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Social Studies for Queensland schools grade 6 (Department of Education, 1955/1966) is a
primary school example of critical use of sources, where an alternative perspective of valuing
natural resources is presented to students, as analysed earlier in this chapter.
In addition, the term base book starts being used to describe a textbook (see, for example,
Hendy et al., 1976, p. 7). H.R. Cowie also continued using this term in textbooks published
during the early 1980s. This term is used by textbook writers to indicate that their textbook
should be used only as a starting point, rather than an all-encompassing curriculum
document. By including references for further reading, they are also providing teachers and
students with other sources to be used in classroom teaching and student learning.
Further demonstrating the trend of viewing students as active participants in their learning,
there is considerable change in approach between the first and second edition of Australia’s
heritage (Sparkes et al., 1964; 1970). Whereas in the first edition, student learning was very
much through a traditional didactic approach; the 1970 edition, through the addition of key
changes such as ‘For Research and Discussion’ and ‘References’ sections at the end of each
chapter, promote both a more active student learning approach and begin to demonstrate that
there is knowledge of value outside of and not necessarily connected with individual
textbooks. These changes are explained by the authors, in the preface, as: “In the last seven or
eight years, the approach to the teaching of history has been changing also. Much more
emphasis is being placed on enquiry techniques and this is to be commended” (Sparkes et al.,
1970, p. 6). However, despite the changes in pedagogical approach, often made explicit by
the textbook writers, the content of textbooks in terms of Indigenous representations do not
change in any significant way, demonstrating that even with innovative pedagogical practices
employed, the curriculum can still contain significant omissions to the detriment of students’
knowledge and understanding of key historical events, facts and issues.
6.11.5 Use of primary and secondary sources.
There is a notable disparity between terms used to describe Indigenous Australians when the
textbook is writing in present tense, than what is used when quoting from primary sources.
To explain, textbooks of the era do not use terms such as ‘savage’ or ‘blacks’ (whereas this
was language used in earlier eras) in narratives that the authors write for students as a
secondary source. As secondary sources, Indigenous Australians are referred to by terms such
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