Civics and Citizenship: Learning about Democracy.
In accordance with the Australian Curriculum for Year 3, students are learning about democracy and specifically, the importance of making decisions democratically. We will be investigating the history of this concept in Australia, as well as how democracy works in our current community. We will also be learning about places and situations where decisions are made democratically, and how we can have a voice. The video (linked below) is an entertaining introduction to the history of voting in Australia.
In response to the above video, we will be asking the questions:
Should everyone be allowed to vote on issues that affect them? and
Should everyone have to vote on issues that affect them?
As children investigate, discuss and act out these concepts and ideas surrounding democracy, voting and having a say, they will be learning to become involved and active citizens within the democratic society in which we live in Australia. This learning is linked closely to the Civics and Citizenship curriculum content which includes:
As a method of achieving learning in the above areas, students will engage in class-voting and discussion - witnessing how their vote and their voice counts! Most of these polls will involve the whole class voting on selected relevant activities (such as Daily PE activities or books for class reading), whilst sometimes only a portion of the class will be selected to vote. Students will reflect on how it feels to have their vote included or excluded, and at the end of our unit students will design an informative poster sharing their developed opinions on why/why not everyone should be allowed or should have to vote.
As we explore and investigate democracy in this way, your child is developing key skills in relation to:
Empathy, or the ability to view situations from other perspectives in support of those around us, is a key concept relating to Civics and Citizenship, and students will be building empathy throughout this unit (for example, in the inclusion/exclusion of class voting), again linking closely with the Australian Curriculum and Ethical Understanding. Your child is not only learning to share their voice, but also hear and understand the voices of others.
This is an example of an authentic learning, where students are involved in active learning within a real-world context. This approach is an effective way for students to engage personally with the learning, applying it within our class democracy and reflecting individually on their own experiences and gained understandings on democracy.
These conversations and experiences in class may spill over into your home and are valuable opportunities to encourage your child's active engagement with topics that mean something to them by asking questions and finding out more from them. You may even have simple scenarios at home where their learning on democracy could be practiced.
Thank you for sharing this learning journey with us surrounding Civics and Citizenship and Democracy.
Word Count: 482
References
Australian Broadcasting Association (2016, May 24) History of Voting [Video File] Retrieved
from http://www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/history-of-voting/10524754
Australian Curriculum
Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2016). Australian Curriculum:
Foundation
to year 10 curriculum: Year 3 (Version 8.3). Retrieved
from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/f10 [(on 12 March 2019)].
to year 10 curriculum: Year 3 (Version 8.3). Retrieved
from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/f10 [(on 12 March 2019)].
LeCompte, K., & Blevins, B. (2015). Building Civic Bridges: Community Centred Action Civics. Social Studies,
106(5), 209-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2015.1059792
106(5), 209-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2015.1059792
Livingstone, K. (Ed.). (2004). The intersection of inquiry, values and civics and citizenship education within SOSE.
Curriculum Matters, 3(1). Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.utas.edu.au/login
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsaed&AN=rmitplus133846&site=eds-live
Marsh, C., Clarke,
M., & Pittaway, S. (2014). Marsh’s becoming
a teacher (6th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW:
Pearson.
Pearson.
Noah Couser (2014, May 4) Empathy Can Change the World [Video File] Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU3QfyqvHk8
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU3QfyqvHk8
Reynolds, R. (2009) Teaching Studies of Society & Environment in the Primary School. South Melbourne, VIC:
Oxford.
Oxford.
Hi Reuben,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you have explained what the students will be learning right at the beginning of the post. This makes it clear to the parents and everything they read after that will be in this context.
While watching the btn video on voting, I was wondering whether this might be suitable for grade 3 students. Sixteen is a long way off from their current age and voting in state elections would be an abstract concept for their age. Is there a "hook" you could use that relates more directly to ways they can participate in democracy at their current age?
I would like to understand more how students in your class will develop their knowledge of how justice and fairness is enacted through democracy. Can you expand on how this will be approached/achieved through learning activities?
I have read on the discussion board that we don't need to do in-text referencing - here's the link to the post (Ian's reply to Shara's post ==> https://mylo.utas.edu.au/d2l/le/296741/discussions/threads/1414973/View?searchText=in+text
Great way to finish your post, reminding the parents that they can be involved in their child's learning journey - and also spelling out the topics of Civics and Citizenship and Democracy.
Cheers,
Lea
Hi Lea,
DeleteThanks so much for your comments/feedback. I have found them really useful.
In regards to the video, I totally understand what you mean, I had another video in mind that was more about a general history of voting and it's processes but I was unable to embed the video, maybe I should just hyper link it. You can view it here if you like: http://www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/history-of-voting/10524754
I think this may be a better general hook.
I feel like the learning activities described, surrounding class votes, some compulsory, some selective and some that exclude, will be good practical learning experiences where students will witness justice and fairness enacted through democratic voting on authentic class activities.
Thanks for the link to in text referencing - something that I can easily fix and free up some handy words as a bonus.
Overall, really helpful feedback, thanks again!
Hi Reuben,
DeleteThat's a great video. Yes I agree it's a good general hook. You could do a screen shot and crop it and make the image the link to the video, then the reader is more likely to click on it and watch the video.
Cheers,
Lea
Hi Reuben
ReplyDeleteI like how you have made it clear straight away what your students will be learning, and how this links to the Australian Curriculum. I like how you have provided questions that will be discussed after the video. I agree with Lea that this video may not be appropriate for year 3, but something you can easily fix.
I would consider adding an image or 2 to your blog, just to make it look a bit more engaging to readers. You have good links to the curriculum, but I would suggest adding a content descriptor as well as the skills.
You have provided a good explanation throughout on what your students will be learning about in class. I would be interested in what activities you plan to utilise in order to achieve the learning outcomes. For this reason, I think you should provide some examples (i.e. what activity will students do that will help them be empathetic). I would also provide an example of the types of topics students will be voting on (this would be a good chance to link to a controversial issue and empathy).
While not explicitly stated, you have provided some good pedagogies that will be implemented. I think the way you have encouraged parents to be involved in the learning process is great and a good way to end the blog.
Thanks,
Sophie
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Reuben,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I think you did a very good job. You have articulated what the students will learn, and what pedagogies that you will use and how parents/carers could support their child’s learning.
Also, I like the way you embedded the relevant images and videos in your blog. I really enjoyed watching the two videos, they are short but informative and attractive for audience. I also noticed an interesting thing, off the topic, most of the children in the second video are wearing dental plate.
I have some suggestions for your work:
1. I noticed that you didn’t use in-text reference, I did the same in my first blog because I think it might not be appropriate to do that because of our audience. But I checked with Margaret (our face-to-face tutor), she said we still need to do in-text reference with a reasonable way.
2. I noticed that you only embedded the content descriptors of inquiry and skills, it might be better to embed some relevant content descriptors from knowledge and understanding as well.
3. If you have a look at the AT1 Rubics, the criterion 1 says ‘Demonstrate knowledge of how HASS content, concepts, skills can be integrated with CCPs and GCs for teaching and learning and addresses a sensitive and/or controversial issue’, so I think it might be better to use a couple of sentences to show the audience how you will integrate CCPs and GCs with teaching and learning.
4. I found the word size of your reference list is very small, you may want to increase the font size to make it easier to read.
5. I found there are a few errors in your reference list, you may want to double check them and correct them.
By the way, some of my suggestions might not be right, just want to share my thought.
Kind regards
Mary