The Monash University Inquiry team selected to conduct the Inquiry consisted of Associate Professor Tony Taylor (Inquiry Director, Faculty of Education), Mr John Arnold (Deputy Director, National Key Centre for Australian Studies), Dr Julie Edwards (Faculty of Education – specialist in primary education), Dr Mark Peel (School of Historical Studies – academic historian), Ms Rosalie Triolo (Faculty of Education – secondary specialist in history), Ms Libby Tudball (Faculty of Education – secondary specialist in Studies of Society and the Environment) and Mr Michael Kupsch (Faculty of Education – Project Manager). The Chair of the Inquiry Advisory Committee was Professor Stuart Macintyre, Dean of the Faculty of Arts in the University of Melbourne.
The Inquiry team was assisted by Ms Linda Kruger and Ms Erica Matthews (administrative assistants), Ms Geraldine Carrodus and Ms Margaret Plunkett (researchers) and Ms Fiona Ashley (research assistance).
The research strategy adopted by the team was to focus mainly on qualitative research techniques to ascertain how history was being taught in schools in all the states and territories. During this process, the Inquiry team:
- Completed a review of the recent and current national and international research
- Examined overseas best practice
- Conducted interviews with curriculum officials and stakeholder/interest group representatives
- Conducted focus group discussions with representative selections of teachers in all states and territories
- Conducted round table discussions with history subject associations
- Attended professional conferences, seminars and committee meetings to do with school history
- Called for submissions from interested parties
- Visited schools which had been recommended as best practice school history sites
- Examined overseas developments via visits to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom
- Conducted interviews with overseas experts in the field
- Distributed, to nationally-representative samples of schools, a broad survey into the teaching and learning of history which will act as an adjunct to the qualitative analysis
The main work of the Inquiry concluded on April 28th 2000 with the presentation of a Draft Report, with recommendations, to the Advisory Committee for discussion on May 3rd.
The main data for the Report is based on the qualitative processes undertaken by the Inquiry team. The information gained in this fashion has proved to be extraordinarily rich and detailed, giving a comprehensive picture of how history is currently being taught in Australian schools.
A supplement to the Final Report will eventually be published which will contain survey analysis. Although the survey process covers some of the major issues contained in the Report, the survey questionnaires have a much broader approach to school history issues and will therefore provide a separate but related summary of information.
Appendices C and D are essays by team members Mark Peel and John Arnold which are intended to act as a starting point for discussion of national identity issues and the teaching and learning of Australian history at the proposed National Seminar.
Finally, the Inquiry team would like to acknowledge the invaluable assistance and advice of the Chair of the Advisory Committee, Professor Macintyre and of Advisory Committee members, as well as DETYA officials, in preparing this Report. The Inquiry also owes a debt of thanks to Dr Jim Fitzgerald of Macquarie University for his voluntary assistance and to state and territory teachers and curriculum officials too numerous to mention, who gave their time generously in support of the Inquiry. The opinions contained in the Report however remain those of the author.
© Copyright 2000
This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and no commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above, requires prior written permission from the Commonwealth available from Ausinfo. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Legislative Services, Ausinfo, GPO Box 1920, Canberra ACT 2601.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the view of the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. This project was supported by funding from the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training & Youth Affairs under the Quality Outcomes Program.
Chapter 1