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Civics/Citizenship is obvious, with the syllabus not acknowledging these discipline areas
separately. Instead, Social Studies is positioned as its own discipline-specific curriculum,
integrating various approaches, evident through the following key statements from the
syllabus:
Social studies is about people and the societies in which they live. It focuses on
people as intellectual, spiritual, emotional and social beings, and on how they relate
to each other and their environments in local, national and global settings. Social
studies also involves learning from the past, investigating the present and considering
the future of people and their societies.
...
Social studies provides a structure through which children can organise and
build on their experiences of the world. To achieve this, social studies draws upon a
range of disciplines and areas of knowledge for its mode of inquiry and content.
(Department of Education, 1987b, p. 2)
Building on the inquiry-learning process that was emerging in the 1960s and 1970s, this
syllabus firmly places students at the centre of learning experiences, encouraging educators to
draw on what the students already know as an entry into the formal learning experiences of
this curriculum area. In summary, the syllabus states:
As members of social groups they [students] have observed other people and formed
ideas about individuals and groups. Often these are drawn from a wider context...
Social studies provides a structure which allows children to examine
systematically these experiences and ideas.
In social studies children are encouraged to develop their thinking and
understanding by using their everyday experiences of life. They begin with their own
experiences and knowledge of society and, through appropriate activities, relate these
experiences and ideas to other groups and societies, thereby learning how to analyse
and better understand their social world. (Department of Education, 1987b, p. 2)
These statements provide an overview of the explicit learning that the syllabus recommends,
highlighting both a student-centred approach and commitment to inquiry-based learning.
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