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HSIE

Human Society and it's Environment

Teaching Approach / Philosophy

This Key Learning Area includes the contemporary Social Sciences of Geography, Commerce, Business Studies, Legal Studies, Economics and History.

Teachers in this department of the College are encouraged at all times to examine and explore contemporary world issues and events that illustrate and enliven the syllabuses we are required to teach.

Wherever possible students are given the opportunity to be involved in 'hands-on, real world' fieldwork activities. The local community is seen as a rich resource for students and staff to access and explore.

As an example of this during recent years, Geography students from Years 7 to 12 were involved in the Winburndale 'Green Corridor' Landcare Project. This community service environmental project involved the revegetation of the Winburndale Rivulet. Students were involved in tree plantings, seed collection, propagation and tree maintenance. Year 12 Geography have studied this project as part of their H.S.C. course on Ecosystem Management at the local scale.

In 1999 Year 10 Geography students constructed a Shade House at the back of the school for the propagation of native trees using the $1,000 prizemoney won in the Readers Digest Environment Awards where ASC was placed in the top three schools environment projects in Australia for its work on the Winburndale Rivulet.

In 2001, 2002 and 2003 students worked with Greening Bathurst, Macquarie Rivercare and Bathurst City Council to help rehabilitate the Hector Park Wetland. In 2004/2005 students helped these groups and our neighbour, Simplot, to propagate long stem tube stock for planting out on the Simplot farm's rare wetland below the school. These ongoing projects have been incorporated into our Civics and Citizenship education as well as the College's tutor system.

Guest speakers with specialist knowledge and skills in a variety of subject areas are frequently invited to the College to share their knowledge and skills with our students.

The very experienced H.S.I.E teaching staff are flexible in the development of teaching strategies that cater to the needs and interests of their students. Staff are given the freedom to try new and innovative approaches to learning. The use of research based discovery learning techniques and technologies is especially encouraged.

Teaching in this Department is not simply aimed at achieving good results in external examinations (although we do have a very proud record of H.S.C. success). As educators we are not merely passing on information to our students but more importantly 'educating for character' and developing in our students important values and attitudes such as concern for one another, environmental awareness, fairness, respect for human dignity, cross cultural understanding and a sense of social justice. Students learn that there are consequences of our actions or inactions that affect all of our society and the planet we live on.

We are very much concerned with preparing students for life, helping them to become more informed and involved young adults, especially in our ever increasing globalised world, capable of making responsible decisions and mature choices about their own lives and the future directions of our local communities, Australian society and the world.