History Inquiry – Learning Strategies Inquiry learning and Australian history mysteries 2011 HTAV Conference David

History Inquiry – Learning Strategies

Inquiry learning and Australian history mysterieswww.australianhistorymysteries.info

2011 HTAV Conference

David ArnoldNational Museum of Australia

[email protected]

http://www.australianhistorymysteries.info/

mailto:[email protected]

Topics in the Australian history mysteries – the big inquiry questions

• Who ‘discovered’ Australia? • What was the life of a female convict really like?• Can you stop the Eureka Rebellion? • What happened in a frontier conflict near Broome in 1864? • Was Ned Kelly a hero or a villain? • What happened to Smithy?• Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? • What are the mysteries of Maralinga? • How have Indigenous people’s citizenship rights changed over time?• What happened to Juanita Nielsen? • How will your family and community be affected by the Great War? (Did the Great War unite

or divide Australian communities?) • What happened at Coniston in 1928? • How bad was the Great Depression? • Why were former enemies able to work together successfully on the Snowy Mountains

scheme? • Can you be a Vietnam War ‘myth buster’?

Introducing a six step model of inquiry learning for history

Step 1: Engage & ‘tune in’

Step 2: Form a hypothesis or hypotheses

Step 3: Structure an inquiry (and establish the key inquiry question)

Step 4: Critically examine evidence

Step 5: Reach a conclusion

Step 6: Reflect and apply

Students...Engage & ‘Tune in’ Reach a point where they are interested and engaged, and want to find

out what has happened in this case. They see the concepts involved in the study in such a way that they can identify - the study has meaning for them.

Hypothesise Draw on existing knowledge and ideas, and state what they expect to find,

or what they anticipate the outcome might be. Their hypotheses then become the things that they test by evidence.

Structure an Inquiry Are able to follow a logical and coherent inquiry structure. They determine

what they need to know to answer the questions they are exploring (including the key or main inquiry question)

Critically examine evidence Go through the process of gathering, sorting, comprehending, classifying,

interpreting, testing, accepting, rejecting, qualifying, contextualising and synthesising this evidence.

Reach a conclusion Are now ready to reach an informed conclusion that they can defend and

justify. The conclusion is theirs, and they will be aware of the degree of certainty with which they can hold that conclusion. They are able to complete a summative task that demonstrates their knowledge and understanding, and that reflects the processes they have gone through.

Reflect and apply Are able, finally, to go beyond the particular case study, and think in terms

of the broader concepts involved. They can apply their new knowledge and understandings to other periods, places and peoples.

Step 1: Engage and ‘tune in’

• What is this activity asking students to do?

• What concept(s) is it attempting to raise?

• Does it help students to engage and ‘tune in’ in your view? Is it effective?

• Which of the Australian history mysteries case studies does it belong to?










Step 2: Forming a hypothesis or hypotheses

• What are students asked to do in this activity?

• Do you think it is effective? Why?• Which of the Australian history mysteries

case studies does it belong to?



• Do you think it is effective? Why?




Step 3: Structure an inquiry

• Explore a short biography of Ned Kelly• Examine evidence and put Ned Kelly on

trial• Video visit: visit the key places associated

with Ned Kelly• Examine four representations of Ned

Kelly• Create a Ned Kelly villain or hero

exhibition• What is a hero? What is a villain?

•What order would you put these six activities in in order to create a strong inquiry learning structure?•Why is this the best order in your view? (What does it achieve?)•What do you think the main inquiry learning question might be?


• What order would you put these six activities in in order to create a strong inquiry learning structure?

• Why is this the best order in your view? (What does it achieve?)

• What do you think the main inquiry learning question might be?



• What kind of evidence might this be? (Where might it be found?)

• Is it useful evidence for students to consider? Why?


The explorer’s memorial, Fremantle, WA


• What kind of evidence might this be?• Is it useful evidence for students to

consider? Why?• How useful are the questions posed

under the painting?• Who is the main person featured in

the painting and which of the Australian history mysteries case studies does this evidence belong to?

Step 4: Critically examine evidence How could you use this famous photograph from the Vietnam War to help students critically analyse evidence?

• What are students being asked to consider now in relation to this photograph?

• What does this activity illustrate about the nature of evidence in history?


• How is this task helping students to reach a conclusion?

• Does it allow for more than one possible conclusion?











•How does a consideration of these two memorials related to the Coniston Massacre help students to reflect and apply?

•Do you think this is an effective activity? Why?


museum displays

• How might museum objects and displays help students to reflect and apply?

• Do you think this is effective? Why?

Documents

History Inquiry – Learning Strategies Inquiry learning and Australian history mysteries 2011 HTAV Conference David