Teaching Australian history : a temporally inclusive approach

The teaching of Australian history is of particular importance given the Primary Principal Associations endorsement of Australian history as a core curriculum area and current moves towards national curriculum. Australian History is, however, often perceived to be both boring and repetitive by some students and teachers. The challenge is therefore to provide teachers and students with an Australian history curriculum that is both engaging and relevant. In this paper we explore Australian history curriculum (P-12) possibilities across the P-12 spectrum, from a temporally inclusive perspective. Specifically, we discuss how Australian history curricula can engage students in a study of the connectedness between the past, present and future/s; and the responsibilities students have to preserve the legacies of the past and to have a sense of stewardship for future generations. In doing so, we propose relevant content knowledge and a range of possible pedagogies.