Human Society and its Environment
Course Description:
The key learning area of Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) involves the study of people, cultures, soc ieties and environments in different places and at different times.
The study of HSIE is covered through two mandatory courses: Australian History and Australian Geography. Embedded in both of these courses is the study of Civics and Citizenship.
Regional, national and global issues. In doing so, it forms a basis for active participation in community life and a commitment to ecological sustainability, a just society and intercultural understanding.
The study of History prepares students for adult life by providing students with understanding and insights, which challenge them to consider their rights and responsibilities and the contribution they can make to society. History provides a frame of reference that students can use to think critically and to develop informed opinions about contemporary and national and international issues.
The study of both Geography and History develops research, interpretation, analytical, organizational and communication skills that are highly valued in the workforce. HSIE leads on to the study of elective subjects such as Geography, Modern History, Legal Studies and Economics in the senior school.
Careers
To view information about
Courses available at Cobar High School for years 11 and 12 in 2010 - 2011, click
here.
To view a
Year 12 Outline that the students can use to help them make informed choices towards their future Careers, click
here.
To view the
Tips for Scholarship Applicants document, click
here.
Parents Guide to University: produced by the University of Technology, Sydney is for parents who would like to know more about the educational options available to their son or daughter after they leave school. It is aimed particularly at parents who would like to know more about university education in New South Wales. To view this information click
here.
To view a
Parent Information Letter re: Student's Tax File Number (TFN) click
here.
Ancient History
Course Description:
The study of history is an inquiry into past experience that helps make the present more
intelligible. A study of the past is invaluable, for to be unaware of history is to be ignorant of
those forces that have shaped our social and physical worlds. Through the study of ancient
history, students learn both about the interaction of societies and the impact of individuals and
groups on ancient events and ways of life. The study of ancient history gives students an
understanding of the possibilities and limitations of comparing past to present and present to
past by exposing them to a variety of perspectives on key events and issues. It also gives them
opportunities to develop their own perspectives on the origins and influence of ideas, values
and behaviours that are still relevant in the modern world.
Ancient History Stage 6 has a unique role in the school curriculum because it allows students
to study and analyse past societies with a detachment conferred by the perspectives of at least
two millennia. It draws on a variety of disciplines and sources, both written and
archaeological, such as literary works, coins, inscriptions, art, architecture, artefacts and
human remains, enabling students to piece together an informed and coherent view of the
past. Because the amount of surviving evidence is relatively small, students are able to
consider it in its entirety and thus weigh their own interpretations alongside those found in
published secondary works, while noting how to deal with gaps in the evidence. In addition, it
introduces students to scientific methods used in the historian’s investigation of
archaeological evidence.
Students study ancient history because it provides them with opportunities to satisfy their
fascination and interest in the stories of the past and the mysteries of human behaviour. It
allows them to develop and apply the research skills and methodologies of the historian and
archaeologist. It equips students to question critically and interpret written and archaeological
sources for the evidence they provide about the ancient world.
