teaching and assessment strategies for authentic, integrated and differentiated learning in the humanities and social science disciplines that are consistent with current NSW state syllabus and ACARA curriculum documents (GTSD 1.5.1, 2.2.1, 2.3.1, 2.4.1, 3.2.1, 5.1.1);
  4. employ the literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills relevant to learning in the humanities learning areas including those mediated through ICT technologies (GTSD 2.5.1, 2.6.1); and
  5. locate, evaluate and use a variety of appropriate teaching resources and educational providers that support the teaching of humanities and social sciences in the primary years and develop an awareness of the safe, responsible and ethical use of such resources (GTSD 3.4.1, 7.2.1, 7.4.1).

Assessment information

Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

TitleMust CompleteWeightOfferingsAssessment Notes
Assessment 1Yes50%All offerings

Critical Response and Curriculum Planning Task. Relates to GTSD: 1.2.1, 1.5.1, 2.1.1, 2.4.1

No. Words: 2000

Assessment 2Yes50%All offerings

Sequence construction and report or resource. Relates to GTSD: 1.6.1, 2.2.1, 2.3.1, 2.5.1, 2.6.1, 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.4.1, 5.1.1, 7.2.1, 7.4.1)

No. Words: 2000 (equivalent)

Learning resources

Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.

History K-10 Syllabus

NESA 2020

Note: Online version

Text refers to: All offerings

Making Humanities and Social Sciences Come Alive: Early Years and Primary Education

ISBN: 9781009217156

Green D and Price D, Cambridge Universtiy Press 2nd Edition 2025

Text refers to: All offerings

Geography and History Syllabuses K–10 Volume 1 K–6

Board of Studies NSW

Text refers to: Trimester 2 (On Campus, Armidale Campus), Trimester 2 (Online)

Geography K-10 Syllabus

NESA 2020

Note: Online version

Text refers to: All offerings

Note: Recommended material may be held in the University Library — purchase is optional.

Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: Teaching and learning across Australia

ISBN: 9780170460187

Tudball, L., Brett, P., & Gilbert, R., Cengage Learning 8th ed. 2024

Text refers to: All offerings

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