A process for programming a unit of learning: History K–10

Building your unit

A process for programming a history unit of work

The flowchart shows a process that you may choose to follow when creating a history unit of learning. It encompasses the general principles of curriculum planning and programming and draws upon crucial elements of the Board of Studies NSW History K–10 Syllabus.

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Download a copy of the Flowchart for a learning design process (.pdf 522kB). Refer to this as you produce your unit of learning in the Board of Studies NSW Program Builder.

Flow chart — A process for programming a history unit of work.

Getting started with Program Builder

The Board of Studies NSW Program Builder allows primary and secondary teachers in NSW to focus on programming.

If you are unfamiliar with Board of Studies NSW Program Builder, view the short video guides to help you get started.

Using Program Builder to create a unit of learning

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Access the History template unit and sign-in using your DEC login. Click on the green ‘Copy to my units’ button in the top right corner. This will save the unit with the descriptions into your ‘Units’ tab and a copy of the template into your ‘Templates’ tab.

Sample program builder template

A note about the template

This template has descriptions to assist you in placing your Activity booklet data into the unit template. Do not write in this unit as you will lose the descriptions if you need them in the future. We recommend you start a new unit, change the template to the History template (this will be located under the custom template heading) and then start adding your information into your new unit.

Deliverable

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Use the Board of Studies NSW Program Builder template unit to create a unit of learning (or modify one that you have created previously for the new syllabus) by entering all the planning information and teaching activities from your Activity booklet. You will need to export this and save it as a Word document. Your unit of learning is the deliverable for this course. It needs to be completed and submitted to your principal or supervisor for verification on the completion of this course.

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Consider sharing the unit with your school/faculty so that colleagues can engage in professional discourse and evaluation.

Presenter notes

Indicative time: 120 minutes

This tab involves participants designing a history unit of learning for implementation of the new syllabus.

This activity will produce the deliverable for this course.

In particular, participants will:

  • become familiar with the features of Program Builder

  • utilise a history specific template design to upload their unit of learning

  • share a unit of learning with other members of their team/faculty.

  1. Encourage participants to use the work completed in all the activities within Tab 2: Planning and Tab 3: Programming, to inform the development of their unit of learning.

  2. A collaborative approach to activities will help to build a collaborative approach to design a unit of learning. However, remember that the course deliverable is an individual task.

  3. Allow time for participants to talk through their unit of learning design and content.

  4. Emphasise that the unit may be shared with colleagues to further enhance discussion.

  5. As a final product, the unit must reflect learning components within the course and may be reviewed, particularly after consultation with the Principal and other stakeholders.