Pilot Study of Undergraduate Students: Determining the knowledge and skills base for teaching Human Society and its Environment (Hsie) in NSW

The release of the NSW Human Society In Its Environment (HSIE) K-6 syllabus in 1998 has far reaching implications for the training of pre-service undergraduate teachers and the professional development of practising teachers. HSIE in Australia, specifically NSW, includes the subjects commonly referred to as Social Studies. In the United States, Britain and in other Australian states these subject areas are referred to as Studies of Society & Environments.  The new HSIE syllabus creates a myriad of challenges for teachers, due to the mandated content drawn from four strands of learning: 1. Change and Continuity, 2. Cultures, 3. Environments and 4. Social Systems and Structures.  For example, the syllabus requires the mandatory teaching of C19th Australian history and the Australian political process. It also requires the teaching of inquiry processes of learning and specific values and skills.  Despite these expectations little is known about the specific subject knowledge of teachers in Australian schools.

This paper draws upon national and international research relating to the teaching of primary school Social Studies and related subjects. It will also outline some of the findings on subject specific knowledge of primary teachers and the implications for pre-service education. The pilot study involved group interviews and individual questionnaires for students at the University of Western Sydney. The broader study will subsequently involve group interviews and individual questionnaires for practising teachers of HSIE. The outcomes of the study are intended to provide a database upon which to design future methods courses and subject electives and will be used to guide future professional development programs for practising teachers of HSIE.