| Effective Term: | 2027/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Intersectional Histories of Education |
| Unit ID: | BAHIS2010 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 090305 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit examines the historical development of education through the lens of access, equity, and social change. Students investigate how educational opportunities and experiences have been shaped by historical structures of race, gender, class, and power across diverse social and cultural contexts. Employing intersectional history as a theoretical framework, the unit explores key moments and movements that have influenced educational participation, inclusion, and exclusion from the nineteenth century to the present. Students critically analyse historical case studies to examine how educational systems have both reinforced and challenged social inequalities. Through engagement with the foundational concepts of educere and universitas, students reflect on the purposes of education and their relevance to contemporary teaching and learning. Assessments encourage students to connect historical understandings of educational equity with current debates and to consider how historical perspectives can inform inclusive and socially responsive educational practice. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| Skills: |
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| Other outcomes: |
| O1. | Apply and engage with intersectional historical approaches to interpret the relationships between power, identity, and educational experiences across diverse contexts. |
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| O2. | Construct evidence-based arguments that synthesise historical and contemporary perspectives on educational and social justice. |
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| O3. | Evaluate contemporary educational issues through historical perspectives to identify continuities, changes and implications for educational practice. |
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| O4. | Apply historical understandings of equity, diversity and inclusion to propose informed responses to challenges in educational settings. |
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| O5. | Reflect critically on the role of education in shaping social change and consider how historical insights can inform inclusive and socially responsive professional practice. |
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| O6. | Analyse the historical development of educational systems and practices in relation to changing political, social and cultural contexts from the nineteenth century to the present. |
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| O7. | Examine the ways in which race, class, gender and other intersecting social identities have shaped access to, and participation in, education across diverse historical contexts. |
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| O8. | Evaluate the influence of significant historical events, movements, and reforms on educational equity, inclusion and social change. |
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| O9. | Explain the concepts of educere and universitas and their significance for understanding the purposes of education in contemporary teaching and learning contexts. |
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| O10. | Critically analyse historical sources, scholarly literature and case studies to identify and investigate issues of equity, access, inclusion and exclusion in education. |
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| Unit Content: |
This unit presents a comprehensive historical examination of the development of education and educational institutions through the analysis of equity, access, inclusion and social change across diverse social and cultural contexts. Drawing upon intersectional history as a theoretical framework, the unit critically examines how race, gender, class, disability and other dimensions of identity have shaped educational opportunities and experiences, and how these factors have contributed to both privilege and marginalisation within educational settings. Moreover, the unit considers diverse viewpoints, including those of First Nation and migrant communities to provide a nuanced understanding of the education experience. Topics explored encompass the impact of colonialism, industrialisation and urbanisation on education, the historical construction of social identities in educational contexts, and the influence of major historical events such as global conflicts and public health crises on educational systems and participation.
Topics may include:
- Historical foundations of education and changing understandings of the purposes of education
- The concepts of educere and universitas and their influence on educational philosophy and practice
- Examining diverse educational experiences and perspectives, including those of First Nations peoples and migrant communities
- Historical perspectives on Indigenous education, colonialism and educational access
- The impacts of Covid-19 and lockdowns on educational experiences, access and outcomes
- The impact of government polices and funding on educational access and experience
- Urbanisation: examining how ever-increasing urbanisation places pressure on public schools
- Exploring alternative education outside the scholastic system eg. Steiner, Montessori
- The increase in popularity of homeschooling both pre and post- Covid-19.
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K1., K4., S1., S2., A1., A3. |
Historical Source Analysis: Students analyse a historical source or set of sources related to education (e.g., policy documents, newspaper articles, curriculum materials, government reports, or archival records). Using relevant historical and intersectional concepts introduced in the unit, students examine how the source reflects prevailing attitudes towards equity, access, inclusion or exclusion in education. |
Analysis report |
20-30% |
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| 2. |
K1., K2. , K3. , K4. , S1., S2. |
Comparative Historical Case Study: Students compare two educational contexts, reforms, events, or movements from different historical periods or social contexts. Drawing upon scholarly literature, students evaluate and critically analyse how factors such as race, gender, class, disability, colonialism, migration, or social change shaped educational experiences and opportunities. |
Comparative analytical essay |
30-40% |
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| 3. |
K1., K2. , K3. , S1., S2., S3. , A1., A2. , A3. |
Contemporary Educational Practice Project: Students investigate a contemporary issue related to equity, diversity, and inclusion in education (e.g., Indigenous education, gender equity, disability inclusion). Using historical evidence and theoretical perspectives explored throughout the unit, students critically evaluate how historical developments continue to shape the issue and propose informed changes to facilitate inclusive and socially responsive educational practice. |
Minor project |
30-50% |
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