The learning design focuses on the completion of one cumulative activity.

The Learning Design Sequence is illustrated as follows.

Download PDF Version

WHAT THE STUDENTS DO
The cumulative learning activity requires students to identify, select, reference and annotate a range of primary and secondary historical sources. They are advised to pursue the task throughout the year, selecting sources from their preparation for some or all of the 22 topics covered during the course of the unit. The process involves:

• Acquiring familiarity with the differences between primary and secondary sources in historical research.
• Appreciating the range of material which can be used as sources in historical research (including, e.g., books, landscapes, films, photographs, objects, oral histories).
• Understanding the factors which influence the content and arguments presented in different types of historical sources.
• Analysing and evaluating specific examples of sources, the ways in which they contribute to particular historical issues or topics, and their strengths and weaknesses.
• Writing concise, analytical and clear annotations of a variety of sources which demonstrate an understanding of the processes outlined above.
• Observing established conventions for referencing different types of sources.

The above is achieved through the following sequence:

1. Exercises relating to the first five topics in the unit which focus on different types of sources, their uses, strengths and weaknesses and culminating in the requirement that students select one of the sources provided in the unit Resource Materials on which to write an annotation. Students receive feedback on their annotation.
2. Throughout the unit, discussion in class and online about different types of sources, their strengths and weaknesses.
3. For internal students: two tutorial presentations drawing on a variety of primary and secondary sources which they have identified. At the completion of the tutorial, students submit an annotated sources list.
4. For external students: a cumulative exercise throughout the year identifying, selecting and annotating a range of primary and secondary sources, a selection of which is then submitted for assessment and feedback.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ORDER
Students are introduced to the nature and use of historical sources in different contexts and in a cumulative approach which enables reasonable feedback and discussion. By the time they are required to submit the main assessment task testing these skills, they should be well aware of the requirements and have the skills.

More broadly, the sequence is also important as a way to encourage students to 'read' more analytically, imaginatively and widely for other learning tasks and forms of assessment (e.g. formal essays, tutorial presentations).

CRITICAL ACTIVITIES
'Reading' sources is such an essential skill in history that the sequence developed above, with the opportunity to discuss and write about different sources in a variety of contexts, is one of its strengths.

ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES

Study Guide:
All students receive a printed copy of the Study Guide which provides an introduction to the various topics in the unit, the organisation of the unit, and the learning tasks involved. It includes guidelines about referencing and about the purpose and nature of different types of historical sources. It also includes examples of annotations of different types of sources, and guidelines and criteria to assist students to research and write their own annotations.

Resource Materials:
Printed Resource Material booklets are available which provide one or two examples of sources for each of the topics studied during the course. A directed reading guide which consists of key questions which students should seek to answer through their reading of the source accompanies each source.

Sources for Courses Multimedia Database:
The Sources for Courses database builds on and extends the approach adopted in the printed Study Guide and Resource Materials. It consists of a database created in Filemaker Pro which takes advantage of Filemaker's multimedia and relational database features to create examples and exercises about historical sources which can be linked both to specific topics and to a discussion of some of the different types of sources available to the historian. The aim is not to provide students with static information. Rather, it is to assist and stimulate them to seek, read, question and analyse a variety of sources.

It is intended that the database will be made available on CD-ROM as part of the teaching package supplied to students.

Figure 1: Main menu for Sources for Courses database.

Figure 2: There are three related databases.

Examples of Sources:
This database provides a selection of specific sources. Each source is given its full reference details, is illustrated and is accompanied by a reading guide which requires students to be able to answer certain questions based on their reading of the source.

Topics:
This database provides introductory overviews for a number of Australian history topics. These are presented as slide shows which provide basic headings, questions and illustrations about the topic. Students can print out the text of the slide show. By clicking on the 'Examples of sources' button they can then pull up a selection of sources relevant to that topic from the 'Examples of Sources' database. The intention is that they select from these sources as a starting point for their study of the particular topic. Their ''reading' is guided both by the directed reading questions in the 'Examples of Sources' database and the questions and activities built into the slide show and the 'Topics' database.

Types of Sources;
This database provides an introduction to ways of 'reading' and analysing different types of sources (e.g. government legislation, films, oral histories, letters ) used by historians . As in other sections of the database, the emphasis is on encouraging students to think and question, not just absorb information. There are review questions and exercises to assist in the process. By clicking on the 'Examples of sources' button students can pull up a selection of examples of this type of source as well as references to analytical texts about the particular type of source.

Help
There is a help page which can be accessed from any page in Sources for Courses.

RESOURCES IN CONTEXT
The mixture of printed and multimedia material in the resource set addresses a number of important issues. It recognises that, for many students, study guides, assessment tasks, and reading lists are useful in a printed form which is portable, can be kept available for constant reference and can be annotated. Printed resource materials similarly address the issue of familiarity and, importantly, are a reminder that a substantial amount of the sources available to historians are in the printed form. The multimedia database complements these more traditional forms and is important in its ability to introduce students to a wider range and variety of historical sources, ideas, information, exercises and guides than can be presented in printed form. The multimedia database is also significant in its ability to provide examples of a variety of media (e.g. photographs, films, sound recordings, printed documents) which can be accessed and 'read' in relation to a variety of different historical issues and topics.

VARYING THE RESOURCE SET
The variety of resources cater for the different learning styles of students, and address slightly different needs. The printed Study Guide provides a portable, available resource for constant reference. The printed Resource Materials are familiar for those students (especially among mature-age external students) who still feel uncomfortable with electronic-only material. The printed Resource Materials are also a reminder that this is the form in which many historical sources are encountered and 'read'. The multimedia database enables a wider selection and quantity of sources, invites non-linear exploration of the material, and takes advantage of the capabilities of the new technologies.

SUPPORTS SUPPLIED
It is important to remember that, in the first instance,Sources for Courses has been developed for a particular cohort of students, namely a mixture of internal and external first year undergraduate history students. To this end the package has been designed as an independent learning package supplemented and complemented by a varying range of learning supports to accommodate the different needs and locations of internal and external students. The learning supports include:

• For internal students and for external students attending an optional residential school early in the course: explanation and demonstration by the lecturer of the learning tasks and resources, and some workshop exercises to familiarise students with the activities involved.
• The availability of the lecturer during tutorials, online and via telephone to provide assistance and feedback supplemented by tutorial and online discussion among students
• Assessment of and feedback on annotations submitted for assessment.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SUPPORT STRATEGIES
The support strategies take into account the differing levels of support needed among a diverse range of first year undergraduate students studying internally and externally, and coming with varying levels of experience and knowledge.

SUPPORT STRATEGY ADAPTATION
The variety and flexibility is important given the particular student cohort. A different mixture could be envisaged for different student cohorts.