SOSE Attack
Sapping
Education by
Dr John Lidstone
Associate Professor in Education at Queensland University of
Technology
Co-chairs the Education Committee of the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland
The Courier-Mail, Friday, 16 June 2000
The vigorous, vitriolic and vicious attacks against the newly developed Years 1 - 10 Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) Syllabus cannot pass this forum, and indeed this organisation, without some explanation.
by Joy Schultz
Chair, QSOSE Inc
How long does it take for an urban myth to develop? Less than 30 days, it seems.
This is the time it has taken since the first articles about the new Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) syllabus appeared in The Courier-Mail on 10 June, through to the obvious acceptance of the myth by writers to the editor on 6 July when referring to another topic. The myth follows the lines of "Captain Cook, Sir Robert Menzies and our British heritage are out of the SOSE syllabus and Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong and Greenpeace are in. This swing to the left has been supported by social engineers at the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) and Education Queensland".
Ideas for A Work Program which uses History to deliver the new SOSE Outcomes
Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) is a key learning area, not a subject and certainly not a discipline. The new SOSE
key learning area syllabus now published by the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC), will be will be implemented
in all state schools, as well as in many independent and Catholic schools. Schooling authorities will send copies to all teachers.
Education Queensland teachers can probably expect to receive their copy in semester two, but copies are available now on the
QSCC website: [http://www.qscc.qld.edu.au]
Schools 'fail' to teach the facts
Craig Johnstone 12 Aug00
A PROMINENT Labor MP and top bureaucrat in the former Goss
government has condemned a new syllabus introduced in Queensland
schools, saying it fails to teach students basic facts of history and
geography.
Kevin Rudd has criticised the Studies of Society and Environment
curriculum despite widespread support for the syllabus within the
Education Department.
In a letter to Education Minister Dean Wells obtained by The
Courier-Mail, Mr Rudd calls for changes to the syllabus, saying it
does not provide students with "content knowledge" of historical and
geographical subjects.
In response to the recent articles published in The Courier-Mail relating to the new Years 1 to 10 Studies of Society and Environment Syllabus, the Queensland School Curriculum Council has released the following: