JC - History

JC History aims :

To enable students to develop the necessary conceptual understanding, disciplinary skills and subject knowledge to investigate the actions of people in the past and to come to a deeper understanding of the human condition.

1. To allow students to see the world, and their place in it, from a historical perspective; and understand how the people and events of the past have shaped the contemporary world.
2. To explore the past from a historical perspective. Students also develop an interest and enthusiasm for history and acquire values and attitudes that shape their view of people in the past, including a regard for heritage and their cultural inheritance, and a sense of historical empathy, where people are judged in the context and values of the time in which they lived.

The specification has three interconnected strands, each with a set of related elements:

Strand 1: The nature of history- unifying strand focuses on the nature of history as a discipline. The strand emphasises the skills, concepts, values and attitudes that inform the learning of history. It helps to form students as historians.

Strand 2: The history of Ireland-relate to the historical context in terms of personalities, issues and events to which students apply the conceptual understanding and learning gained through strand 1.

Strand 3: The history of Europe and the wider world-relate to the historical context in terms of personalities, issues and events to which students apply the conceptual understanding and learning gained through strand 1.

Assessment

CBA 1

The past in my place: Structured, evidence-based enquiry into a historical aspect or theme relating to the locality, place or personal/family history of the student

Format: Report that may be presented in a wide variety of formats

Student preparation: Students will, over a specified time, report on a project related to an aspect of the history of their locality or place, to include personal/ family history, as appropriate

Completion of assessment: Towards the end of second year

Classroom-Based Assessment 2: A life in time

CBA 2

A life in time: Structured, evidence-based enquiry into the historical life and experiences of a person of interest

Format: Report that may be presented in a variety of formats

Student preparation: Students will, over time, report on a project where they research the life and experiences of a person of historical interest

Completion of assessment: Term two in third year

Assessment Task

On completion of the Classroom-Bases Assessments, students will undertake an assessment task. This will be completed after the second CBA and will be marked by the State Examinations Commission. The Assessment Task will assess students in respect of their learning including:

• Their ability to demonstrate their understanding of historical concepts by applying their historical thinking to researching the life of a person in history
• Their ability to evaluate new knowledge or understanding that has emerged through their experience of Classroom Based Assessment
• The capacity to reflect on the process of research and forming historical judgements based on evidence
• Their reflections on how their experience of conducting research has influenced their attitudes

Final Examination

• There will be one examination at a common level. This paper will be set out and marked by the State Examinations Commission. The examination will be of two hours duration and will take place at the end of third year.