Discourses of Democratic Consciousness in Key Australian Curriculum Documents

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Discourses of Democratic Consciousness in Key Australian Curriculum Documents
Language: English
Authors: David Nally, Heather Sharp (ORCID 0000-0001-8487-6605)
Source: Citizenship, Social and Economics Education. 2025 24(1):18-33.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: History Instruction, National Curriculum, Citizenship Education, Democracy, Historiography, Indigenous Populations, Required Courses, Elementary Secondary Education, Elective Courses, Government Role, Foreign Countries, Discourse Analysis, Educational Policy, Educational Opportunities, Pacific Islanders
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1177/14788047251313813
Abstract: This article analyses examples of democratic values within content about forms of government as evident in the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration and the Australian Curriculum: History. Taking a contemporary focus of the current national curriculum implemented in 2011--which was the first iteration of Australia's first national curriculum, the paper examines forms of government as presented to students from their historical and any current day perspectives. In Australia, History is a compulsory subject for primary school to year 10 in high school (when students are generally 16 years of age). History then splits into Modern History and Ancient History as elective courses of study in the senior years of schooling and History Extension which focuses on historiography. The analysis of curriculum shows that opportunities to introduce into the classroom current day topics in relation to citizenship, democracy, and functions of government are missed in lieu of content that stays in the past within its own chronological historical context.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1470834
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This article analyses examples of democratic values within content about forms of government as evident in the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration and the Australian Curriculum: History. Taking a contemporary focus of the current national curriculum implemented in 2011--which was the first iteration of Australia's first national curriculum, the paper examines forms of government as presented to students from their historical and any current day perspectives. In Australia, History is a compulsory subject for primary school to year 10 in high school (when students are generally 16 years of age). History then splits into Modern History and Ancient History as elective courses of study in the senior years of schooling and History Extension which focuses on historiography. The analysis of curriculum shows that opportunities to introduce into the classroom current day topics in relation to citizenship, democracy, and functions of government are missed in lieu of content that stays in the past within its own chronological historical context.
DOI:10.1177/14788047251313813