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PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ...

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“…playing fast and loose with the observable facts in order to support preconceived claims”<br />

(2001, p. 60).<br />

5.10.5 Disjuncture and parallels between History curriculum and public<br />

discourses.<br />

The analysis <strong>of</strong> textbooks detailed here demonstrates that change in school curriculum<br />

happens very subtly and slowly. Just how slow is unexpected, given the rapid social and<br />

political changes that were reflected in the wider community as a consequence <strong>of</strong> Australia’s<br />

involvement in WWI. On the whole, school curriculum is significantly more conservative and<br />

mono-focused in the content included in curriculum documents such as syllabuses and<br />

textbooks. Whilst general public discourses see the nuances in constructing national identities<br />

and the foundations <strong>of</strong> which this identity is created, school textbooks see things a different<br />

way—presented very factually, and <strong>of</strong>ten without emotions or more than one point <strong>of</strong> view<br />

presented for students to learn. In fact, it sits so far out <strong>of</strong> their everyday lives and living<br />

contexts, that the potential educational value <strong>of</strong> the history narrative has the very real<br />

potential <strong>of</strong> not being realized. This disjuncture stretches beyond the British heritages<br />

exemplar topic, and can be seen as part <strong>of</strong> the purpose <strong>of</strong> schooling more broadly, as one <strong>of</strong><br />

acculturating students into public morality and citizenship.<br />

186

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