request - help with history extension topic. (1 Viewer)

[bob007]

hello people ^^
this is one of my first proper posts here so yeh if I have done something wrong please scream and flame.

past 4-5 weeks all i did was read and read but i realised nothing much sunk into my head. but after a few lessons of modern about WWI i thought of this.

"Assess the credability of British Military Tactics by the end of World War One".

Can't word it in any other way at the moment BUT ultimately i want to do something on similar lines to that thought.

This idea came from readings info about Haig and other internal issues back at the homefront, Haig's character and certain events such as Somme and Passchendaele.

So all in all, what do you people think about my ideas? and im not really sure about questions. I know we have to devise questions for out topic ( or so how i understand it from my teacher) for our topic but im not really clear on it. can anyone please clarify?

Thank you =D

 

[smurfygirl]

Sorry, but you can't do a major work topic on something which overlaps with any HSC course, so for you WWI and Britain is out.

The question you have and your ideas are also way to bit for the size of the essay.

Yes, you are supposed to develop your own question, but your teacher should be helping you to do this.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Sorry, but you can't do a major work topic on something which overlaps with any HSC course, so for you WWI and Britain is out.

The question you have and your ideas are also way to bit for the size of the essay.

Yes, you are supposed to develop your own question, but your teacher should be helping you to do this.

I think this has been said before.

You are half correct. Students are not supposed to do any topics that cover the same ground as HSC or prelim material.

However, most schools allow it. But there's a whole spectrum. For example, I know a school which disallows it totally, and I know another school which doesn't care at all. My school allowed a student to do a major work on Augustus, when we were studying Augustus and the Julio-Claudian Historical Period (back when it was Augustus and the JCs).

You'll generally find that most schools disallow topics that are covered in class - ie, it's okay for a student to do a topic that is outside of what they studied in prelim and HSC.

This means, though, that you can't go for the HTA prize, as your school generally won't submit it.

If you are passionate about a topic, you should discuss it with your teacher, because you may find that you can do it. If they say that they are 100% fine with it, and that you won't be at all penalised, go for it.

I've always found this area of the syllabus confusing because the Board does not seem to actively enforce the rule at all. In fact, one of the chief examiners and question-writers doesn't care what her students do at all, so I suppose that shows you.

 

[cem]

The syllabus says that you can't do anything that significantly overlaps with the examinable courses for both the SC and HSC in any course.

However - British tactics (depending on how you do it could be possible). TALK to you own teacher.

I had a student last year who wanted to do something similar and I steered him towards a look at the changing tactics from Waterloo to the Somme and the real role of artillery and technology. That was fine but what you are suggesting I wouldn't allow as being toooooo close to the syllabus.

 

[xeuyrawp]

The syllabus says that you can't do anything that significantly overlaps with the examinable courses for both the SC and HSC in any course.

However - British tactics (depending on how you do it could be possible). TALK to you own teacher.

I had a student last year who wanted to do something similar and I steered him towards a look at the changing tactics from Waterloo to the Somme and the real role of artillery and technology. That was fine but what you are suggesting I wouldn't allow as being toooooo close to the syllabus.

I think we've talked about this before and came to the conclusion that a lot of teachers don't care about the syllabus, which is shabby.

It's more shabby, though, that the board doesn't enforce the rules somehow. Then again, I'm pro-external marking for the MW.

 

[cem]

I think we've talked about this before and came to the conclusion that a lot of teachers don't care about the syllabus, which is shabby.

It's more shabby, though, that the board doesn't enforce the rules somehow. Then again, I'm pro-external marking for the MW.

I too would like to see external marking of the project (as would the vast number of teachers I know).

This was actually something a group of us discussed at Modern marking the other day and we all said we would like two things: the Board to actually approve the topics, in general terms at least, by the end of Term 4 or mid Term 1 and then to have external marking of the projects but... it all comes down to money.

Approval of topics would mean something like a list of proposed topics being sent to the BOS who say yes to Holocaust denial but no to straight holocaust with a second date by which rejected topics can be resubmitted. The downside of that approach is that students would be committed to a topic much earlier than they are now but it would cut out that nonsense of the topics which can't be done but are being done because some teachers read the phrasing differently to others. Why put it in the syllabus if it isn't going to be enforced?

 

[xeuyrawp]

I too would like to see external marking of the project (as would the vast number of teachers I know).

This was actually something a group of us discussed at Modern marking the other day and we all said we would like two things: the Board to actually approve the topics, in general terms at least, by the end of Term 4 or mid Term 1 and then to have external marking of the projects but... it all comes down to money.

Approval of topics would mean something like a list of proposed topics being sent to the BOS who say yes to Holocaust denial but no to straight holocaust with a second date by which rejected topics can be resubmitted. The downside of that approach is that students would be committed to a topic much earlier than they are now but it would cut out that nonsense of the topics which can't be done but are being done because some teachers read the phrasing differently to others. Why put it in the syllabus if it isn't going to be enforced?

It's been discussed at the ancient history teacher's and the HTA conferences, as well.

With the topics, I haven't been part of many discussions as to how it'd be enforced. Do you mean that students would send in their whole MW, it gets rejected, then they resubmit? I think that it would be better for students to simply submit their topic, which is then accepted/rejected, then locked in and compared with their major work when that's submitted.

You're totally right in your last sentence - I'm a big believer that laws which aren't enforced are as bad as bad laws themselves.

 

[cem]

It's been discussed at the ancient history teacher's and the HTA conferences, as well.

With the topics, I haven't been part of many discussions as to how it'd be enforced. Do you mean that students would send in their whole MW, it gets rejected, then they resubmit? I think that it would be better for students to simply submit their topic, which is then accepted/rejected, then locked in and compared with their major work when that's submitted.

You're totally right in your last sentence - I'm a big believer that laws which aren't enforced are as bad as bad laws themselves.

I would like for students to submit their topic i.e. Joan of Arc, Holocaust Denial, Rwandan Genocide by say the end of Term 4 or early Term 1 in the following year. That topic is then approved or disapproved e.g. Holocaust - disapproved, Holocaust Denial approved with a given date for disapproved topics to be resubmitted. Once approved students would be locked into that topic.

Then in Term 3 I would like to see the MW submitted to the board in the same way that the English Ext 2 MW is submitted.

Maybe even having the topic approved would be a step in the right direction of getting that point in the syllabus actually followed.

As the syllabus is being reviewed soon (next year or the year after I believe) I think that many teachers would be making that suggestion. Whether the BOS take any notice though is another matter.

 

[xeuyrawp]

'The syllabus is being reviewed soon' is a frequent statement with ext history, though... Then again, it was the same with ancient, then suddenly they said that they were happy with the core and that they'd be implementing it in two years - giving the teachers time to practice it as prelim material. They work in mysterious ways.

And yes, I think the idea of submitting students' topic is good. But I think it should be as specific as possible and even refined by saying 'not including...' etc. Obviously that wouldn't be part of the final topic question, but just to clarify to get it approved.

 

[slothie]

Well..I know how you feel..about this project..
I joined history ext 2 wks after everyone else and only thought of a topic couple days ago. Everyone had a topic except me.
however my teacher was really helpful and had an interview with me at lunch and she suggested some broad topics other past students had done. In the end however it comes down to your own interests and your teacher's opinion in a way.

I suggest you ask your teacher whether it is a good idea and then perhaps submit a draft proposal question to see if the question works.

hope that helps.

 

[bob007]

=[ thank you everyone for their posts!!! ]

ive been too busy to go online lately T_T
but..but im really thankful for all the advice and input!

i had a chat with my teacher on tuesday. too sum the discussion he said that my topic was too close the the modern course and i should reconsider my topic (yup because like above said, i had to make references to battles such as those) . so to be safe and with everyones post here, im scratching that idea (noting that into process log).

my teacher has given several ideas though and im taking that on board.
im now looking into vietnamese history and see if i can find anything interesting.
secondly if not ill do something about Homer and the Illiad, either why or what influcenced his writing or something about troy... damn myself. i just want to have an original idea. but nothing ever seems original anymore.

sigh its gonna a long two weeks T-T

 

[Smithereens]

When's your proposal due?

 

[bob007]

one week and two days.