Tintin in the Classroom Engaging Students in the Study of ...46… · Nicole and Chris, for...

TintinintheClassroom

EngagingStudentsintheStudyofthePastThroughComics

LucieFrancesAbraham

17652793

MasterofResearch

2017

WesternSydneyUniversity

ii

Acknowledgements

Iwouldneverhavebeenabletocompletethisthesiswithoutthesupportand

guidanceIhavereceivedfromsomanypeopleoverthelasteighteenmonths.

IwouldfirstliketothankmythesissupervisorsAssociateProfessorJudith

Snodgrass,DoctorAlisonMooreandDoctorDiDickensonfromtheSchoolof

HumanitiesandCommunicationArtsatWesternSydneyUniversity.Iam

gratefullyindebtedtotheirsupportandvaluablecommentsthathelpshaped

thisthesis.Theirkindwordsandencouragementisthereasonthisthesiswas

completed.Itwasthesisknowledgeandenthusiasmforteachingandhistory

wastheinspirationforthisresearch.

TomyfellowMResresearchers,Iwouldliketoextendmydeepestthanks,for

sharingtheirenthusiasmforlearning.ToAlixandBeth(myAwesomeClams)I

amespeciallythankfulthatthisthesisbroughtustogether,Ihonestlycouldnot

havecompleteditwithoutyourendlesssupport,andtoToshiwhoalways

bringsasmileintoaroom.

IwouldalsoliketoacknowledgemycolleaguesLauren,AvrilandKimfor

pickingmeupandpushingmeforwardtocompletetheresearchforthisthesis,

andalwaysplacingmyeducationfirst.

Finally,Imustexpressmyveryprofoundgratitudetomyfamilyandfriends

NicoleandChris,forprovidingmetheunfailingsupportandcontinuous

encouragementthroughoutmyyearsofstudyandthroughtheprocessof

writingthisthesis.Thisaccomplishmentwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithout

them.

Thankyou

*Coverimage:TintinandSnowy(tintin.com)

iii

StatementofAuthentication

Theworkpresentedinthisthesis,tothebestofmyknowledgeandbelief,is

originalexceptasacknowledgedinthetext.

IherebydeclarethatIhavenotsubmittedthismaterial,ineitherfullorinpart,

foradegreeatthisoranyotherinstitution.

LucieFrancesAbraham

iv

TableofContents

TableofFigures.................................................................................................................1

Abstract................................................................................................................................2

Introduction.......................................................................................................................3DevelopingaThesis...........................................................................................................7

ChapterOne....................................................................................................................10

ComicBooksasHistory..............................................................................................10Introduction.....................................................................................................................10TheComicBook:AHistory.............................................................................................11ComicBooksasHistory..................................................................................................14ACaseforComicBooksasHistory:MausaSurvivorsTale.........................................17TheShiftofComicsasHistoryintoEducation.............................................................21TheValueofCrossMediaRepresentationforHistory.................................................23

ChapterTwo....................................................................................................................26

TheChangingFaceofAustralianEducation.......................................................26Introduction.....................................................................................................................26The21stCenturyLearner.................................................................................................2821stCenturyLearning.......................................................................................................30TheChangingFaceoftheClassroom............................................................................35

ChapterThree.................................................................................................................38

21stCenturyLearnersandtheSkillsofaHistorian..........................................38Introduction.....................................................................................................................38AConjunctureintheClassroom....................................................................................39ASpaceforTeachingHistorywithComics...................................................................45ComicsandSelf-DirectedLearning...............................................................................52EngagingLearnersThroughComicBooks....................................................................54

ChapterFour...................................................................................................................64

TeachingwithComics..................................................................................................64Introduction....................................................................................................................64ClassroomWorkshopOne..............................................................................................65

ProgressiveIdeasandMovements–TintininAmerica......................................................65WorkshopContext...............................................................................................................................67TeachingAims.......................................................................................................................................68Pre-ReadingActivities........................................................................................................................69SectionOne:ReadingComics........................................................................................................70SectionTwo:ReadingTintininAmerica...................................................................................71SectionThree:AssessmentofLearning.....................................................................................71

WorkshopTwo................................................................................................................72ChangingPerceptionsofthePast.................................................................................................72WorkshopContext...............................................................................................................................74TeachingAims.......................................................................................................................................75PreReadingActivities.........................................................................................................................75SectionOne:ChangingHistoricalPerspectives.....................................................................76

WorkshopThree.............................................................................................................80

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EastMeetsWest–TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus..........................................80WorkshopContext...............................................................................................................................83TeachingAims.......................................................................................................................................83Pre-ReadingActivities........................................................................................................................84SectionOne:TheComicSpace:PuttingitAllTogether....................................................85SectionTwo:AWesternFascinationwiththeEast.............................................................85

WorkshopFour...............................................................................................................86ConstructingaHistoricalInquiry:TheBlueLotus................................................................86WorkshopContext...............................................................................................................................87Pre-ReadingActivities........................................................................................................................88SectionOne:AHistorian’s‘ToolKit’...........................................................................................89SectionTwo:PerspectivesofHistory..........................................................................................90SectionThree:BuildingaHistoricalInquiry...........................................................................90

Conclusion.......................................................................................................................91

Bibliography....................................................................................................................94

Appendices.....................................................................................................................100Appendix1:Stage5HistorySyllabus...........................................................................100Appendix2:NESAContinuumofLearning.................................................................102Appendix3:NESAContinuumofConcepts................................................................103Appendix4:NESAContinuumofSkills.......................................................................104

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TableofFigures

Figure1.HSCStudentExaminationFigures2010-2016....................................................................................7Figure2.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus....................................................................................................13Figure3.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus,page201................................................................................18Figure4.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus,page201................................................................................19Figure5.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus,page214................................................................................20Figure6.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin.TintinandSnowy.....................................................................22Figure7.Bloom'sTaxonomyforLearning(revised2001).............................................................................42Figure8.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin.Characters...................................................................................55Figure9.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica,page3......................................................58Figure10.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica,page31...................................................59Figure11.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus,page138.......................................................62Figure12.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus,page152.......................................................62Figure13.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus,173..................................................................63Figure14.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo.Published1931................................77Figure15.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo.Published1946...............................78Figure16.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.Published1933&1945....................78Figure17.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:LandofBlackGold.Published1950&1972..................79Figure18.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus,page136......................................................81Figure19.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus,page156.....................................................82Figure20.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin.Snowy..........................................................................................93

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Abstract

TintinintheClassroom

EngagingStudentsintheStudyofthePastThroughComics

Leanersinthe21stcenturyacquireasmuchknowledgeaboutthepast

fromfilms,novels,comicbooksandotherpopularformsofentertainmentas

theydofromtheclassroom.Ongoingdebatesurroundingtheuseofalternate

mediatorecordanddepictthepast,coupledwiththe2017introductionofthe

NewSouthWalesEducationStandardsAuthoritySyllabuspresentsan

opportunityforanexaminationofpopularmediadepictionsofhistoryto

engagestudents.Approachingthesyllabusthroughthefamiliarand

entertainingmediumofcomicbookspotentiallybridgesstudents’experiences

ofhistoryintheclassroomandrepresentationsencounteredineverydaylife,

andcanbeusedtodevelopanalyticalskillsinhistoricalenquiry,theoriesof

history,aswellasskillsincommunicationandcriticalthinking.

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Introduction

Australianlearnersareconfrontedwithrepresentationsofhistoryina

varietyofpopularmediaforms,mostnotablyfilm,televisiondrama,novelsand

comicbooks.Exposuretothesemediarepresentationsshapesasignificantpart

ofyounglearners’historicalunderstanding.Byincorporatingtheanalysisof

thesemediaintothedeliveryofthesecondaryhistorysyllabuswecanmovethe

conceptoflearningtoincorporateexperiencesandinteractionsfromoutsideof

theclassroom.Tomergetheboundariesofeducationandreengaginglearners

inthestudyofthepast.Thisthesisseekstoexaminethepotentialofcomic

booksinthedevelopmentofalearner‘toolbox’foranalyticalandcritical

conceptsemployedforhistoricalanalysis.Theseskillsandconceptsrelateto

theselectionandanalysisofarangeofsources,applyingarangeofhistorical

termsandconceptsrelevanttoanhistoricalinquiry,andthecommunicationof

argumentsandideasthrougharangeofmedia.1Theyareessentialcomponents

forlearnerstodevelopthe4Csof21stcenturylearning–creativity,critical

thinking,collaboratingandcommunication.The4Csdenoteskillsessentialfor

learnerstograduatesecondaryeducation,poisedtobeactiveandinformed

membersofsociety.Theseskillsdominatethe21stcenturyworkplaceandare

vitalforworkplacesuccess.Byexaminingthepotentialofintroducingcomic

booksintotheNewSouthWales(NSW)Stage5syllabusthroughThe

AdventuresofTintinseries,thisthesishighlightsthepracticalityofintroducing

learnerstoanalyticalconceptsthroughpopularmediums.

Asaniconiccomicbookfigureofthe20thcenturyTintinandhisfaithful

ScottishTerrierSnowyarefamiliartoeducators,learnersandguardiansalike.

CreatedbythelegendarycomicartistHergé,theclassicBelgiancomicseries

introducedtheadventurousreporterTintinandhisfaithfulcompanionto

audiencesin1929asaserialinLePetitVingième.SincethenTintinandSnowy

havehad24adventurespublished,beentranslatedin70languagesandsold

1"NSWSyllabuses:Objectives."NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/objectives/

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over230millioncopiesworldwide.TheAdventuresofTintinseriessuitsthe

educationalexpectationsofthesyllabusasanartefactofhistoryandasa

mediumtointroducelearnerstohistoriographicalconceptsandtheories.The

series,throughitsclearlineartisticapproach,isaneasyintroductioninto

readingcomicbooksforlearners.Functioningasbothahistoricalsource,

commentingontheBelgianartistsinterpretationofthesocialandpolitical

overtonesintheearly20thcenturyperiod,andasanintroductionto

historiographicalthemes,suchascontinuity,perspective,objectivity,narrative

andconstruction.TheiconicfigureofTintinspeakstoeducatorandlearner

alike,andisanentertainingseriestograsptheneweducationalapproaches

outlinedintheNSWsyllabus.

TheAustralianclassroomin2017hassetthestageforabehindthe

scenestugawarbetweenoldinstitutionalvaluesandteachingenvironments,

andthedrivetoensurethatoureducationsystemadequatelypreparesyoung

learnerstoentertheworkforceasinformedandactivecitizens.The

introductionoftheNewSouthWalesEducationalStandardsAuthority(NESA)

inJanuary2017,asareplacementfortheBoardofStudies,Teachingand

EducationStandards(BOSTES),hasbroughtwithitahostofreforms,ranging

fromtheintroductionofanewsyllabusforStages1through6tonew

examinationstandardsfortheHigherSchoolCertificate(HSC).2Aswithany

changethiscanoftenpresentachallengeonthefrontlineasschoolsand

educatorsstruggletoimplementnewinitiativesinapositivemannerwiththe

leastdisturbanceforlearnersandtheirguardians.

ThisthesisexaminestheexcitingpossibilitiestheNESAsyllabushas

openedupfortheteachingofStage5(Years9and10)oftheKindergartento

Year10(K-10)Historysyllabus.ThefocusoftheStage5Historysyllabusison

there-orientationawayfromalargebodyofknowledgeandrefocussingtoa

depthofknowledgeanalysistoreflecttheskillsofahistorian.Learnersare

2"MinimumHSCStandard,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedAugust4,2017,http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/about/initiatives/stronger-hsc-standards/minimum-standard

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introducedtoasetofhistoricalstandardsinlinewithintroductorytertiary

historicalstudiesastheyaretaughtthroughasyllabusfocusedon:

Historyasadisciplinehasitsownmethodsandprocedures.Itismuch

morethanthesimplepresentationoffactsanddatesfromthepast,

historyprovidestheskillsforstudentstoanswerthequestions‘Howdo

weknow?’Aninvestigationofhistoricalissuesthrougharangeof

sourcescanstimulatecuriosityanddevelopproblemsolving,research

andcriticalthinkingskills.3

ThehistoricalskillsoutlineaboveintheNESAK-10HistoryRationalearenot

syllabusspecific;theyaretransferableand,whentaughtinthecorrectmanner,

canbeadaptedforanysituationfrominformedsocialorpoliticalinquirytofull

scalehistoricalortopicalanalysis.Learnerswhoareadeptinresearchand

criticalanalysisskillsarebetterpreparedtoengageasactiveandinformed

citizens,andthereforeadequatelyequippedtoentertheworkforce.

AnessentialcomponentoftheNESAHistorysyllabusisthe

reorientationoftheStage5LearnerOutcomes(forcompleteK-10History

LearnerOutcomesseeAppendix2:ContinuumofLearning)toreflectthe

ongoinghistoriographicalargumentsurroundingmediaandtherepresentation

ofthepast.LearnersthroughoutStage5arenotonlyexpectedtobeintroduced

toanalyticaltechniquesthroughexposuretoavarietyofmedia(HT5-8)4butto

alsobeablecommunicatetheiranalysisutilisingasimilarrangeofmediafor

differentaudiences(HT5-10).5Learnersmaybefamiliarwiththemediaof

3"NSWSyllabuses:Rationale,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017,http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/rationale/4"Years7-10LifeSkillsOutcomesTables."NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017,http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/life-skills-outcomes-tables/HT5-8“Studentselectsandanalysesarangeofhistoricalsourcestolocateinformationrelevanttoanhistoricalinquiry.”5Ibid.HT5-10“Studentsselectsandusesappropriateoral,written,visualanddigitalformstocommunicateeffectivelyaboutthepastfordifferentaudiences.”

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writtenanalysis,photographyandbasicfilmstudyassourcesofhistorical

knowledgethroughtheearlierstagesofthesyllabus;thisthesisseeksto

examinetheutilityofalessrecognisedmediasource,comicbooks.Byexposing

learnerstotheanalysisofcomicbooksasamediumforhistorical

representation,educatorscanchallenge(andbroaden)learnerperceptionsof

historicalsourcesandextendtheiranalyticaltoolstotheinterplayof

illustrationandtextintheconstructionofthecomicbooknarrative.

Byanalysingtheongoingargumentsinacademichistoryandthe

conceptsof21stcenturylearning,anicheisformedforthetwolinesoninquiry

tomergeandtoopenexcitingpossibilitiesforteachingthehistorysyllabus.

Whilethereisanarrayofmediumsthatcouldpotentiallybeintroducedto

learnersintheStage5ofthehistorysyllabuscomicbooksasconstructthrough

imageandtext,offerlearnersalternativesourcesfortheuseofanalytictools

andindividuallearningpreferences.Theworkshopsthatformthefinalchapter

ofthisthesishighlightthedifferentapplicationsofcomicbooksintheNESA

syllabus.Thisisnotanargumentforthedominanceofcomicbookteachingin

theclassroom.Rather,Iarguethatcomicbooksshouldformpartofan

educator’sarsenalworkingtoexcite,engageandchallengelearnersintheir

studyofthepast.

Thecomicmediumhasbeenextensivelyexaminedforitsiconic

constructionthroughpanelbasedillustrationandtext,whichworktogetherin

thecreationofthenarrative.Itisamediaformthathasexcitedandengrossed

readersformuchofthe20thcenturyandcontinuestoappealtoagrowing

internationalaudience.Shiftingfromitsoriginsasashort‘funnies’stripto

dominateasaliterarystyleinitscontemporarycomicbookform,thecomic

formcaptivatesthereaders’imaginationandofferstheopportunityfor

historicalknowledgetobedevelopedthroughcloseanalysisofthecomicbook

itself,andthroughwiderinvestigationandanalysis.Manyofthemediaforms

popularwithinpopculturearethesamemediawithwhichstudentsengage

awayfromtheclassroomonadailybasis.Theriseinglobalconnectivity

throughdigitaltechnologyislargelyaccountablefortheriseinhistoric

awarenessformingoutsideofclassroom.Technologyenablesnotonlycross

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culturecommunicationbutalsoopensavastrepositoryofacademicandnon-

academicknowledgethroughtheclickofabutton.

Thedigitalizationoftexts,images,newspapersandpaintingshascreated

virtualrepositoriesofknowledgethatcanpotentiallychallengeourperceptions

ofhistoryandopenavenueswhichpreviouslybeeninaccessible.Thisfloodof

knowledge,ratherthanobscuringthepast,seekstochallengeshifting

perspectivesandrenewinterest,thereby,evokingnewandchallenging

responsestothepastrevivinganalysisandhistoricalrepresentation.6

DevelopingaThesis

Theconceptandframeofanalysisforthisthesiscameaboutin2014,asa

consequenceofresearchintotheuseoffilmasanaidintheclassroom.An

analysisofthestatisticsforlearnersundertakingModernandAncientHistory

showedthatlearnerfigureshavebeeninsteadydeclinesince2010.

Figure1.HSCStudentExaminationFigures2010-2016.7

Thesteadydeclineindicatedinthetableaboveisinstarkcontrasttotherecord

numberofHSCstudentsfor2016,whichroseto77163.8Althoughtheinitial

analysisonlywentasfaras2014checkingmorerecentstatisticsforthisthesis

hasindicatedthat,apartfromaslightjumpin2015,bothsubjectscontinueto

6TessaMorris-Suzuki,EastAsiaBeyondtheHistoryWars:ConfrontingtheGhostsofViolence(NewYork:Routledge,2013),4.7"Overview,"NSWBoardofStudiesTeaching&EducationalStandards,accessedMarch19,2017.http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/bos_stats/media-guide-2016/overview.html8"Overview,"BOSTES.

8

beindecline.Thequestionis,therefore,whyuptakeforHSCstudyinboth

areaswasfallingand,possiblymoreimportantly,whatimpactwouldthishave

onfuturedevelopmentsfortheacademicstudyofhistory.

WhileworkingasaHSCModernandAncientHistorytutorin2015-2016,

Ibecameawarethatstudentswereoftentaughtwithanemphasisona

textbookasabasisofknowledge.Theprincipalskillinvolvedwasremembering

informationratherthanindevelopinganalyticalandcriticalthinkingskillsin

theconstructionofhistoricalinquiries.Theoverallaimofthethesisisto

engageandexcitelearnersintheirstudyofthepastandtoensurethattheyare

developingtheessentialskillsofahistorian.Thatis,todevelopresearchskills

inthegatheringandanalysisofavarietyofsources,theconstructionofcritical

analysisandargumentsbasedonthisresearch,andtoeffectivelycommunicate

theseargumentstodifferentaudiences.9Theseskillsalthoughfundamentalto

historicalstudy,andcloselyidentifiedwithit,butarenotsubjectspecific.Nor

aretheseskillsclassroomspecific.Learnersshouldbeencouragedtoadapt

theseskillswhenapproachedonanarrayoftopics,developingresearch-based

inquiryacrosssyllabi.Whetherintheclassroomoroutsidetheseskillscanbe

adaptedtoengaginginsocialorpoliticaldiscussion,workplacedevelopmentor

ineverydayactivitiessuchasreadingthenewspaperorarticlesonline.

TheFederalGovernmentinitiativeTheMelbourneDeclarationon

EducationalGoalsforYoungAustraliansreleasedin2008isolatedtwokeygoals

forAustralianEducation:10

1. Australianschoolpromotesequityandexcellence.

2. AllyoungAustraliansbecomesuccessfullearners,confidentandcreative

individuals,andactiveandinformedcitizens.

9"NSWSyllabuses:Objectives,"NESA.10AndrewBarr,JuliaGillard,VerityFirth,MarionScrymour,RodWelford,JaneLomax-Smith,DavidBartlett,BronwynPike,andElizabethConstable.MelbourneDeclarationonEducationalGoalsforYoungAustralians,reportpreparedfortheEmploymentMinisterialCouncilonEducation,TrainingandYouthAffairs,(Melbourne:2008)7-8.

9

ThesetwogoalsseektosettheAustralianeducationsystemandtheAustralian

Learnerattheforefrontofeducationalstandards.TheNESAsyllabus,acrossall

subjects,hasincorporatedthesegoalstotransformtheNSWapproachto

educationtowardslearnerdirectedcapabilityandemployabilityonthe

completionofsecondaryeducation.TheMelbourneDeclarationhasformedthe

basisforallongoingresearchintoFuturesLearningandhasremindedthe

focussedoutcomeforStages1to6educationand,althoughbeingovereight

yearold,informsStateandFederaleducationalreform.

TheanalysisforthisthesisisfocussedonStage5oftheK-10History

syllabus,Year9and10,asithighlightsthepotentialtoreengagestudentsatthe

finallearningstagebeforeundertakingtheHSC.Thisservestwopurposes:to

encouragefurtherhistoricalstudyatbothHSC,andtoensurethattheseskills

incriticalanalysisareinstilledinlearnerswhethertheyintendtocontinuein

tertiaryorinvocationaleducation.Althoughthisanalysisisfocusedontheuse

ofcomicbooksintheclassroomtheanalyticalconceptsandtheanalysisof

learnerpotentialtomouldtheanalytictooldevelopmentthroughexposureand

engagementwiththismediacanbereconfiguredforuseacrossavarietyof

mediasources.

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ChapterOne

ComicBooksasHistory

Introduction

Historyisallaroundus.Wearecontinuouslyconfrontedwithimagesof

thepastinfilm,literature,art,photography,architecture,andcomicbooks,to

namebutafew.Asaresultofthisexposureouryounglearners,andinarising

fashion,thewiderpopulation,drawmuchoftheirknowledgeaboutthepast

notfromtheclassroombutfrompopularentertainment.Throughthe

developmentoftechnologyandartisticformsthemediaweusetodepictthe

pasthasbranchedouttoincludefilm,novels,televisiondrama,documentary

andcomicbooks.Itisessentialthateducationshouldtrytoengagelearners

throughthesemediaformsandimpartskillsinlearnerstoactivelyengageand

analyseknowledgefromthesesources.

Whilequietalotofworkhasbeendoneontheuseoffilmtodepict

history,thecomicbookhasonlyrecentlyemergedintheearly1990sasmore

thanamediumofchildren’sentertainment.Imageandtextcombineinthe

comicbookformtocreateanillustrationofthepastinawaythat

independentlyimageortextalonecannot.Themediumhasbeenadapted,

interpretedandpushedtothelimittoaddressallvarietyofsubjectmatter,

socialissuesandquirkyinterpretationsofcurrentevents.Ensuringthat

learnersareeducatedtoapplythesamecriticalanalysisthatwecurrently

reserveforourhistoricaltexts,willallowlearnerstodevelopadeeper

understandingforthemedia,whichtheyencounterdayin,anddayout.

The20thand21stcenturieshavewitnessedanenormoussurgeinthe

developmentofdigitaltechnology,particularlyintheentertainmentindustries.

Thishasnotonlyaffectedproduction,butalsothedistributionand

consumptionofmediaforms.Internetaccesshasreachedanalltimehigh,with

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theAustralianBureauofStatisticsrecordingin2015thatthenumberof

AustralianhouseholdswithInternetaccesshadincreasedto7.7millionin2014-

2015,roughly86%ofAustralianhomes(upfrom83%in2012-2013).1Consumers,

throughthisglobaldigitalconnection,read,viewandcommentonavarietyof

mediasourcesthatdepictthepast.Accessanddiscussionofawiderrangeof

sourcesisfuelledbythisglobalconnectivity,providinganoutputforsource

engagementthat,priortothedigitalsuccessboom,audienceshadgreater

difficultylocating.

ChampionedbyAmericanhistorianRobertA.Rosenstone,muchofthe

ongoingresearchintonon-traditionmediumsfortherepresentationofhistory

revolvesaroundfilmanalysisandcategorisation.Historiansandaudiencesseek

toformaspecificlanguagesequencetodiscussvisualhistoryandtheanalysis

oftheproductionandreceptionasaformforhistoricalinquiry.Themediumof

thecomicbookincomparisonhasonlyrecentlybeenthefocusofhistorical

analysis,disentanglingitselffromtheshadowcastbystudiesrelatingthe

behaviourandreadingilliteracyinthemid1950s.

TheComicBook:AHistory

Comicbooksrosetoprominenceasaformofentertainmentintheearly

20thcenturyevolvingfromanoriginasashortstripappearinginpamphletsand

newspaperstodominateasaliteraryforminitscollatedcomicbook

appearancebythecentury’sclose.Themediumitselfhasbeenadapted,

interpretedandpushedtothelimittoaddressallvarietyofsubjectmatter,

socialissues,instructionmanualsandquirkyinterpretationsofcurrentevents.

Themediumremains,however,alatecomerwithinthefieldofanalysisonnon-

traditionalmediaintherepresentationofhistory.Thisisprimarilyduetothe

negativeconnotationsthathadovershadowedcomicbooksfromthe1950s,

whenAmericanpsychologistFredricWerthampublishedSeductionofthe

1AustralianBureauofStatistics,HouseholdUseofInformationTechnologyAustralia,Cat.No.8146.0,February2016,http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/8146.0

12

Innocentin1954,andledthecryforthebanningofthecomicbookforyoung

readers.Werthamclaimedthroughaclinicalstudyofadolescents,thatcomic

booksaffectedmental,ethicalandbehaviouralhealth:“inadditiontotheir

effectonchildren’sethicalgrowth,theircharacterdevelopmentandtheirsocial

maturation,comicbooksareafactorinhostofnegativebehaviour

manifestations.”2ComicbookswereaccusedbyWerthams’studyofaffecting

“thatareaofthechild’smindwhererightandwrongisevaluated…they

becomeemotionallyhandicappedandculturallyunderprivileged.”3Wertham

manifestedhimselfastheultimatenemesisofthecomicbook.

Thestudy,conductedinNewYorkintheearly1950s,influencedthe

UnitedStatesSenateSubcommitteeonJuvenileDelinquencybetweenApril

andJune1954.TheoutcomeofwhichwasthecreationoftheComicsCodeof

AuthorityacrosstheAmericanindustry,whichincidentallywastheleading

publishingindustryforthemediumthroughoutthisperiod.Soinfluentialwas

SeductionoftheInnocentthatcomicswerewidelyregardedasaleadingfactor

inpoorliteracyratesandcondemnedintheteachingpracticesofwestern

educationsystems.However,whenWertham’sresearchpaperswerereleasedin

2010,researchbyCarolL.Tilley,assistantprofessorattheUniversityofIllinois,

uncoveredquestionableresearchpracticesappliedbyWerthamintheclinical

study.Particularlytheselectionchildrenfromtroubledandlowersocio-

economicbackgrounds,andthetransferenceinresponsibilityofbehavioural

disordersfrombroadersocial,culturalandenvironmentalcontextstothe

recreationalpastimeofreadingcomicbooks.4

ThepublicationofArtSpiegelman’sMausinthelatterpartofthe

centuryforcedare-evaluationofthecomicbookasameansofrepresenting

history.Mausappearedin‘Raw’magazinebetween1980and1991,andbecause

ofitspopularity,waspublishedasasinglealbumin1991.Thecomicseries

receivedunprecedentedpraiseandin1992wasthefirstcomicbooktobe2Wertham,SeductionoftheInnocent,105.3Ibid,94-95.4CarolL.Tilley,"SeducingtheInnocent:FredricWerthamandtheFalsificationsThatHelpedCondemnComics."InformationCulture:AJournalofHistory47,no.4(2012):402.

13

awardedaPulitzerPrize.MausisthevisualrepresentationofSpiegelmans’

interviewswithhisagingfatherVladek,illustratinghissurvivalthroughWorld

WarIIandtheHolocaustasaPolishJew.TheartistchosetodepictVladeks’

storythroughtheimageryofJewsasmiceandtheNaziregimeascats(figure

2).Strippingawaythereader’spreconceptionstothewell-studiedeventsofthe

Holocaust,butnotdiminishingVladeks’storyintheprocess.

Figure2.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus.5

SpiegelmanthroughthereleaseofMausreinvigoratedthecomicbook

mediumasaviableformforthenarrativeandvisualmeansforhistorical

representationandanalysis.Thecomicprovidestheauthortheopportunityto

jumpbetweenthenarrativetoldthroughhisfatherVladeks’ownwords,the

engagementoffatherandsonthroughouttherecountingoftheevents,andthe

author’scommentary,communicatingdirectlywiththereader.Workingona

varietyoflevels,Mausasanhistoricalartefact,operatesasnoothermedium

could,allowingSpiegelmantotracktheexperiencesofVladek,fromthe

5ArtSpiegelman,TheCompleteMaus,(London:Penguin,2003).

14

contemporarysettingoftheirNewYorkhome,throughWorldWarIIandthe

liberationoftheauthorsparentsfromAuschwitz.

ThroughMauscomicsonceagainfoundaplacewithintheliteraryworld

andineducation.Asstudentswereincreasinglyexposedtonon-traditional

textsandasresearchintolearningtypesofstudentsadvanced,themeritsof

comicbooksandgraphicnovels,particularlyinprimaryeducation,flourished.

Moreover,theworkofgraphicnovelsandhistoricalcomicswasplacedinthe

spotlight,challengingthesupremacyofthecomicbookheroasthecentrepiece

ofthecomicworld.Comicsbecamevehiclesfornon-fictionbignarrative

history,encapsulatingoral,writtenandvisualhistoricalforms.6

ComicBooksasHistory

Thecomicbookasweseeittoday,easilyrecognisablethroughitsiconic

panelsandburstsoftext,hasbeenrefinedbycomicartiststhroughoutthe20th

and21stcenturiestoformthepopularentertainmenticonizedthroughtheir

associationwithspandexwearing,maskeddo-gooders.Thecomicbookform

weassociateinitspanel-basedimagesandspeechbubblesemergedfromthe

pagesofnewspapersinthelate18thcentury,wheretheywereusedforsocial

andpoliticalcommentary.ComicartistWillEisnersurmisestheblending

processofillustrationandproseoverthepast70yearshasachieveda

“successfulcross-breeding”throughouttheartform.7Asthereaderisrequired

toapplybothvisualandverbalinterpretiveskillswhentheyreadcomicbooks.

Thecomicbookpresentsaperfectcanvasforrecordingthepast,asit

remainsnotonlyamediumthroughwhichwecanrecounthistory,butalsoasa

sourceofstudythroughconstruction,production,meaningandreception.The

comicformappliesbothformsofvisualcommunication,blendingillustration

andtexttotellastoryandtotransfermeaningtotheaudience.Thecomic

bookformimmersesthereaderasanagentofthestory.Relyingonthe

interplayofcreatorandreaderinthecontinuationofthenarrative,and

6PaulBuhle,"HistoryandComics."ReviewsinAmericanHistory35,no.2(2007):320.7WillEisner,ComicsandSequentialArt.Expandeded,(Tamarac:Poorhouse,2001),8.

15

throughthisinterplayensuresthatnotworeadingsareeveridentical.As

describedbycomicartistScottMcCloud“thecomicsI‘see’inmymindwill

neverbeseenintheirentiretybyanyoneelse,nomatterhowhardItry,”8and

astheartistworkstoconveymeaning–throughmind,tohand,topaper,to

eye,tomind–meaningandinterpretationareultimatelyentrustedtothe

readerasthefinalagentintheinterpretation.Isolatingspecificconstruction

elementswithinthecomicbookandanalysingthetechniquesappliedbythe

artistandtheaudiencethroughproductionandreceptionisolatesthespecific

functionsofthecomicbookinteachinghistorythroughnon-traditionalmedia.

Sourcessuchascomicbooks,inasimilarfashiontofilmand

documentary,relyonimagerytoportraythepast.Thisallowsfortheaudience

tosimultaneouslyengageseveralsensesatonce,“image,sound,languageand

eventext–elementsthatsupportandworkagainsteachothertocreatearealm

ofmeaningasdifferentfromwrittenhistoryaswrittenwasfromoralhistory.”9

ItisthisengagementofmultiplesensesthatAlisonLandsbergrecognises

allowstheaudiencetoidentifywithanother’smotivesandmindset,thereby

experiencingadifferenttime,location,experiencesandmotivations,10

effectivelycreatingacollectiveconsciousnessofthepastthroughtheviewers.

Thecomicbookitselfisconstructedasarepresentationofaneventor

seriesofevents,depictingatimeandplacethroughitscharacters.Itisforemost

aculturalartefact,beingcreated,produced,manufacturedandconsumedata

particularpointintime.Eachstageholdspotentialforanalysisasamomentof

history.Comicbooksareasourceofhistoricalanalysisthroughthreekeyareas:

thephysicalrepresentationofhistorythroughtheartist’sillustrationandshort

text;anexaminationofhistoricalthemesbehindthestory;andthe

investigationofhistoricaltheoriestobeexaminedthroughoutthedepiction.As

thetechniquesofart–perspective,symmetryandbrushstroke–are

8ScottMcCloud,UnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt,(NewYork:HarperPerennial,1994),196.9Rosenstone,HistoryonFilm/FilmonHistory,182.10AlisonLandsberg,"PoliticsandtheHistoricalFilm:HotelRwandaandtheFormofEngagement,"inACompaniontotheHistoricalFilm,edRobertARosenstoneandConstantinParvulesu,(Oxford:BlackwellPublishingLtd,2013),15.

16

superimposedwiththetechniquesofliterature–grammar,syntaxandplot–

thereadingofacomicbookbecomesbothanaestheticperceptionand

intellectualpursuit.11

However,asyet,thereisnostrategicorsystematicapproachtothe

analysisofcomicbooks.Fromthemid1980scomicartistandwriterWillEisner

soughttoformalisetheapproachtocomicstudies.ComicsandSequentialArt,

publishedin1985,introducedtheterm‘sequentialart’intothevocabularyof

comicbookanalysis.Eisnersignifiedapushbyartiststore-evaluateandre-

definethecomicformasComicsandSequentialArtoutlinestheprincipalsand

methodsheusedtointroducecomicstudiesatatertiarylevel.ScottMcCloud’s

UnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArtsoughttofurtherdefinethe

constructionalcomponentsevidentincomicbooks,andthetechniquesusedby

artistinthesequencingofpanelstocreatethenarrative.Bothworkshavehelp

framethestudyofcomicbooks.Theanalysisofcomicbooksisoften

approachedthroughaliteraryframe,duetotheapplicationoftext,recent

researchhasre-orientedthisstudyfromcompositiontoartisticform.

ArthistoriansYlvaSommerlandandMargaretaWallinWictorinthrough

theirworkonthedevelopmentofasystematicapproachtotheintegrationof

comicanalysistoincorporatefeaturesofarthistory,identifyingthatthe

“sequentialandnarrativeelementsofcomictendtoplacethemediainliterary

andlanguagestudies,andacclaimedresearchresultshavebeenachievedby

applyingnarrative,linguistic,structuralist,andsemiotictheoriesand

methods”12tocomicbookanalysis.Thelinguisticapproachtocomicanalysis

stemsfromtheworkofThierryGroensteen,acclaimedcomicartistandleading

figureincomicanalysis,whopublishedin1999SystemedelaBandeDessinee,

whichwaslatertranslatedandpublishedinEnglishasTheSystemofComicsin

2007.Groensteenoutlinedthetheoreticalsystemofanalysisforcomicbooks,

focussingonthefeaturesofthecomicformaligningwithliterarydevices.This

analyticapproachallowedcomicbookstobeevaluatedthroughtheircreative

11Eisner,ComicsandSequentialArt,8.12YlvaSommerlandandMargaretaWallinWictorin."WritingComicsintoArtHistoryandArtHistoryintoComicsResearch."KonsthistoriskTidskrift86,no.1(2017):1.

17

devicesbutoftenlackedananalysisoftheinteractionofimage,textand

construction.However,asSommerlandandWictorinargue,comicbook

analysisneedstomovebeyondGroensteens’analyticalframework.Comicbook

researchandanalysisneedstoadaptmoretoolstodefineanddeconstruct

imagesandthespaceoccupiedbeyondthepanel.13

Thisnewframeworkforcomicbookanalysisrequiresthebasicelements

offormalarthistoricalanalysis:material,technique,colour,form,

line/perspective,degreeofabstraction,balance,order,movement,proportions,

patternsandrhythm.Butitalsorequirestheformulationandcodificationof

knowledgeabouthowimageshavebeenconstructedandreadindifferent

historicalandcontemporarycontexts.ItisherethatSommerlandandWictorin

isolatethevocabularyofarthistoryasanadditionalframeworktoanalyse

comicbooks.14

Comicbookstudiescontinuetoadvance,asthemeritsofthemedium

continuetobebroughtintothespotlight.Itisthroughthecodificationofa

systematicapproachtocomicbookanalysisthatthemediumunlocksits

potentialasaviablemediumforhistoricalrepresentation.RobertA.

Rosenstone,arguesthat“visualmediaarealegitimatewayofdoinghistory–of

representing,interpreting,thinkingabout,andmakingmeaningfromthe

tracesofthepast,”15asimilarcasecanbemadeforcomicbookstoworknotas

areplacementtothetraditionalwrittenformofthepastbutasanalternate

mediawithitsownuniqueabilitytospeakofthepast.

ACaseforComicBooksasHistory:MausaSurvivorsTale

ForemostinourmindsasasourceofhistoryremainsArtSpiegelmans’

TheCompleteMaus.Spiegelman’scomicbookdepictionofhisfatherVladek’s

13SommerlandandWallinWictorin,"WritingComicsintoArtHistoryandArtHistoryintoComicsResearch,"2.14SommerlandandWallinWictorin,"WritingComicsintoArtHistoryandArtHistoryintoComicsResearch,"2.15RobertA.Rosenstone,RevisioningHistory:FilmandtheConstructionofaNewPast,(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,1995),3.

18

experiencesasaGermanJewthroughoutWorldWarII.Spiegelman’swork

demonstratesadeeperdepictionofhistoricalrepresentationthansimple

storytelling.Asseeninfigure3Spiegelmaninsertshimselfinthenarrative,

mergingtheemotionsofthepresentthroughthereflectionofthepast,

transcendingtimetopresentmultiplestorylinesforthereader.Throughthe

constructionofthecomicbookbythismeans,Spiegelmanengagesthe

audienceonadeeperlevel,emphasisingthelingeringeffectofthepastonthe

present.

Aswecanseeinfigure3,ArtisreactingtothesuccessofMaus,the

ongoingdifficultyofhistorypressingonVladek,Arthimselfandtheir

surroundingfamily.TherecountingofVladeks’taleandtheresidualaffectson

Vladekandhislatergenerations,speakstotheaudiencethroughthere-

contextualizationoftime.ItgroundstheexperienceofArtandVladek,

overlayingoneanotherinthecreationofmultiplehistoricalrepresentations

withinasingleartform.ThechoicebySpiegelmanofthecomicbookformfor

hisdepictionofhisfathers’historyhighlightstheuniquecharacteristicsofthe

formfortherepresentationofmultiplestorylinesanddirectaudience

reflection.Presentingtheaudiencewithaprimarysourceontheexperiencesof

GermanJewsthroughoutWorldWarII,therepresentationalsohighlightsthe

natureofsource-basedmaterial.

Figure3.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus.Spiegelmanillustratestheroleoftheartist/authorintherecordingofhistory.16

16Spiegelman,TheCompleteMaus,201.

19

Spiegelmanworkstohighlightthestrengthsthatthemediumcanplay

inrepresentinghistorybutalsoinitsvisualcapabilitiesasanexaminationof

historyandhistoricalrepresentation.Infigure4theaudiencecanvisualisehow

thecomicbookhasbeenbuiltonthestoriesofthepast,andhowthepast

effectsthepresent.Thecomicformofferssomethingwrittenhistorycannot,a

visualexaminationofeventsandinterpretationsofthepastandanemotional

connectiontotheseeventsthroughtheartistillustrations.Unlikefilmthe

staticimagesofcomicbookscanbeconsumedbytheaudienceintheirown

timeandreturnedtoatanymoment.Allowingthereadertolingeronapanel

orreflectimageryoftheentirepagetocreatemeaning.

Figure4.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus.Historyisbuiltontheexperiencesofthepast.17

ThecomicformofferedSpiegelmanmanydifferentvisualtoolsto

emphasizeVladek’sstory.Theartist’suseofthephysicalityoftheframe

throughouttherecollectionsofthepast,containsthehorroroftheeventand

theclosednatureoftherecollection(figure5).Theartists’applicationofopen

spacewithinthenarrativeofArtiedirectlycorrelatestheclosedframenatureof

Vladek’smemoriesofAuschwitz,illustratingasenseoffreedomintheconfines

ofthepanel.Thephysicaldistinctionbetweentotwonarrativesallowsthe

readertoeasilyfollowbothstorylinessimultaneously.


20

Figure5.ArtSpiegelmanTheCompleteMaus.Spiegelmancontraststhepastandpresentthroughtheuseoftheframe,distinguishingVladek’sstoryfromtheinteractionofArtieandVladekinthepresent.18

Asfigure5illustratestheartistcontraststhepastandpresentinan

alternatingfashiontheremindtheaudienceofthediscrepancybetween

Vladek’srecollectionandthepublicperceptionofAuschwitz.Thespaceofeach

panelcontainsasinglemomentforeachnarrator,butwhengroupedtogether

toformapanelsequencecreatearhythmicflowforthereadertofollowand

interpret.Panelsequencingincomicshasnodefiniteform.Theartistrelies

uponthereadertocontinuetheplotbetweenpanels.Sequencedpanelswill

alwaysbegroupedtogetheronthesamepage.Oftensimilarinsizeorlinked

throughsubjectmatter,thecreatorattemptstoflowtheplotthrougheach

individualpanelillustratingaparticularscene.Withinfigure5weseethatthe

panelsdenoteasequenceastheartistengagesmovementthroughboth

narratorsaccompaniedwiththetext.TheimageryofVladekandArtiemoving

forwardcontraststhemarchoftheprisonersandtheoccupationofthesame

space.Eachcorrelatingnarrativepaneldenotestheprogressioninthestoryline

forthereader.Thepanelactsadividerforthepageofthecomicbook.For

McCloudthisdivisionhighlightsthattheillustrationofeachseriesoficons

doesnotprovideafixedmeaningforthereader,“thepanelactsasaformof


21

generalindicatorthattimeorspaceisbeingdivided.”19Thephysicaldivisionof

spacebythepanelperpetuatesthereaderthroughthestorylineofthecomic.

Thisapplicationofspaceallowstheaudiencetotransitionthroughmultiple

storylinesandsequencesoftime,perpetuatingtheinclusionofthereaderin

theeventsdepictedbytheartist.

TheShiftofComicsasHistoryintoEducation

Mausexemplifiesthehistoricalvaluetobefoundincomicbooks.Itis

oneofthefewcomicbookstobeusedintheAustralianclassroom,often

introducedinStage6(Years11and12)oftheHistorysyllabus.However,thereis

amultitudeofcomicbookseriesandproductionthemesthatofferthemselves

assourcesforhistoricalanalysis.ThelargelyoverlookedcomicheroHergéand

hisTheAdventuresofTintinseriescreatesacontextualsnapshotofBelgiumin

theearly20thcentury,aninsightintotheEuropeancolonialunderstandingof

theircoloniesandthepowerplaybetweentheoldEuropeanpowerhousesand

thenewCapitalistnationsfrom1929to1976.

TheseriesemergedinprintonJanuary10,1929inLePetitVingièmethe

youthsupplementoftheBelgiannewspaperLeVingièmeSiècleinweekly

instalmentsTheAdventuresofTintinwasaninstantsuccess.Itwaseventually

publishedin70languagesandhassoldover230millioncopiesTintinhas

becomethemostpopularEuropeancomicofthe20thcentury.Theseries

followstheadventuresofTintin,ayoungBelgianreporter,andSnowy,his

faithfulandquickthinkingScottishterrier,astheyembarkonaseries

adventuresacrosstheglobe,rightingwrongsandinvestigatingthedarkest

secretsfoundinexoticlands.Twenty-fouradventureswerepublishedbefore

Hergédiedin1983,leavingalegacyasoneofthemosticoniccomicartistsof

the20thcentury.

19McCloud,UnderstandingComics,99.

22

Figure6.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin.Hergés'distinct'clearline'artisticapproachforTintinandSnowy.20

FortheoriginalstyleandformatoftheserialisedcomicsHergékeptit

simple,publishinginblackandwhite.Hergépioneeredtheuseofstronglines

andsimpledetailingforcharactersandbackgroundsinhiscomics,thestyle

whichbecameknownasligneclaireinFrenchorsimply,clearline.Theclear

lineartisticstyleisiconizedthroughtheuseofdefinedfigures,objectsand

backgroundsusingthesamepreciseoutlines.Illustrationsarestrippedof

renderingorshading,whichproducesclarityforreadabilityinpanel-to-panel

narration.21Fromthemid1940sBelgianpublisherCastermanrequestedHergé

collateeachadventure,reformattingthestripsintoasinglealbum.Hergé

compliedintroducingblockcolourstotheillustrationstomaintainhisclear

lineapproach.TobroadenreadershiptheserieswastranslatedintoEnglish

andcolourwasaddedtoappealtoaninternationalaudience.22

Itisthesimplestyleandunclutteredrepresentationofthenarrativethat

allowsreadersprocesstheinformationtheartistisdepictingandthemessage

thenarrativeintendstoimpart.Inaninterviewin1930Hergéoutlinedthe

approachheusedforTintin:

20"Tintin.Com."StudiosHergé.AccessedJanuary23,2017.http://en.tintin.com21"Hergé&theClearLine:Part1,"PaulGravett,accessedAugust4,2017.http://www.paulgravett.com/articles/article/Hergé_the_clear_line22ChrisGuise,TheArtoftheAdventuresofTintin,(NewYork:HarperDesign,2011)21.

23

Itrytoattracttoaposterbymakingitstriking,simple,and

extremelyvisible.Adrawingprintedinblackandwhitemustshow

alotofwhite,alotofemptyspace.Nothingoverloadedorheavy.

[…]Simplicityisthemostimportantthing.23

Hergé’ssimpledesignapproachechoestheartistdepictionontimethroughout

theseries.UnlikeSpiegelman,Hergé’snarrativefollowsalinearprogression.

ThecombinationofthesetwosimpleapproachesinTheAdventureofTintin

seriesmakesittheperfectcomictointroducelearnerstocomicbookstudies.It

isalsothereasonthattheserieshasremainedafamilyfavourite,astheseries

hasbeenpasseddownfromonegenerationtothenext.

HergémeticulouslyresearchedTheAdventuresofTintinseries.Each

adventureportraysthepeople,theirvaluesandtheirinteractioninthewider

continentofEuropeandtheglobewithvividartisticaccuracy.Theresulting

comicisthereforevaluableinpresentingHergé’sperspectiveofthetime,place

andculturedepictedineachadventure.AswewillseeinChapterFourthese

aspectsofthecomicseriescanbeusefulforintroducingculturalandsocial

studiesintheclassroom.Thespecificcontentoftheadventuresmakesit

suitableforlearnerstobeingtoconverseusingtheoriesofhistory,specifically

throughtheconceptsofperspective,continuityandchange,andsensitivity

withsources.

TheValueofCrossMediaRepresentationforHistory

Ascomicbooksareintroducedtothediscoursesurroundingthemedia

weusetodepictthepast,ananalyticframeworkandapproachedtocomicbook

studieswillbefurtherdefined.Itisthewiderdiscussionofcomicbooksas

historythatgivesthemediumvalueasaspringboardtoaccessthewider

spectrumofmediaweusetostudythepast.Differentmediapossessstrengths

andweaknessindepictingthepast,andassuchrequireauniquesetoftoolsin

23BenoîtPeeters,Hergé,SonofTintin.TranslatedbyTinaA.Kover,(Baltimore:JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,2012)37.

24

theiranalysis.Developinghistoricalknowledgethroughwidermediaanalysisof

source-basedmaterialwillreengageandreinvigoratethestudyofthepast,

particularlywhenapproachingtheteachingofthehistorysyllabus.Realigning

theacademicstudyofhistorywiththeeducationalneedsof21stcentury

learners.

AsTessaMorris-Suzukiidentifies,themostpressingissuefacing21st

centuryhistoricaleducationistheintroductionanddevelopmentofsensitivity,

criticalawarenessandeffectiveanalysisbylearnerstowardsvariousmedia

representationsofthepast.Theseincludefilm,televisiondrama,documentary,

audiofiles,newsreel,livestreaming,historicalnovels,comicbooksandmanga

andincreasinglysocialmediaandtheInternet.Analysisofconstructionand

structureofthesenon-traditionalhistoricalsourcesincomparisonto

traditionalwrittencounterpartsidentifiesthelimitationsandanalytical

potentialeachprovidetothefieldofhistoricalinvestigationandeducation.

Morris-Suzukiasserts“theproblemishowtoequippeoplewiththepowerto

usevariousmediacreatively[andcritically]inanendlessprocessofrelearning

andreimagininghistory.”24Instillingthiscriticalsensitivityandawareness

throughoutourHistorysyllabusbyintroducingavarietyofmediadepicting

historywillallowlearnerstodevelopsensitivityintheirapproachtofuture

historicalinquiry.Itwillalsoinstilsensitivityandinquiryforlearnersasthey

engagewiththesemediaoutsideoftheclassroom.

Byensuringthatoureducationincludesanapproachthatallowsforthis

sensitivitytowardssourcesofhistoryinlearners,itwilleventuallyleadto

furtherprogressinthestudyofthepast.Learnerswillbecomeourfuture

historians,anddevelopnewmethodsforpresentation,engagementandcritical

analysis.Expansionintoandinclusionofhistoricalfilm,documentary,comic

books,historicalnovelsandothermediausedtodepicthistory,providesan

opportunitytorevampourapproachtoteachinghistory.Re-engagingour

learnersinthestudyofthepastandinstallcriticalanalysisandthinkingskills.

24Morris-Suzuki,ThePastwithinUs,31.

25

Aswedefineourlearnerandthemediatheyareconfrontedwithasthey

learnaboutthepastitbecomesevidentthatthroughoureducationalapproach

wecanensurethatlearnershavedevelopedawell-roundedanalytical

vocabularytocommunicateaboutthepast.Byutilisingthesedifferentmedia

formslearnerswillnotonlyhavetheopportunitytobemoreactivityengaged

withthehistorythatisallaroundthem,butwillalsobeabletoapplythese

skillsoutsideoftheclassroom.Weknowthestudyofthepastisimportantwe

justneedtorealignoureducationalapproachtoreflecttheneedsofour21st

centurylearners.

26

ChapterTwo

TheChangingFaceofAustralianEducation

Introduction

Toefficientlyimplementcomicbooksintheclassroomwemustfirst

assessthepedagogicalapproachandmediaanalysiscurrentlyemployed

throughoutYear9and10,preHigherSchoolCertificate(HSC),orStage5ofthe

NSWK-10syllabus.TheoverarchingcontentaimofStage5istoengage

learnersandfacilitatelearningpracticesthroughtheexposuretoalternate

media;challenginglearner’sperceptionsforhistoricalrepresentation.Tocreate

thenextgenerationofhistorians,learnersneedtobeengagedinthesyllabusby

employing21stcenturylearningpractices.Analysisthroughtheexposuretoa

varietyofmediasourcesintroduces,cuttingedgeconceptsand

historiographicalarguments.Theselearnerswilltherebybepositionedatthe

forefrontofhistoricalinquiry.Byunpackingtheneedsof21stcenturylearnersin

theAustralianCurriculum,andexamininglearningnecessitiesofenvironment,

technology,pedagogy,learningtheoriesandmostimportantlythelearners

themselves,analysiscanbefocusedonrepositioninglearnersattheforefront

forfurtherstudyandworkplacereadiness.

Learnersin2017havebenefitedfromanunprecedentedtechnology

boom.Thistechnology,inparticulardigitalandcommunicationtechnology,

hasinfiltratedintonearlyallofourdailyactions,informingandconstructing

thefoundationfor21stcenturylearningandlife.Intensifiedbytheadvancesin

digitaltechnology,theInternetandInformationCommunicationTechnology

(ICT)learnershaveneverbeforehadsomuchknowledgeattheirfingertips,or

theabilitytoventureandcommunicategloballywiththeclickofabutton.

Educatorsarefacedwiththedauntingprocessofengaginglearnersthrough

thistechnologyinanefforttopreparethemtoentertheworkforce,wherethey

27

areincreasinglyrequiredtobefluentinworkingwithandcommunicating

throughthesedigital,multi-mediaplatforms.

Inthissetting,particularlythroughoutStage5,educatorshavebecome

lesstheholdersofknowledgeandmoreafacilitatorforcognitiveprocessing

amongstlearners.Althoughlearnersstandinanageofinformationour

educationsystemgraspsontothe18thcenturytraditionsthroughwhichitwas

forged.Theclassroomremainsslowtoembraceandapplytheever-changing

technologythroughwhichlearnerscommunicateandoperatedaily.Classroom

structureandassessmentstandardsstillreflecttheworkplacerequirementsof

theindustrialboomand,asthereportPreparingYoungPeoplefortheFutureof

Workreportconcludes,failstoadequatelypreparelearnerstoenterthe21st

centuryAustralianworkforce.ReleasedontheMarch272017bytheMitchell

InstituteattheVictoriaUniversityPreparingYoungPeoplefortheFutureof

WorkaddresseslearnerstransitionfromtertiaryandVocationalEducation

Training(VET)emphasisesthealarmingemploymentfiguresamongstyoung

Australians:

YouthunemploymenthasremainedhighsincetheonsetoftheGlobal

FinancialCrisis.Theunemploymentrateofyoungpeople(15-24year

olds)averaged12.7percentin2016,upfrom9.4percentin2007.1

ThereporthighlightstheprominentemploymentsectorsforAustraliansunder

25andthegrowthofoverallemploymentsectorsbyindustry.Thefindingsof

thereportraiseseriousquestionstotheAustralianCurriculum,Assessment

andReportingAuthority(ACARA)relatingtotheadequatelearner

preparednesstoentereithertertiaryofvocationaltrainingonleavingsecondary

school.

Classroomemphasisshouldberealignedonthepotentialforlearnersto

developcriticalthinkingskills,therebyaligninghistoricaleducationand

inquirywiththeNSWGovernmentEducationStrategicFocusforaneducation

1KateTorii,andMeganO'Connell,PreparingYoungPeoplefortheFutureofWork,researchreportpreparedfortheMitchellInstitute,(Melbourne:2017)2.

28

systemthat“mustequipyoungpeoplewiththecapacitytothink,solve

problemsandrespondtoandthriveinachangingsociety,”2andultimately

aligningteachingpedagogywithongoingdebatesandnewtechnologyutilised

withinthefield.The21stcenturyclassroomneedstoreflectthe21stcentury

workforce,intowhichlearnerswillneedtonavigateoncetheyhavecompleted

theireducation.

The21stCenturyLearner

Thisresearchprojectisorientatedtoapproachtheresearchthroughthe

K-10Syllabus,andassuchboththelearnerandtheeducatoraretheprimary

agentsinthisframework.Manyoftheconceptsandsyllabusspecificoutcomes

aredrawnfromStage5,encompassingtheYear9and10syllabi.Learnersatthis

stagein2017havebeenshapedbytheiruseoftechnology.Theyarefluentin

textspeak,flowseamlesslybetweensocialdigitalplatforms,are‘pluggedin’

fromanearlyage,andspendlargequantitiesoftimeontheInternet.Forthese

learnersthedigitalinterweavesthroughouttheirdailyactivity.Knowledgefor

theselearnersiseasilyaccessiblethroughtheirsmartphone,iPad,laptopand

desktop,accessibleinvastquantitiesatanytime,dayornight.Gonearethe

daysoflookingthroughthepagesofthefamily’sEncyclopaediaBritannica,

whichoccupiedanentirewallinthehome.Flippingthroughtheindexofthe

textbookisaforeignandunknownconcepttothislearner.Vastrepositoriesof

knowledgearebutafingertipaway,accessible24/7andinquantitiesthatare

doublingbytheyear.Itisessential,therefore,thatlearnersdeveloptheskillsto

siftthroughthisinformationoverload,evaluatingandsynthesisingthe

knowledgetoformulateandcommunicatetheirownideasandarguments.

The21stcenturylearnerisessentiallyareflectionofour21stcentury

workplaceandthecivicdemandstheywillhavetomeetoncetheyleavethe

sanctuaryofthesecondaryeducationsystem.Toplacethisintoperspective,

2Brunignes,Michele."21stCenturyLearning,"NSWGovernment:DepartmentofEducation,accessedApril29,2016.http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-us/key-people/secretarys-update/21st-century-teaching-learning

29

learnersenteringtheNSWeducationsystemforthefirsttime,our2017

KindergartenersarefluentiniPadandsmartphoneusage,abletoconnectand

engagewithfamilyandtheirfavouritecartooncharactersthroughappsand

speakingfluentlyintech.Thesearethechildrenofthee-education,e-books,e-

communication:theultimatee-learner.Thisfuturelearnerhasemergedfrom

anageofalmostcompletedigitalemersionandourpedagogyneedstoreflect

thischange.Shiftingclassroomperspectivetoadepthofknowledgeand

analysisratherthanabreadthofknowledgeacquisition.Equallyimportantis

thedevelopmentoflearnerinteractionacrossmedia,theabilitytoadapt

analyticaltoolstothefittheknowledgepresented.

Butthen,ifourlearnerisaproductofthe21stcenturyhowhasour

educator,thedirectorofknowledgeandlearning,adapted?Althoughthe

majorityofeducatorshavere-trainedtobecometechliterateitisimportantto

notethatthisliteracyformsasecondlanguage,ofsorts.Althoughthese

educatorshaveincorporatedthedigitalwithintheclassroomthereremains,all

toooften,relianceuponstrategiesappliedthroughouttheirearlytertiary

education.Formanyoftheseeducators,particularlythosewhohavebeen

teachingforlongerperiodsoftime,theapproachtolearninghasremained

similartowhatithasalwaysbeen,andanattitudeisalltoooftenadopted:

whatworkedforpreviousgenerationswillworkforourcurrentlearners.None

theless,theyareabletooperateandcommunicatethroughthemediaand

technologyofthedigitalworld,butalwaysataslightdisconnectfromlearners

whohavegrownwiththetechnologyandhavenotbeenexposedtoalifestyle

withoutthedaily‘plugin’.Itisthejobofoureducatorstobecomeadeptin

communicatingandeducatingthroughthestyleoftheirlearners.Inafewshort

yearsthefirstwaveof21stcenturylearnerswillhavegraduatedfromtertiary

educationandenteredtheworkforce.Manyofthemwillentertheeducation

system,keentoshapeyoungminds,passonaloveforlearningandadriveto

bringtheclassroomintothedigitalage.Thisnextwaveofeducatorswillbe

versedinthelanguageandtechnologyofthe21stcenturylearner,andwillwork

tofurtherchangetheclassroomtoreflect21stcenturylearningandthenew

NSWsyllabus.

30

21stCenturyLearning

Nowthatthelearnerhasbeendefined,whatexactlyislearning?In

truth,thereisnosingleanswer.TakingthestandardOxfordDictionary

definition:“theacquisitionofknowledgeorskillsthroughstudy,experience,or

beingtaught,”3itisapparentthatitdoesnotreallyfitourcurrenteducational

needsinthe21stcentury?Thisdefinitionisbroad,openforinterpretationand

allencompassing.Moreimportantlythisdefinitionplacesemphasisonthe

educatorastheprimaryagentforlearningtobeachieved.Educators,governing

bodiesandevenlearnersallhavedifferentinterpretationsoflearning,and

thereisnosingleunifiedapproachorunifiedunderstanding.Itisthissingle

hurdlethroughoverwhicheducation,andinparticulareducationbased

research,stumbles.Fromapsychologicalperspective,learningisforemost

definedas“anylastingchangeinbehaviourresultingfromexperience,

especiallyconditioning”4andthefieldneurologyisdevotedinitsendeavourto

understandingtheprocessesengaginginlearning.

Forthepurposeofthisresearchwewillbeworkingwiththedefinition

forlearningdevelopedbyMarcPrensky,theAmericanresearcheronthefuture

education,andthecorrelationbetweeneducationandtechnology.5Inthe

definitiondevelopedbyPrensky,“HumanLearningisthesetofprocesses

peopleemploy,bothconsciouslyandunconsciously,toeffectchangestotheir

knowledge,capacities,and/orbeliefs.”6Thisdefinitionremovestheeducatoras

theagentforlearningandfirmlyplacesthelearnerincontrol.Theplacement

ofthelearnerisinstarkcontrasttothestandarddictionaryandpsychological

definitions,whichsituatethelearnerasareceiverratherthanacontrolling

force.Prenskys’definitionallowsfortheunderstandingthatlearningismore

3OxfordEnglishDictionary.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2017.4OxfordDictionaryofPsychology.3ed.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2014.5"PracticalandVisionary,"MarcPrensky,accessedMarch14,2017.http://marcprensky.com6MarcPrensky,FromDigitalNativestoDigitalWisdom:HopefulEssaysfor21stCenturyLearning,(California:Corwin,2012),38.

31

thanthesingleprocessortheoreticalapproach,whiletheseprocessescanbe

enumeratedtheyareforemostdirectedbythematerialtobelearnt.7Most

importantly,knowledge,inthisdefinition,isnotidentifiedasthesoleoutput

withinlearning.Expandingontheconceptofknowledgeashardfacts,factual

groupingsandtheinterrelationbetweenfacts,beliefs’ortheoriesandconcepts

asdevelopedbythelearnerandtheexpansionlearners’capacitytoprocess

informationisalsoincludedaspartoftheoveralllearningprocess.8Through

thisdefinitionoflearningitisthelearnerwithwhomtheactioniscentredand

thatlearningisnotsomethingthatcanbecompletedbyaparent,guardianor

educator.

Regardlessofthedefinition,learningisapproachedandmeasured

throughmanyvariedtheories.Theguidetolearningtheory,LearningTheories

inPlainEnglish,outlines81differentlearner,behaviourandsubjectspecific

theoriescurrentlyinoperationwithinwesternclassrooms.9Thisresearchwill

beconcernedwiththetheoriesthatarerelevanttotheNSWK-10History

syllabus;21stcenturylearning,Bloom’srevisedtaxonomyforhigherandlower

orderlearning,DigitalCitizenshipande-Learning.Whileeachofthesetheories

arenotcategorisedwithintheK-10Syllabus,elementsofterminology,learning

outcomesandphysicalstructurearereflectedthroughouttheNESAsyllabus

andtheFederalGovernmentsMelbourneDeclarationonEducationalGoalsfor

YoungAustralians2008.10

Digitalcitizenshipisareferencetoalllearners’whoareinastateof

havingaccesstoICT;digitallearningtheoriesinvolvethepromotionofequal

7MarcPrensky,"E-Nough!“E-Learning”IsaMisnomer–It’sMostlyJust“E-Teaching.”forAnyTeachingtoReliablyandConsistentlyProducetheResultsWeWant,WeStillHaveaLottoLearnAboutLearning."OntheHorizon11,no.1(2003):28.8MarcPrensky,"E-Nough!“E-Learning”IsaMisnomer–It’sMostlyJust“E-Teaching,”28.9Davey,K."SummariesofLearningTheoriesandModels,"accessedMarch14,2017.https://www.learning-theories.com10AndrewBarr,JuliaGillard,VerityFirth,MarionScrymour,RodWelford,JaneLomax-Smith,DavidBartlett,BronwynPike,andElizabethConstable.MelbourneDeclarationonEducationalGoalsforYoungAustralians,reportpreparedfortheEmploymentMinisterialCouncilonEducation,TrainingandYouthAffairs,(Melbourne:2008).

32

opportunity,democracy,technologyskillsandhumanrightsthroughtheaccess

tothesetechnologieswithintheclassroom.11Thislearningtheoryseeksto

reconnectruralandmetropolitanlearnersthroughdigitallearningspaces,and

increaselearneraccesstosourcebasedinformation.

DigitalcitizenshipineducationispromotedthroughtheNSW

DepartmentofEducationSchoolLaptopInitiative,whichprovidedalaptopto

allHighSchoolstudentsbetween2012-2013.Thisinitiativewasalteredtoa

BringYourOwnDevice(BYOD)from2014,buttheystillprovideresourcesto

schoolstoensureallstudentshaveportabledeviceaccess(regardlessoffamily

situation).Theformaladoptionofdigitalconnectivitybetweeneducatorsand

learnersallowsforcommunicationandtheclassroomtobeaccessible

anywhere.Enablingstudentstohandinassignments,homeworkandforthe

directcommunicationwiththeireducatorsandbetweeneducatorsandparents.

ManysecondaryNSWschoolsarecurrentlyutilisingGoogleDocstotransfer

unitinformation,textbooks,assignments,homeworkandgeneralschool

communication,inanefforttobringlearningoutsideoftheclassroomandgive

alllearnerstheopportunitytoexcel.

Thisdigitalmethodforlearningallowslearnerstoutilisetheirdigital

knowledgeandtoworkthroughthetechnologytheyhavegrownupwithand

willlikelyhavetousewhenenteringtheworkforce.However,thisuseof

technologyisinstarkcontrasttotheirexaminationprocedures,particularlythe

HSCexaminationundertakeninastudent’sfinalyear,whichiscompletedwith

penandpaper.Learnerswhohavedigitalaccessthroughthesemeansare

exposedtoawiderrangeofknowledgesourcesandcontent,viewpointsanda

greateropportunitytoengageindialogue.Itisthereforeimportantforlearners

todevelop21stcenturylearningskillsascriticalthinkingandengagethehigher-

orderlearningskillssothattheyareabletosynthesisethevastamountof

informationtheyarepresentedandmovebeyondmemorisingtoanalyse,

evaluationandcreatenewknowledgewithinthedigitallearningsphere.

11Davey,K."SummariesofLearningTheoriesandModels."

33

Bloom’staxonomywasdevelopedin1956byBenjaminBloomand

collaboratorsMaxEnglehart,EdwardFurst,WalterHill,andDavidKrathwohl.

PublishedasTaxonomyofEducationalObjectivesitoutlinedsixmajor

categoriesforlearning:knowledge,comprehension,application,analysis,

synthesis,andevaluation.12Revisedin2001,ATaxonomyforTeaching,Learning

andAssessing,Bloom’staxonomywasrestructuredtoidentifyknowledgeasthe

baseforlearningandapplies‘actionwords’associatedwiththecognitive

processorsthroughwhichlearnersencounterandworkwithknowledgeasa

progressivelearningframework(figure7).Bloom’srevisedtaxonomyis

similarlydividedintosixcategories,butunliketheoriginalmodel,isassociated

withthecognitiveprocessingofknowledge.Eachstageofthetaxonomyis

identifiedasablockuponwhichthelearnerdeepensthecognitiveprocessto

achievehigherorderlearningskills.Therevisedtaxonomyalsodefinesthe

differenttypesofknowledgeassociatedwiththecognitiveprocess:factual

knowledge,conceptualknowledge,proceduralknowledgeandmetacognitive

knowledge.13Thehigher-orderlearningskillsanalyse,evaluateandcreate

ensurethatlearnersaren’tfocusingonlearningandknowledgeinthesingular,

butcanadaptandcommunicateacrosssyllabiwiththeknowledgeand

analyticaltools.

Thedevelopmentoftheseskillspromptsthelearnertocollaborateand

incorporateotherknowledgeandbeliefstoformnewideas,conceptsand

arguments.Itisthesehigher-orderskillsthatlearnersoftenfailtodevelopin

theirsecondaryeducationandhavetoadoptuponenteringtertiaryeducation,

vocationaltrainingortheworkforce.Inmovingbeyondtheirabilityto

memorise,knowandrecallinformationlearnerswillbeabletofind,sort,

analysis,share,discussandcreateinformation.Theintroducionoftheseskills

inthesyllabuswillsituatelearnersattheforefrontofapplyingdigital

technologyandincludingalternatemediasourcesinthestudyofhistoryand

12PatriciaArmstrong,"Bloom'sTaxonomy."VanderbiltUniversity,accessedApril1,2017.https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/13Armstrong,“Bloom’sTaxonomy.”

34

encouragestudentstochallengetheideaofthesinglerightanswerinhistorical

representationandanalysis.

TheACARAAustralianCurriculum(version8.3),14releasedinNovember

2016,emphasisesBloom’shigher-orderskillsinthecoresubjects(specifically

History,Geography,CivicsandCitizenship,andEconomicsandBusiness).

Thesesubjectshavebeenre-designedtopromote“deeperengagementwith

abstractthought;[where]studentsareencouragedtoquestionestablished

conventions,practicesandvaluesandconsiderpossibleoutcomesand

consequencesofactionsusinglogic.”15However,thenationalandinternational

examinationmethodsfortheassessmentoflearningdevelopedand

implementedbyACARAarepredominantlyassessedthrougheducator

observationandstandardisedtestingmethods.Theseformalisedtests

throughoutK-10arepredominantlymultiplechoiceandshortanswer

questions.Measuringlearningthroughthisframeworkorientateslower-order

learningskills,particularlyremember,asstudentslearntorecountratherthan

engagewithknowledge(figure7).Researchhasshownthattheapplicationof

thesetestingfeaturesforgovernmentmeasurementandstatisticalinformation

directlyorindirectlyaffectscurriculumapproachesandsyllabuscontent.16

Furthermore,thestateandnationalmeasurementandanalysisoflearning

drivesthecreationofthetestandoverlooksotherlearningmeasurementsdue

tothedeliveryofthesemethodsandtheskewedresults.Withthedrivefor

learnerstoentertheworkforcefluentintechnology,analysisand

understanding,industryandproblemsolvingskillsandcollaborativeglobal

awareness,changeshavebeenmadeinthelearningmappingforlearners.

14"AustralianCurriculum,"AustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority,accessed31October2016.http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/overview/7-1015"AustralianCurriculum,"ACARA. 16LindaDarling-Hammond,NextGenerationAssessment:MovingBeyondtheBubbleTesttoSupport21stCenturyLearning,(Somerset:Wiley,2014),6.

35

TheChangingFaceoftheClassroom

Withthechangingapproachtoeducationandtheconsistent

technologicaladvancementthatinfiltratesourlivesthetraditionalclassroom

nolongermeetstherequirementsforlearnerstoenterthe21stcentury

workplaceorevenourowntertiaryeducation.Theextensivefocusonliteracy

andnumeracyobjectivesisnolongerthesolefocusoftheskillsrequired

outsideoftheclassroom.Wenolongerrequirelearnerstoleavetheeducation

systemwithadominanceofeffectiveskillsinletterandessaywriting,andthe

abilitytorecountvastamountsoffactbasedinformation.Whilethemodern

workforcewillalwaysrequireeffectiveliteracyandnumeracyskills,greater

emphasisiscurrentlyplacedontheabilityforworkerstocommunicateacross

multi-mediaplatforms,utilisingandanalysingavarietyofmedia,collaborating

onlocalandglobalscales,utilisingdigitaltechnologyincommunicationand

documentation,andreachingglobalaudiencesthroughtheabilitytoutilise

complex,cuttingedgetechnologies.17Educationalreformsacrosstheglobeare

callingforlearningtoalignwiththecontentandtechnologyoftheworkplace

andapplyingskillsrelevanttoengagedandsociallyawarecitizens.

Thiscallforeducationreviewisbynomeansanewconcept.

Educationaltheorists,psychologists,curriculumtheorists,andtestingand

assessmentspecialistswithindiverseareasoftheeducationspectrum,have

petitionedforreformsinlearningpractices,educationalenvironmentsand

technology,andtheadaptationof21stcenturylearningskillsforalllearners,

acrosstheprimaryandsecondaryspectrumsincetheturnofthecentury.The

emphasison21stcenturylearningremainswiththe4Cs:collaboration,critical

thinking,creativityandcommunication.Theseskillsreflectthedigital

technologylearnersarefluentinusingtoengagewithcontentandfacilitate

learning,butalsoemulatethehigherlearningorderwithinBloom’s2001

revisedtaxonomy:thelearners’abilitytoanalyseevaluationandcreate

knowledge,18utilisingeachofthedifferenttypesofknowledgewithincognition

17MarcPrensky,"OurBrainsExtended."EducationalLeadership70,no.6(2013):27. 18Armstrong,“Bloom’sTaxonomy.”

36

alsoidentifiedwithinBloom’staxonomy.19Moreimportantly,itistheseskills

thatwilltransfertoaninternationalworkforce,enablinglearnersforthe

unknownofthefuture.Theadaptationof21stcenturylearningisevidentinthe

educationalpracticesandcurriculumofmuchofWesternEurope,North

AmericaandAsia.CountriesleadingtheOrganisationforEconomic

CooperationandDevelopment(OECD)ProgramforInternationalStudent

Assessment(PISA)rankings20havemodernisedtheirclassrooms,embraced21st

centurylearningskillsandstillmanagedtodominatestandardisedtesting.

Reorientatingtheeducatorasaknowledgefacilitatorandemphasising

thelearnersthemselvesinthelearningprocess21stcenturylearningreflectsthe

needforlearnerstobeableto“find,evaluate,synthesise,anduseknowledgein

newcontexts,frameandsolvenon-routineproblems,andproduceresearch

findingsandsolutions,”21whilefine-tuningproblem-solvingand

communicationskillsthatcrosssubjectsandlearningenvironments.

TheNSWGovernment,DepartmentofEducation’s(DOE)presented

dynamicchangestotheNSWK-10syllabusin2014,affirmingtheNSW

Governmentsstanceontheimportanceofpromoting21stcenturylearning

acrossalllearningstagesandsubjects.ThethenSecretaryfortheDepartment

ofEducation,DrMicheleBruniges,declaredinearly2015that“oureducation

systemmustequipyoungpeoplewiththecapacitytothink,solveproblemsand

respondtoandthrivewithinachangingsociety.”22ThestancefromtheDr

Brunigesreflectedtheongoingnecessityforchangeswithinthepedagogyfor

allstagesoflearningandisreflectedinthedevelopedoftheDOEFutures

LearningStrategyandtheInnovativeLearningEnvironmentandTeacher

Change(ILETC)innovative.Identifyingthatinthisageofvastknowledge

depositoriesandinstantGooglesearches,theeducatorhastoadapttobecome

afacilitatoroflearningratherthanthedirectorofknowledge.23Theinvestment

19Armstrong,“Bloom’sTaxonomy.”20"OECDAustralia,"OrganisationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment,accessedMarch152017.http://www.oecd.org/australia/21Darling-Hammond,NextGenerationsAssessment,1-2.22Brunignes,“21stCenturyLearning.”23Ibid.

37

intoresearchwithintheseareasensuresthatthroughtheapplicationof

collaboration,criticalthinking,communicationandcreativity,studentsare

engagedinBloom’shigher-orderlearningoutcomesasanadaptivelearning

approach,andeducatorsarereceivingeffectivetrainingandsupportto

facilitatethesechanges.ThisdirectcorrelationfromtheNSWDOEandthe

necessitytopreparelearnersrelatestotheinitiativetoraisetheOECDranking

ofthecountryandaligntheeducationstandardstothehighestdegreewiththe

learningeducationcurriculumfromaroundtheworld.FurthermoretheDOE

declarationon21stcenturylearningseekstoapplymoreadvanceanindustry

appropriatetechnologywithintheclassroomtomeetthechallenges“notjustto

harnessthepotentialtechnologycanoffertosupportqualitypedagogy,butto

usetechnologytoextendlearningopportunitiesandcurriculumbreadthforall

students,”24andtobridgethedividebetweenmetropolitanandruralschools.

Theconstructionofasyllabusorientatedtowardsaddressthe

requirementsofthe21stcenturyworkplacethroughthelearningpreferencesof

21stcenturylearnerswillensurethesmoothtransitionfromeducationthrough

totheworkforce.RepositioningAustralianlearnersattheforefrontofcutting

ideas,conceptsandtechnology.

24Brunignes,“21stCenturyLearning.”

38

ChapterThree

21stCenturyLearnersandtheSkillsofaHistorian

Introduction

Learnersareconfrontedwitharichanddiversearrayofmediafor

entertainment,socialconnectivityandcommunication,soitisnosurprisethat

thetraditionalclassroomdeliveryandtextbookteachingcanoftenseemdullor

boringandlacklearnerengagement.AswehaveseeninChapterTwo21st

centurylearnersareadeptatworkingwithandcommunicatingthrougha

varietyofdigitalandhands-onmedia.Theyareworkingtodistilmeaning

underaconstantbarrageofinformationthatisnotonlyconfrontingthembut

alsoaccessiblethroughtheirfingertips.Thefocusofourhistorysyllabus

should,naturally,turntowardsadvancinglearnerskillsindevelopinga

historicalinquiry.Theseskillsfocusedontheselectionandanalysisofarange

ofsources,applyingarangeofrelevanthistoricaltermsandconceptsrelevant

toanhistoricalinquiry,communicatingargumentsandideasthrougharange

ofmedia.Thesefundamentalskillsworktobreakdownthefigurativebarrier

betweenclassroomknowledgeandreal-worldapplication,andallowlearnersto

pursuetopicsofinterestintheirowntimeasameanstofurtherhonetheskills

ofahistorian.

ThelaunchinJanuary2017oftheNewSouthWalesEducationStandards

Authority(NESA)syllabusisdescribedbyNESAchairTomAlegounariasas

“themajorshifttowardsgreaterdepth,rigor,andmasteryofcontentlearning.”1

Theoverhaul,acrossallsixstagesofprimaryandsecondarylearning,seeksto

preparelearnersforthepresentandfutureworkplace,andtoencourage

1NatashaRobinsonandRebeccaArmitage."NewSouthWalesHSCSyllabusGetsOverhaulwithMoreComplexTopics."ABCNews,February21,2017.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-21/nsw-hsc-syllabus-gets-radical-overhaul-year-12-teaching-changes/8288000

39

learningskillsthatallowlearnerstobeactiveandengagedcitizens.2Developed

overfouryears,theNESAsyllabusisdesignedtoreorientateeducation

environmentsandeducatorstobetterfacilitate21stcenturylearnersand21st

centurylearningpractices.

ThroughthisdesignaimtheKindergartentoYear10(K-10)History

syllabusopensitselftothewiderinclusionofskillsinhistoricalinquiryandthe

developmentofanawarenessofhistoricaltheoriesamongstlearners.TheK-10

Stage5Statementemphasisesthediversemediautilisedtodepicthistoryand

theresearch-leadfocusdesignedforlearnerinquirybasedassessment.

Whenresearching,studentsdevelop,evaluateandmodifyquestionsto

frameanhistoricalinquiry.Theyprocess,analyseandsynthesise

informationfromarangeofprimaryandsecondarysourcesanduseitas

evidencetoanswerinquiryquestions.3

Thereisnosinglemethodormediumforteachinghistory.Theinclusionof

comicbooksshouldnotreplacetraditionaltextbookandlecturemethods,but

enhanceteachingtoencapsulateallprocessorsforlearning.Theinclusionof

TheAdventuresofTintinintheclassroomisoneofawidearrayofpotential

teachingtoolsthatcanbeemployedtoengagestudents,toworkbeyondthe

textdevelopingadistinctsetofhistoricalanalytictechniques.

AConjunctureintheClassroom

InMarch2015,whilstundertakingafour-yearreviewoftheBoardof

Studies,TeachingandEducationalStandardsNSW(BOSTES),DrMichele

Bruniges,thenNSWGovernmentSecretaryofEducation,formallyaddressed

theneedfortheteachingpedagogytoreflectandemphasizethe4Csof21st

centurylearningandteaching:criticalthinking,creativity,communicationand

2RobinsonandArmitage,"NewSouthWalesHSCSyllabusGetsOverhaulwithMoreComplexTopics."3"NSWSyllabuses:StageStatements,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/stage-statements/

40

collaboration.4InheraddressDrBrunigeshighlightedthenecessityforthe

NSWeducationsystemtoadequately“equipyoungpeoplewiththecapacityto

think,solveproblemsandrespondtoandthrivewithinachangingsociety.”5An

educationalobjectivereflectedinthe2008MelbourneDeclarationon

EducationalGoalsforYoungAustralians:“AllyoungAustraliansbecome

successfullearners,confidentandcreativeindividuals,andactiveandinformed

citizens.”6ThisreiterationandalignmentofNESAandtheAustralian

EducationalStandardsheraldstheshiftfromthetraditionalclassroom

structure,basedonan18thcenturydesign,toreflecttherequirementsofour21st

centurylearners.Thisshiftisevidentacrossallaspectsoftheeducation

process:fromcollaborativelearningspaces,tointeractivetechnology,global

communicativespaceforinformationandcollaboration,andtothe

reorientationofoureducationneedstobetterreflecttherequirementsofthe

workforceandtertiaryeducation.

Inthedrivetoprepareourlearnersforpost-secondary-schoollife,

whetherthatbeenteringtheworkforce,vocationaltrainingortertiary

education,theNESAsyllabushasbeenconstructedtoensurethatour

educationsystemhasimpartedthecorrectsetofcriticalthinkingandanalytical

skillstointeractandcontributetoourfastpacedandeverchangingsociety.

Throughtheseskillslearnersareencouragedtodevelopideasandengagewith

avarietyofmediaassourcesfromwhichinformationisthenextractedand

communicated.Thecomicbooksliesinthisconjunctionoftheneedsofthe21st

centurylearnerandtheaimsof21stcenturyhistoryteaching.Asafamiliarand

entertainingmedium,thecomicbooknotonlychallengeslearner’sperception

ofthehistoricalsourcebutalsopresentsitselfasanalternativemedium

throughwhichlearnersengagewithhistory,asitistraditionallyenjoyed4MicheleBrunignes"21stCenturyLearning."NSWGovernment:DepartmentofEducation,accessedApril29,2016.http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-us/key-people/secretarys-update/21st-century-teaching-learning5Brunignes"21stCenturyLearning."6AndrewBarr,JuliaGillard,VerityFirth,MarionScrymour,RodWelford,JaneLomax-Smith,DavidBartlett,BronwynPike,andElizabethConstable.MelbourneDeclarationonEducationalGoalsforYoungAustralians,reportpreparedfortheEmploymentMinisterialCouncilonEducation,TrainingandYouthAffairs,(Melbourne:2008),3.

41

outsideoftheclassroom.Themediumleadslearnerstochallengetheapproach

toreadingandanalysisduetoitsionicformationofpanelbasedimageand

text.Manyeducators,learnersandparentsviewthecomicbookasanalmost

radicalsymbolforeducationchange.Ithasoverthrowntheeducationalshadow

ofilliteracycastinthemid20thcentury,asoutlinedinChapterOne,and

challengeslearnersandteachersinwaysthattextorimagealonecannot.

Thechangingteachingandlearningdirectives,andtheexpansionof

mediathroughwhichhistoryistransmittedandanalysedtheNESAStage5

Historysyllabushasbeenspecificallydesignedtoallowforateachingapproach

inallareasofstudytoreflectbotharguments,reflectingthenationalobjectives

oftheAustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority(ACARA).

TheACARAestablishesasetofnationwideeducationalaimsforallsubjects

andlearningstages.AsoutlinedbytheACARALevelDescription“thehistory

contentatthisyearlevelinvolvestwostands:historicalknowledgeand

understanding,andhistoricalskills.”7Theobjectivesforthedevelopmentand

deliveryoftheStage5Historysyllabusfurtherrefinetheseskillsforlearnersas

afocusonthedevelopmentofhistoricalunderstanding,throughkeyconcepts,

includingevidence,continuityandchange,causeandeffect,perspectives,

empathy,significanceandcontestability.8TheeducationalaimsoftheHistory

syllabusatthisstageisamovebyACARAtopushlearnersbeyondthe

transmissionofinformationandisreflectiveofthelearnermovingtowards

developingtheirhistoricalknowledgeskillstobetterengagewithconceptsand

theoriesthatreflecttheacademicdiscipline.Thedevelopmentoftheseskills

willbetterequiplearnerstomovethroughtotertiarystudiesinhistory,where

thereisacallforadeeperengagementwithsourcesinthedevelopmentof

ideas,argumentsandconcepts.

Theseskillsareusedineverydaylife,fromsimpleknowledgeacquisition

tofully-fledgedhistoricalinquiry.WhatIhaveinmindmightbestbe

7"Year9LevelDescription,"AustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority,accessedOctober31,2016.http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/overview/7-108Ibid.

42

illustratedthroughtheexamplethe1965-1971CBScomedyclassicHogan’s

Heroes.ThiswelllovedAmericancomedyfeaturesaloosedepictionofallied

forcesinaGermanPrisonerofWar(POW)CampinNaziGermanyduring

WorldWarII.Thestorylinewaswrittenasacomedyandthereforemakesno

claimstohistoricalaccuracyasthecastworkthroughastorylineofan

undergroundcounteroffensivetotheNaziwareffort.However,further

analysisoftheproduction,castingandstorylinedevelopmentuneartheda

fascinatingsideargument.ThreeoftheprimaryactorsareJewishandhad

eitherbeeninterredinaconcentrationcamporelsehadlostclosefamilytothe

Naziregime.Furtherreadinguncoveredboththeirexperiencesthroughoutthe

warandwhilefilmingtheseries.ContrastingtheportrayalofPOW’swiththose

experiencedbyJewsthroughoutthewar.

Thisbriefsidenotedemonstratestheintrinsicnatureoftheseskills

appliedtoeverydayentertainmentandthebuildingofhistorical

understanding,showseverydayapplicationofhistoricalenquiryskillsessential

forstudentdevelopmentoutsideoftheclassroom.Watchingsomethingaslight

heartedasHogan’sHeroesillustratesaninterestingavenueforlearnerstostudy

perceptionsandrepresentationsofWWII,whichformspartoftheNESAStage

6(Years11and12)ModernHistorycoreareaofstudy.

Figure7.Bloom'sTaxonomyforLearning(revised2001).9

9PatriciaArmstrong,"Bloom'sTaxonomy."VanderbiltUniversity,accessedApril1,2017.https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

43

Ultimatelytheargumentsof21stcenturylearningandtheacademic

disciplineofhistorypresenttheteachingpedagogywiththeopportunityto

challengeandembracethehigher-orderlearningskillsasidentifiedwithin

BloomsTaxonomyforLearningandAssessment,figure7.Aspreviously

discussedinChapterTwo,BloomsTaxonomyisaseriesofstagesforthe

assessmentoflearning,andhighlightsthenecessitytomovebeyondthe

recollectionofinformationandtheconstructionofafunctionalnarrativefor

historyandtowardsthedevelopmentofideasandarguments.Thehigher-

orderskillsasidentifiedinthetophalfofthepyramidinfigure7,aredescribed

bytheeducationpolicy,practiceandassessmentresearcherLindaDarling-

Hammond,FacultyDirectsoftheStanfordCentreforOpportunityPolicyin

Education,asrequiringlearnersto“examinearguments,makeinferences,and

findevidencethatsupportsexplanations.”10Darling-Hammondinher

argumentsforthereformationofstudentlearningassessmentaddressesthese

learningskillsastheessentialcrosssyllabusskillsetthatformsthebasisof

post-schoolworkforcerequirementsfacingourlearners.Itispreciselythese

skillsthataredevelopedthroughexposuretodifferentmediaanddeveloping

skillsinhistoricalanalysisandunderstanding.

ACARAoutlinesthekeyachievementsfortheStage5learnerswillbe

ableto“process,analysesandsynthesizeinformationfromarangeofprimary

andsecondarysourcesanduseitasevidencetoanswerinquiryquestions.”11It

isareferencetoBloomshigher-orderlearningskillsandmovingbeyondbasic

knowledgeregurgitationasanassessmentoflearning.Itisthroughthisstageof

synthesisthatDarling-Hammondassessesthatlearnerscompileinformation,

andthroughtheapplicationofhistoricalconceptsandanalyticalskills,

communicateknowledge.Inhistorythishasremainedwithinthetradition

isolatedtothecollectionofprimaryandsecondarytextualsourcesfor

secondarystudents.Ifwehavepreviouslyexposedlearnerstoawiderrangeof10LindaDarling-Hammond,NextGenerationAssessment:MovingBeyondtheBubbleTesttoSupport21stCenturyLearning,(Somerset:Wiley,2014),17.11"AustralianCurriculum."AustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority,accessedOctober31,2016.http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/overview/7-10,

44

media,thiswillallowthemtofurtherdevelophistoricalresearchskillsandthe

communicationofdifferentanalyticalframeworkwhenworkingwithnon-

traditionalmediasources,suchascomicbook,historicalnovels,filmand

televisiondrama.Throughoutthisprocessthebackboneofthesyllabus

remainswiththetextbookoverlay,butinordertoengageinBloomshigher-

orderlearningskills,leadinglearnerstoweighandbalanceevidenceasthey

engageinresearchbasedlearningactivitiesandassessment.

Thehighest-orderinBloomsTaxonomyallowsforlearnerstodevelop

ideasbasedonasetofrigorousstandards,topresentanddefendtheirideas

andjudgmentofinformation.12Movingbeyondthesearchofasingleright

answer,andtowardstheconstitutionofhistoricalarguments,whichformsthe

standardofachievewithinthehistorysyllabusfortheAustralianCurriculum.

Thesehigher-orderlearningskillsaretheskillsthatthemodernAustralian

workforceexpectsemployeestobeabletoworkthrough.Inparticular,

employersrequireemployeestodemonstrateskillsrelatingtoknowledgeand

researchbasedinquirywiththepresentationofideasandargumentsthrough

multi-mediaandtheoralcommunication.

Learnerengagementthroughthehigher-orderskillsremainsthe

primarygoaloftheAustralianCurriculumandthesubjectofhistory,the

achievementstandardisfocuseduponthegoalthat:

Studentsdeveloptexts,particularlyexplanationsanddiscussions,

incorporatinghistoricalarguments.Indevelopingthesetextsand

organizingandpresentingtheirarguments,theyusehistoricalterms

andconcepts,evidenceidentifiedinsources,andtheyreferencethese

sources.13

ThesearethesameachievementstandardsthatarereflectedintheStage5

NESAsyllabusRationaleforeducatorstoinducelearnerstotheconcept“that

Historycontainsmanystoriesandthatthereisneveronlyoneuncontested12Darling-Hammond,NextGenerationAssessment,17.13"AustralianCurriculum"ACARA.

45

version.”14ThedevelopmentoftheselearningskillswithinStage5places

learnersattheforefronttoundertakefurtherstudieswithinthefieldofhistory.

Asweseektomovelearnerstowardspursuingthesubjectsofhistoryasthey

undertakehigherlevelsofeducation.

ASpaceforTeachingHistorywithComics

TheintroductionoftheNESAsyllabusinJanuary2017presented

educators,guardians,administratorsandlearnerswiththeprospectofan

excitingandchallengingneworientationfortheStage5Historysyllabus.The

resultofafouryearreviewtheNESAsyllabusisdesignedforthe21stcentury

learner,placinggreateremphasisonthe4Cs–collaboration,criticalthinking,

creativityandcommunication.AsformerSecretaryforEducationDrMichele

BrunigesaccentuatestheprimaryobjectiveofthenewNESAasbridgingthe

educationpracticesoftheclassroomwiththerealworldapplicationintheir

everydaylife,“it’simportantthatwevaluetheknowledgestudentsacquire

outsideofschoolandusethoseexperiencestomakelearningrelevant.”15

Brunigespointstothenecessityforlearnerstoacquireandsynthesise

knowledgeandtodiversifyknowledgegatheringprocesses,toenablean

efficienttransitionfromsecondaryeducationthroughtotertiarystudiesor

entrytheworkforceoncetheyhavecompletedtheHSC.

TheNESAStage5historysyllabushasbeendesignedtoreflectthekey

principalsforlearning7-10asoutlinedbyACARA:

ThesubjectsofHistory,Geography,CivicsandCitizenshipand

Economics,andBusinessintheHumanitiesandSocialScienceslearning

areaalsoprovidefordeeperengagementwithabstractthought,students

areencouragedtoquestionestablishedconventions,practicesand

14"NSWSyllabuses:StageStatements."NSWEducationStandardsAuthority.accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/stage-statements/15Bruniges,“21stCenturyTeachingandLearning”.

46

values,andconsiderpossibleoutcomesandconsequencesofactions

usinglogic.16

TheprimaryfocusoftheNESAHistorysyllabusisforlearnerstodevelopand

understandthat“Historyisadisciplinedprocessofinquiryintothepastthat

helpsexplainhowpeople,eventsandforcesfromthepasthaveshapedour

world,”17re-orientatinglearnersfromtheregurgitationofdates,namesand

events,tothedesigningandimplementationofhistoricalinquiriestodevelop

newargumentsandexaminedifferentrepresentationsofthepast.

TheothercoreareaofthehistorysyllabusasoutlinedbytheNESA

Rationaleisthat“studentsbecomeawarethathistoryisallaroundusandthat

historicalinformationmaybedrawnfromthephysicalremainsofthepastas

wellaswritten,visualandoralsourcesofevidence.”18Learnersandeducators

arerequiredtodevelopskillsbasedinidentification,investigation,inquiryand

analysisforavarietyofmediaandsources.Toengagewiththeknowledge

acquiredandpresentargumentscentredontheanalysisofthisdiversearrayof

sourcestounderstandongoingargumentsinthefieldofhistorybuttoalso

develophistoricalknowledgeskills,particularlyrelatingtoobjectivity,narrative

andconstruction.Theseskillsaretobeusedinboththehistoricalinquiry

componentofthesyllabusandtheanalysisorassessmentofknowledge

demonstratedbythelearnerthroughoutthesyllabus.Theoverarching

rationalefortheNESAsyllabusremainsforeducatorstodeveloplearners

understandingthat:

Historyasadisciplinehasitsownmethodsandprocedures.Itismuch

morethanthesimplepresentationoffactsanddatesfromthepast;

historyprovidestheskillsforstudentstoanswerthequestion‘Howdo

16"AustralianCurriculum,"ACARA.17"NSWSyllabuses:StageStatements,”NESA.18"NSWSyllabuses:ContentforStage5,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/rationale/

47

weknow?’Aninvestigationofhistoricalissuesthrougharangeof

sourcescanstimulatecuriosityanddevelopproblemsolving,research

andcriticalthinkingskills.19

TheNESAisprimedtohavetheboundariesoflearningpushed,tomove

alllearnersintoagreaterdepthofknowledgeandtoensurethattheyhavethe

skillstomovethisknowledgeandanalysisacrosssyllabi.TheRationaleand

designoftheNESAsyllabusisfocusedontheinclusionofmediaincluding

comicbooks,filmandtelevisiondramatodevelopanalysisskills.

Theuseofcomicbooksisperfectlypoisedinthedevelopment,delivery

andassessmentoftheStage5syllabus.Offeringlearnersafamiliarand

entertainingmediumfortheintroductionofnewandchallengingskillsrelating

tohistoricalknowledge.TheprimaryareaofstudyforStage5isTheMakingof

theModernWorldandAustralia(seeAppendix1).

TheStage5curriculumprovidesastudyofthehistoryofthemakingof

themodernworldfrom1750to1945.Itwasaperiodofindustrialisation

andrapidchangeinthewayspeoplelived,workedandthought.Itwas

aneraofnationalismandimperialism,andthecolonisationofAustralia

waspartoftheexpansionofEuropeanpower.Theperiodculminatedin

WorldWarI(1914-1918)andWorldWarII(1939-1945).20

Thiscoreareaofstudyencompassesalargebodyofknowledgespanning195

years.Thereisavastarrayofmediaandsourcesforeducatorsandprogram

designerstodrawuponwhiledeliveringthecontentwithTheMakingofthe

ModernWorld.Thecomicbookformatpresentsthebigstoriesofhistorical

studyaswellastheartists’ownhistory.21Itisthereforeanidealmediumfor

learnerstoengagethepresentationofthepastoverlaidwiththeanalysisofthe

19“Rationale,”NESA.20"NSWSyllabuses:ContentforStage5,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/content/1089/21PaulBuhle,"HistoryandComics,"ReviewsinAmericanHistory35,no.2(2007):320.

48

contextincreationandreceptionofthecomicbook.Aslearnersapproachthe

comicbookanalysisliesnotonlywiththeillustrationandnarrative,comic

booksasavisuallybasedmediumreflectthecontextoftheirproductionand

canthereforebeanalysedthroughtheframesofconstruction,productionand

reception.Thismulti-layeredapproachisnotreservedforcomics,butthehigh

levelofreaderinjection,asoutlinedinChapterOne,altersthemeaningwith

eachreadingandineachreader.Readerinjectionintothecomicbook

highlightsreaderpreferenceandcontextualsurrounding.Thesereaderly

functionshighlightself-awarenessinlearnersandallowlearningapproaches

andknowledgeextractiontobepushed.

Facilitatinglearnerstoengagehistoricaltheoriesandanalysiswith

comicbooksalsoallowsforthelearnertodigestinformationatapacetosuit

theirlearningstyle.Forunlikefilmoreventcontentdeliveredintheclassroom,

comicbookscanbereadatthespeedofthelearners’cognitiveabilityto

processinformation,lingeringonimagesandpanelstoextractinformationand

tolinktextandimagetoformulateanarrative;permittingeachlearnerto

analysethesourceforitshistoricalvaluethroughconstruction,narrativeand

receptiontoextendtheirknowledgeandsourceanalysisskills.

Theformatofthecomicbookwithitsinteractionofillustrationand

shorttextpermitslearnerstoworkaccordingtotheirownindividuallevelof

literacy,ratherthatworkingtothelargergroup.Workingwithtertiarylevel

learnersandcomicbooks,StergiosBotzakis,AssociateProfessoratthe

UniversityofTennessee,delineatescomicsasaninvaluabletoolforidentifying

personallimitationsandabilitiesforliteracy,asasourceofliteratureanda

content-arearesource.22Botzakisrecognisesthateveninthislatterstageof

educationitisoftenthehigherachievingstudentswhostruggletoworkwitha

sourcesoradicallydifferentfromtext-basedsourcesthemajorityoflearnersare

usedtoanalysing.Botzakishasfoundthatbyintroducingcomicbooksasa

readingactivity,learnersbecameself-awareoftheirapproachtotextandimage

analysis.Thecombinationofillustrationandshorttextworkingtogether22StergiosBotzakis,"WhyITeachComicsinHigherEducation."KnowledgeQuest41,no.3(2013):68.

49

highlightsanapproachtoeithermodewhenreading.Furthermore,aslearners

discusstheirreadingpatternswithcomicbookstrendsappearedinlearners

withlittletonopreviousexposuretocomicbooksthatstruggledtoapproach

themediumthroughananalyticalframe.

Educatorswhoadoptasimilarapproachtodevelopingself-awareness

throughreadingcomicbookswillchallengealllearnerabilitiesinthe

classroom.Discussingthecomicformwithlearnersallowsforavisual

indicationofhowtextscanbebrokendownandunderstood,merging

analyticaltoolsofbothtext-basedanalysisandarthistoryanalysiswithinthe

classroom.23Italsoopenslearnerstoalternateapproachesinreadingand

analysis,highlightingpersonalstrengthsandweaknesses.Pushinglearnersto

recogniseandadapttheiranalyticalapproachtoallmediasources.Educators

whoutilisecomicbooksintheclassroomareworkingtoassistinthe

developmentofself-awareandself-directedlearning.AsexaminedinChapter

Two,our21stcenturylearnersareadeptatengagingwithmultimediasources.

Oftenbeingmoreawareofdigitalsourcesthanthetraditionaltextbased

media.21stcenturyEducationresearcherMarcPrenskyidentifies:

Whatmanypeople,particularlyeducators,oftenforget(orignore)is

thatwritingandreading–althoughtheyhaveenjoyedgreatsuccessand

primacyforseveralhundredyears–areveryartificialandunnatural

waystocommunicate,storeandretrieveinformation.Asmostteachers

areaware,readingisaskillthatisdifficult,andoftenpainful,tolearn

andmaster.24

Prenskyisreferringtotheuseofimageryandpicturestocommunicatebefore

theintroductionofthewrittenword.Theuseofimageryiscontinuedtothe

utilisedincommunicationacrossnon-verbalandlanguagebarriers.Butcomic

23Botzakis,"WhyITeachComicsinHigherEducation,"68.24MarcPrensky,"WhyYouTubeMatters.WhyItIsSoImportant,WhyWeShouldAllBeUsingIt,andWhyBlockingItBlocksOurKids'Education."OntheHorizon18,no.2(2010):126.

50

booksalsoallowthereadertoprocesstheinformationorstoryintheirown

timeandthroughthereownlearningpractices.Thereadingofindividual

images,panelsandpagesallowsfordifferentlevelsofcognitiveprocessing,

formulatingideasandcommittingimagestomemory.Individualreadingtime

allowsstrugglingreaderstodwellonimagesoradvancedreaderstoanalysethe

narrativedepicted.Assuch,comicbookshaverecentlybeenexaminedfortheir

abilitytoassistindevelopingreadingefficientlyamongststrugglingreaders25

andfortheirabilitytoincreasevocabularyandgrammaramongstyoungerand

strugglingreaders.26Analysisofcomicbooksandtheirutilityintheclassroom

hasremainedfocusedontheirspecificabilitytodeveloplearningstrategiesfor

learners.Particularlyintheapplicationofvisualandtextuallearningtodevelop

high-orderlearningskillsandtheanalysisofnarrativeandconstructionasa

successfulteachingstrategytopromoteabstractcognitivelearning.27

ThekeyhistoricalConceptsandSkillsasoutlinedbytheNESA(see

Appendices3and4),OrganisationofContentarefocusedonthedevelopment

ofhistoricaltheoriesforlearners,andinthedevelopmentoffuturehistorians

bothinHSCandtertiaryeducation,andoutsideoftheclassroomaslearners

encountersourcesthroughreadingcomicsandgraphicnovels,orwatching

filmsandtelevisiondrama.Mergingpopularentertainmentandhistorical

inquiryforlearners.Theintroductionofconceptsandskillsalignedwiththe

academicdisciplinefosterasenseofinquiryintheinformationpresented

throughentertainment.Aslearnersdevelophistoricalinquiryskillsthroughthe

analysisofpopularentertainmenttheybecomeawareoftheintrinsicnatureof

theselinesofinquiry.Popularentertainmenthighlightstheeveryday

applicationofresearchandinquiryskills.Mostimportantlytheexposureand

analysisofdifferentmediateacheslearnersaboutperspectivesandthe

communicationofanargument.Bothskillsareessentialforlearners,asthey

25CarryeK.Syma,andRobertG.Weiner.GraphicNovelsandComicsintheClassroom:EssaysontheEducationalPowerofSequentialArt,(Jefferson:McFarland,2013),189.26SymaandWeiner.GraphicNovelsandComicsintheClassroom,189.27MarkBerninger,JochenEcke,andGideonHaberkorn.ComicsasaNexusofCultures:EssaysontheInterplayofMedia,DisciplinesandInternationalPerspectives,(Jefferson:McFarland,2010),247.

51

willengagewithavastarrayofsocial,politicalandhistoricalarguments

throughouttheirlifetime.Theapplicationoftheseconceptsandskillsensures

thatlearnerwillbeabletofunctionasactiveandinformedcitizens.

TheStage5syllabuswillfocusondevelopinghistoricalskillsinlearners

forthefollowingareasthroughtheirstudies:

ContinuumofConceptsinHistoryK-1028(seeAppendix3forfurtherdetial)

• Continuityandchange

• Causeandeffect

• Perspectives

• Empatheticunderstanding

• Significance

• Contestability

ContinuumofSkillsinHistoryK-1029(seeAppendix4forfurtherdetail)

• Comprehension:chronology,termsandconcepts

• Analysisanduseofsources

• Research

• Explanationandcommunication

• EmpatheticUnderstanding

• Perspectivesandinterpretation

IncorporatingthehistoricalskillsoutlinedintheContinuumofConceptsand

theContinuumofSkillsleadseducatorstowardstheblendingoflearner’s

understandingofpopularmediaforentertainmentandthetradition

structuringanddeliveryofthehistorysyllabus.Conceptsrelatingthe

perspective,significanceandcontestabilityareoftendifficultforlearnersto

graspandtheapplicationoffamiliar,entertaining,andvisualmediacanserve

tosupportratherthanconfrontthelearnerastheyworktoimprovetheir28"NSWSyllabuses:OrganisationofContent,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/content-k10/29Ibid.

52

knowledgeandapplicationoftheseconceptsandskillswithinthesyllabus

content.

ComicsandSelf-DirectedLearning

Eachlearnerbringswiththemtoeachclassroomadiversearrayof

learningrequirements,specialtiesandweaknesses.Anessentialpartof

developingourlearnerstoundertakefurtherstudiesatatertiarylevelorto

entertheworkplaceistoteachthemtoidentifytheirownlearningstyleandto

managetheirlearningindependently.TheAustralianCoreSkillsFramework

placeslearningasoneofthefivecoreskillsofeducation,takingprideofplace

asanessentialcomponentindevelopingyounglearnersandassessable

throughoutallstagesofprimaryandsecondaryeducation.Thefivecoreskills

identifiedbytheAustralianGovernmentCoreSkillsFramework30are:

• Learning

• Reading

• Writing

• Oralcommunication

• Numeracy

LearningisincorporatedasacentralskillacrosstheAustralianeducation

frameworkasitis“crucialtoadaptingtorapidlyevolvingenvironmentsisan

individual’sorientationtowardslearning,andtherangeofstrategiestheycan

drawontoassisttheirlearning.”31TheemphasisonlearningintheAustralian

CoreSkillsFrameworkisgroundedaroundtwokeyLearningIndicators:32

30PhilippaMcLean,KatePerkins,DaveTout,andLindaWyse."AustralianCoreSkillsFramework,”researchreportpreparedfortheInnovationDepartmentofIndustry,Science,ResearchandTertiaryEducation,(Canberra:2012),2.31Ibid,20.32McLean,Perkins,ToutandWyse,AustralianCoreSkillsFramework,20.

53

1. Theawarenessoftheselfasalearner,planningandmanagementof

learning.

2. Theacquisitionandapplicationofpracticalstrategiesthatfacilitate

learning.

(SeeAppendix2forfurtherbreakdownoftheLearningIndicatorsbyLevel).

BothLearningIndicatorsarefocusedonareflectionofindividuallearning

needsoflearners.Theaimofaddressingindependentlearningandself-

awarenessisaimatdevelopingindependentstudentdrivenlearning.Ineach

NSWclassroom,aStage5teachercanfacilitateaclassofupto34learners;34

adolescents,withindividualneedsandindividuallearningstylesandlearning

paces.Thedemandtoassesseachlearnersindividuallearningstylescan

potentiallyoverwhelmandoverstretchanyeducator.Leanerswhocan

demonstratetheirownself-directionandinitiationintheirlearningwill

achievehigh-orderlearningskillsandpreparethemselvesforthepost-

secondary-schoollife,wheretheywillberequiredtobeselfdrivenineither

theirstudies,tomeetassessmentdeadlinesandmanagetheirworkload,orin

theworkplacetoindependentlymanagetasksandachieveworkplacegoals.

BothscenariosareoftenconfrontingforlearnerspostHSC,asthroughouttheir

educationtheyhavebeenguidedandmouldedtomeetallexpectations,often

relyingoneducatorsandparentstooverseeanddirecttheireducational

milestones.

Comicbooksarenotonlyanexcitingsourcetobeusedwiththe

traditionaltextbookorwrittensourceforthehistorysyllabus,theyalsoserveas

aninclusivemediaformintheidentificationandunderstandingofdifferent

learningstylesforstudents.Asmentionedearlierinthischapter,Stergios

Botakishasexaminedcomicbooksforthemediumsutilityinbreakingdown

textsforlearners,aslearnerdrivenanalysisoften“takesturnsthatallowusto

talkabouthowwebreakdownandunderstandtexts,howweworkwith

strugglingreaders,andhowwedealwithreadersattitudes.”33Botakisandother

33Botzakis,"WhyITeachComicsinHigherEducation,"69.

54

educatorswhohaveutilisedcomicbooksineithersecondaryortertiarystudies

isolatesimilarresponsesfromlearners,afamiliaritywiththeformbutoftennot

readbyaminorityofstudents.Facilitatingstudentdiscussionbasedonreading

experiencescanoftenhighlightthechallengesinreadingcomicbookstothat

ofkeytextsexaminedthroughoutStages4and5ofthesyllabus.Having

learnersexaminereadingabilityandanalysisthroughcomicbooksalsoallows

learnerstobreakdownthetextusingsimilartextbasedanalysisappliedinboth

EnglishandHistorystudies.Breakingdowntheartists’intentioninthe

creationofthepiece,narrativeconstruction,textual,andcontextualanalysis.

Butunliketextbasedsourcescomicbooksalsodevelopanalyticalskillscentred

onimageryanalysis,iconographyandtheinterrelationshipbetweenthetext

andimageintheconstructionofthenarrative.

Theabilitytoadaptanalyticalskillsacrosssyllabiandmedianotonly

broadenslearnerengagementwithdiversemedia,butalsocreatesananalytical

‘toolbox’forlearners.This‘toolbox’isfocusedondevelopingtheskillsofa

historian,togatherandanalysisavarietyofsourcesandconstructand

analyticalresponsebasedontheknowledge.

EngagingLearnersThroughComicBooks

AspreviouslydiscussedinChapterOne,comicbooksthroughavariety

ofanalyticalframesareatreasuretroveforteachinghistory.Amediumlargely

associatedwiththeentertainmentofchildren,comicbooksworkinthe

classroomtoexciteandchallengelearners.ThecomicbookclassicseriesThe

AdventuresofTintinbyBelgianartistHergéisaperfectexampleofthemedia’s

potentialtobeincludedintheStage5historysyllabus.TheAdventuresofTintin

isarichsourceofcontextualhistoricalinformationandaprimeexampleof

historicalcontinuityandchange.34Theoriginalproductioninthe1930shas

beencontextuallyappropriatedinlaterreproductionstoreflectthesocialand

politicalargumentsofthetime.DifferentadventuresofTintinandSnowycan

beintroducedasasourcetopeaklearnersinterestanddevelopfurther

34"NSWSyllabuses:OrganisationofContent," NESA.

55

historicalanalysisskillsfortheStage5coreareaofstudyTheMakingofthe

ModernWorld,DepthStudyOne,TwoandFive(seeAppendix1).Detailed

plansforthedeliveryandteachingfocususingsamplesofTheAdventuresof

TintinwillbeexploredinChapterFour.Thissectionwillexaminethepotential

forlearningintheintroductionoftwoofHergés’mosticonicworks:Tintinin

AmericaandTheBlueLotus.

Figure8.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin.TheThomsons(ThompsonandThomson),CaptainHaddock,Tintin,Snowy,JolyonWagg,BiancaCastafiore,CuthbertCalculusandRastapopoulos.35

ThecharacterofTintinisaniconicfigureforlearnerstoidentifywith

andlearnthrough.TheComicsArtMuseum:BelgianComicStripCentre

pinpointstheappealofTintintoreadersasthecharacterwasdesignedby

Hergétohaveminimalfacialfeatures,asseeninfigure8.Withnoprotruding

featuresoradornmentsTintinappearsasaclearandfreshfaceinthe

adventure,instantlyrecognisablethroughhissimplydefinedfeaturesandcurl

ofredhair.Hergés’designforTintinwastobebyallappearancesneutraland

thereforetheidealrecipientoftheemotionsfeltandprojectedbyreaders.

Throughouttheseries“dependingonthecircumstances,Tintincanbeyoung

orold,ScandinavianorMediterranean,AfricanorAsian.He’sauniversal

character.Tintiniseveryman,Tintinisyou.”36Thisallowslearnerstobedrawn

intotheadventureandengagewiththecomicbook.Thetraditionalandsimple

clearlineartisticformistheperfectintroductorycomicbooksourceforfirst

35"Tintin.Com."StudiosHergé,accessedJanuary23,2017.http://en.tintin.com36TheBelgianComicStripCentre.

56

timecomicbookreadersandaclassicreadforthoselearnerswellversedin

readingcomics.

ThecoreareaofstudyforStage5coversawidebreadthofhistory–1750

to1945–andwillrelyonthetopic’soverviewtaughtthroughabasictextbook

exposure,toassistlearnersinconstructingahistoricaltimelineandbasic

understandingoftheareaofstudy.Throughthiscoreareaofstudylearnersare

primarilyexposedtooutcomes(seeAppendix2)relatingtotheselectionand

analysisofsources.Althoughtheareastudyspans195yearsinthedevelopment

ofthemodernworld,thedepthstudyareasallowforteacherfocusonsmaller

moremanageableareasofstudy(seeAppendix1).TheMakingoftheModern

Worldisdividedintotwoareasofoverviewstudy:TheMakingoftheModern

WorldandTheModernWorldandAustralia.37TheremainderoftheStage5

HistorysyllabusismadeupoffourofthesixDepthStudies:

• MakingaBetterWorld?

• AustraliaandAsia

• AustraliansatWar(WorldWarIandWorldWarII)

• RightsandFreedoms(1945-Present)

• TheGlobalizingWorld

• SchoolDevelopedTopic

DepthStudy3AustraliansatWar(WorldWarIandWorldWarII)andDepth

Study4RightsandFreedoms(1945–Present)arebothmandatorystudyarea

andarepoisedthroughtheirstudydepthtodeveloptheStage5outcomes

relatinghistoricalconceptsandskills,inparticularHT5-3“explainsand

analysesthemotivesandactionsofpastindividualsandgroupsinthehistorical

contextsthatshapedthemodernworldandAustralia,”38HT5-4“explainsand

analysesthecausesandeffectsofeventsanddevelopmentsinthemodern

37"NSWSyllabuses:ContentforStage5,"NESA.38"NSWSyllabuses:Objectives."NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/objectives/

57

worldandAustralia”39andallimportantlyHT5-9“appliesarangeofrelevant

historicaltermsandconceptswhencommunicatinganunderstandingofthe

past.”40WhiledifferentTintinadventuresexploreavenuesfoundintheseareas

ofDepthStudythissectionwillfocusonDepthStudy1MakingaBetterWorld?

andDepthStudy5TheGlobalisingWorld.

DepthStudy1:MakingaBetterWorld?offerseducatorstheselectionof

threeareasofstudy.41

• TheIndustrialRevolution

• MovementofPeoples

• ProgressiveIdeasandMovements

WhiletherearevariouscomicsthatcanintroducesthemesofstudyinDepth

Study1thisthesiswillbeexaminingtheuseofTintininAmericaandTheBlue

Lotus.HergéinthisthirdinstalmentoftheAdventuresofTintinseriesTintinin

AmericapresentstheUnitedStatesasalawless,rapidlyurbanising,capitalist

drivenstate.SerialisedweeklyinLePetitVingtièmefromSeptember1931

throughtoOctober1932,theadventurewascollatedandcolouredin1945.

Hergéapproachedtheadventurebyundertakingvigorousresearch,engaging

allmannerofcorrespondentsreportingforLeVingtièmeSièclefortheir

commentsonthecrimeandcapitalismgrippingtheUnitedStatesintheearly

1930s.Chicagoisillustratedasatowndominatedbycrime,lawlessnessand

unconstrainedgreed,asseeninfigure3theadventureopenswiththegangster-

dominateddepictionofChicago.ThereallifeChicagogangsterAlCapone

returnsfromTintinintheCongotoantagoniseTintin,sendinghimonaman

huntacrosstheWildWestinanefforttobringthecrimesyndicatetoitsknees.

39"NSWSyllabuses:Objectives,"NESA.40Ibid.41"NSWSyllabuses:ContentforStage5,"NESA.

58

Figure9.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.Openingpanel.42

TintininAmericaprovidesavisualrepresentationoftherapidriseofthe

UnitedStatestoaworldleaderfollowingWorldWarIandthegrowingconcern

oftheoldeliteEuropeanpowers.TheadventurefollowsTintinandSnowyas

theytraversethroughthewildwesternfrontier,trackinggangsterBobbySmiles

throughtherapidlyindustrialisingwest,escapingentrapmentanddeathfroma

NativeAmericantribe,TheBlackFoot,andovercomingthecrimesyndicateto

departanAmericanhero.

NativeAmericansfeatureprominentlythroughouttheopeningofthe

comicandaredepictedassavage,simpleandeasilyinfluenced.The

representationofTheBlackFoottribeisoneofthecentralareasofstudyfor

learners.HergéandhisillustrationofTheBlackFoottribedisclosetheongoing

plightoftheNativeAmericansastheygrapplewithproblemsraisedbytheiroil-

richlandandtherapidexpansionofurbanandindustrialareas.Tintinin

AmericaalsohighlightstheclassdifferenceexperiencedbyNativeAmerican

tribes.Whenoilisdiscoveredonnativeland,awhitebusinesstycoonoffers

Tintin“twenty-fivegrand!FiftyGs!!Ahundred”43tobuyit.Butwhenhe

realisesitbelongstotheBlackFoottheofferchangesto,“Hey,Hiawatha!

Twenty-fivedollars,andhalfanhourtopackyourbags.”44Thispageprovides

learnerswithanarrayofvisualisations,oftheattitudeofcolonisingelitesto

indigenouspopulations,andtherapidnatureofcapitalismandurbanisationin

theearly20thcentury.42Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.TranslatedbyLeslieLonsdale-CooperandMichaelTurner,(NewYork:Little,Brown&Company,1945),3.43Ibid,31.44Ibid.

59

Figure10.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.TheplightofNativeAmericans,illustrationsofcapitalismandrapidurbanisation.45

45Hergé.TintininAmerica,31.

60

Learnercentredfocusonfigure10is,initself,anelementofProgressive

IdeasandMovementsinthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.Theforcible

removalofTheBlackFoottribeandtheexaggeratedseriesofpanelsdepicting

therapidurbanisationoftheregionorientatelearnerstowardsfurtherstudyin

theprogressiveidealsofchangeexperienceofindigenouspeoplesacrossNorth

America.ThesedynamicshaveparallelshereinAustralia.Thiscontrastof

studydevelopslearner’shistoricalinquiryskillsastheyworktoconnectideas

andmovementsthroughTintinandothersources,contrastingtheexperiences

ofTheBlackFoottribetolocalindigenouspeoplesthroughoutthesametime

period.

TintininAmericaisalsoapointtointroducelearnerstothehistorical

conceptsofcontestability,continuityandchangewhendealingwithsources.46

Learnersexaminingthecontextofconstructionandchangingsocialideas

influencingpublication,canpursueaninquiryintheshiftingrepresentationof

colouredcharactersappearinginthenarrative.Focusingonnarrative

depiction,physicaldepictionandnarrativedevelopment,highlightsforlearners

theshiftingsocialattitudeentailedinthemovementforFreedomofRightsin

NorthAmericaandEurope.ThiscanbeappliedasaseguetocontrastFreedom

ofRightsmovementsactivethroughoutAustraliainthesametimeperiodof

theearly20thcentury.Followingasimilarlineofinquirylearnerscanderive

furtherexaminationofthepresentationofethnicminoritiesinpopular

entertainmentatthetimeoftheoriginalpublication.Thiswouldalsohighlight

thesocialmovementsactiveinthe19thand20thcenturies.

AsacontrastTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotusseesour

courageousherotravelfromBelgiumtotheAsiancontinentofChina.The

exhilaratingandbeautifullyillustratedfifthinstalmentoftheseriescontinues

fromthefourthadventureCigarsofthePharaohandseesTintinandSnowy

tackleanddismantleaninternationalopiumsmugglingring.AsTintinand

SnowytravelthroughChinatheyfacetreachery,conspiracy,adeathsentence

andmadness,alongsideroutineencounterswithphysicalthreatsandnatural

46"NSWSyllabuses:OrganisationofContent,"NESA.

61

disasters.PublishedinweeklyinstalmentsinLePetitVingtièmebetween

August1934andOctober1935theadventurewascollated,translatedand

printedincolourin1946.TheBlueLotusiswidelyregardedasoneofHergés’

greatestartisticachievements,andtheadventurehasbeenreferencedina

varietyofpopularentertainmentforms.Notably,theseriesisfrequently

referencedintheMarvelcomicbookseriesTheAvengers.47

OnlyintwoinstancespriortoTheBlueLotushadHergéincluded

representationsofChinesepeople.Theycanbefoundintheprevious

adventures:LandoftheSovietsandTintininAmerica.Bothdepictionsareof

sadistsspecialisingintortureandworkingforEvil.TheBlueLotusin

comparisonisanexplorationoftheFarEast,astoldthroughthepenofHergé.

In1933Hergémadeanewacquaintance,ChangChong-jen,astudentatthe

AcademyofFineArtsinBrussels,andwasintroducedtotheimageofa

culturallymatureChina,fulloftraditionandelementsofthemystical

unknown.AssistedbyChang,HergéwasabletorecreateShanghai,focusingon

thecostumeandcustomofthecity.Jean-MarieApostolidesinhisbiographyof

HergéandTheAdventuresofTintinnotes,“He[Chang]agreedwiththepointof

viewoftheChinesegovernmentandinscribedhisfaithinitonthewallsof

Shanghai.Eventoday,inthenewversion,thepoliticalsloganshavenotbeen

deleted,allowingthereadertofollowtheadventureinitsoriginalcontext,”48

(figure11).Hergé’sesteemforChangishighlightedastheyoungcompanionfor

Tintininthelaterpartoftheadventure.49TintinandTheBlueLotusintroduces

learnerstoperceptionsandearlyinterpretationsoftheFarEastfroma

Europeanperspective,examiningtheEuropeaninfluenceontheregionandthe

orientalinfluenceonEuropeanart,designandentertainment.

47"Tintin.Com."StudiosHergé.48Jean-MarieApostolidès,TheMetamorphosesofTintin:OrTintinforAdults.TranslatedbyJocelynHoy,(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,2010),25.49Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.TranslatedbyLeslieLonsdale-CooperandMichaelTurner,(NewYork:Little,Brown&Company,1946),173-189.

62

Figure11.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.ChangincludedpoliticalslogansonthewallsofShanghai,andaJapaneseofficial.50

HergéillustratesthecollisionofEastandWestwithinTheBlueLotusas

thereaderwitnessesacountryfacingtheJapaneseandanoverwhelming

influencefromtheWest.Introducinglearnerstotherapidexpansionofthe

nationofJapan,followingtheMeijiRestorationanditsperiodofintense

modernisation.ContrastingtherepresentationofJapaneseexpansionacross

theregionwithclipsfromChoiDong-hoon’s2015Koreanblockbuster

Assassination,learner-leadinquiryexamineseitherJapaneseexpansioninthe

early20thcenturyortheAustralianreactiontoJapan’sassertiveexpansion

policyinthesameperiod.

Figure12.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.Japaneseoccupation.51

50Hergé,TheBlueLotus,138.

63

ThefinalrevelationoftheBlueLotusitselfasanopiumdenhighlights

forstudentsthecripplingimportationofopiumintothecountry.Tintin

throughouthisadventureisconfrontedwithincolonialiststereotypes,which

forthetimeofproductionweremisconceptionsofEuropeansoftheunknown

East.Indeed,asChangandTintindiscussthemisconceptioneachhadtowards

oneanother,inthepanelsequencewhereChangasksTintin,ashepullshim

fromtheriver:“But…whydidyousavemylife?Ithoughtallwhitedevilswere

wicked.”Tintinresponds,“Yousee,differentpeopledon’tknowenoughabout

eachother.LotsofEuropeansstillbelievethatallChinesearecunningand

cruelandwearpigtails,arealwaysinventingtortures,andeatingrotteneggs

andswallow’snests…They’reevenconvincedthatChineseriversarefullof

unwantedbabies.”52

Figure13.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.TintinandChangdiscussculturalmisrepresentationoftheChinese.53

InthisseriesofpanelsHergéiscommentingofEuropeanmisunderstandingof

theEast.LearnersareablethereforetoidentifytherepresentationoftheEast,

particularlyChina,inEuropethroughoutthe1930s.Thevastarrayofexotic

backdropsfortheadventuresandthetimespanoftheirproductionmeansthat

TintinandSnowycanbebroughtinasasourceacrossdifferenttopics.The

examplesoutlinedinthischapterareonlythetipoftheiceberg.

51Hergé,TheBlueLotus,152.52Ibid,173.53Ibid.

64

ChapterFour

TeachingwithComics

Introduction

Teachingwithcomicsshouldbeenjoyableforbotheducatorsand

learners.Comicbooksrepresentaformofentertainmentforlearners,andby

introducingthemintheclassroomeducatorshavetheopportunitytoteach

learnersabouttheirownreadingandlearningstyles.Itisessentialforlearners

tobecomeself-awareandself-directiveintheireducation,toperpetuatethe

skillstheylearnintofurtherstudyandtheworkplace.Theworkshopsoutlined

inthischapterarenotdesignedtobethedominantmodeofdeliveryforthe

Stage5Historysyllabus.Rathertheyhavebeendesignedtohighlightthe

potentialcomicbookscanbringtotheclassroom.Comicbooksshouldforma

pieceofthepuzzleinclassroomdelivery;oneofanarsenaloftoolsaneducator

cancallupontodeliveranytopic.Buttheyworktoexcitelearners(and

educators)asimageandtextjumpoffthepagesandintoreaderimagination.

TheAdventuresofTintinisfamiliartolearners,educatorsandguardians

alike.OldergenerationsofreadersarelikelytohaveencounteredTintinand

Snowythroughouttheiryouth.Whilenoteveryonemayhavereadthe

adventuresofthecourageousyoungreporterandhisfearlesscompanion

Snowy,theywillbeabletoplacethefigureasaclassiccomicbookicon.Tintin

hasbeenselectedforthisclassroomanalysisasthenarrativesworkasaprimary

source:illustratingthestateofBelgianinternationalaffairsintheearly20th

centuryandasasourceofanalysisthroughthecontextsofconstruction,

production(aswellasreproduction)andreception.TheAdventuresofTintin

worksonamultitudeoflevelsand,asastarkchallengetothetraditionalsource

basedanalysisofthehistorysyllabus,offersanopportunityforfurther

discussionoutsideoftheclassroomaslearnersandguardiansreflectonthe

65

adventuresandpursuefurtherlinesofinquiry.Ultimately,however,the

introductionofcomicbooksintotheclassroommoveslearningintoanopen

space.Byincorporatingmedialearnersinteractwithathomeoronlineweare

facilitatingtheapplicationofskillstoensurethatlearnersarecapableofbeing

activeandinformedcitizens;thattheyareequippedtohandleabarrageof

information,andtoformulateandcommunicatetheirideasorarguments.

ClassroomWorkshopOne

ProgressiveIdeasandMovements–TintininAmerica

WorkshopOneisdesignedasanintroductiontothemoduleProgressive

IdeasandMovements,whichisthefocusmoduleDepthStudy1MakingaBetter

World?intheCoreAreaofStudyMakingoftheModernWorld1(seeAppendix

1).Whilethefocusoftheworkshopwillbeonthemodulethereisan

opportunityforlearnerstobeintroducedtothehistoricaltheoriesofnarrative,

constructionandobjectivity;andforadiscussionofreadingandanalysisof

comicbooksasamediumfordepictingthepast.Thefocusforthemoduleis

outlinedintheStage5textbook:Retroactive2.AustralianHistoryStage5for

learnerstounderstandandbecomefluentindiscussingtheconceptsof:2

• Capitalism

• Chartism(1836-1860)

• Darwinism

• Egalitarianism

• Imperialism

• Nationalism

• Socialism

1"NSWSyllabuses:ContentforStage5."NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/content/1089/2MaureenAnderson,AustralianHistory.Stage5,Retroactive.2,(Milton:Jacaranda,2000),20-26.

66

Whiletheseareasofstudyshouldremainthefocusofthemoduledelivery,

learnerdiscussionandfurtherresearchshouldbeencouragedtopursueless

dominantmovementsandideaspresentthroughouttheperiodof1750–1945.

TintininAmerica,thethirdadventurefromtheBelgiancartoonist

Hergé,depictshiscourageousheroTintinandfaithfulcompanionSnowyas

theytravelacrosstheAtlantictotheUnitedStates.Althoughoriginally

publishedasweeklyinstalmentsbetweenSeptember1931andOctober1932in

LeVingtiemeSiecletheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmericaemergedasa

collectedandfullycolouredworkin1945,translatedfromtheoriginalFrench

intoEnglish.TintininAmericawitnessesourheroimmersinghimselfinthe

worldoforganisedcrimethatisoverwhelmingChicago,todismantlethecrime

syndicaterunbyAlCapone.AsreadersfollowTintinandSnowyacrossthewild

westernfrontierinthepursuitofgangsters,TintinencounterstheNative

Americantribe,TheBlackFoot,andwitnessestherapidurbanizationtakinga

gripontheNorthAmericancontinent.Theadventurehighlightsforreadersthe

rapidpursuitofcapitalismandurbandevelopmentthatgrippedthecontinent

intheearly1930s;andtheplightofnativepeoplesrightsandpropertylawsin

thiseraofrapidindustrialdevelopment.

TintininAmericamarkedadistinctresearchchangeforHergé,whofor

thisinstalmentundertookextensiveinterviewsacrossabroadspectrumofLe

VingtiemeSieclejournalistswhoatthetimeofproductionwerereportingon

thenewlyemergingworldsuperpower,andreadextensivelyonthecrimeworld

ofChicago.HergéchosetodepictChicagoasacitydominatedbycrimeand

capitalismbycenteringitoncrimedominatedfigureofcapitalizationthrough

thehistoricalfigureofAlCapone,thenotoriousmobsterwhoin1931hadbeen

prosecutedfortaxevasion.Assuch,TintininAmericaprovidesacontextual

representationofBelgium'sapprehensionoftheUnitedStatesandthe

capitalisticnatureofitsrapidexpansionandquestforinternationalpolitical

powerfollowingWorldWarI.Itprovidesinsightfromtheperspectiveofa

EuropeancolonialpowerintothenatureofurbanizationinthenorthAmerican

frontierandtheinteractionbetweennativeoccupantsandcolonizingcapitalist

67

forces.Itusefullyprovidesacontrastforlearnerstoreflectonthedisplacement

ofindigenouspeoplesinbothNorthAmericaandAustraliaintheearly20th

century.ThisdynamicofindigenouspeopleandEuropeancolonisationisnot

unliketheotherexamplesfoundinTintinintheCongoandTheBlueLotus,and

isusefulforlearnerstoexpandonexamplesacrossAsiaandAfricathroughout

thesameperiod.

Theinclusionofthistextintheclassroomworkstoengagestudents

throughbothvisualandtextcomponents,andprovidesavaluableprimary

sourceonEuropeansentimentstowardscapitalistAmericaintheinterwar

period.AsaprimarysourceTintininAmericaisvaluablefortheteachingof

colonizationandtheinterwarperiodfromaEuropeanperspective.

WorkshopContext

Learnersundertakingthismoduleofstudyarefacedwithalargebodyof

knowledgetocoveroverashort2-3weekperiod.Toengagelearnersinthis

moduleitisessentialthateducatorsdeliverthecontentthroughavarietyof

media,tochallengelearners’perceptionsofhistoricaltheoriesand

perspectives,andtofacilitatetheskillsofhistoricalinquiry.Thecontentand

deliveryofthisworkshopisdesignedtoaddresstheK-10LifeSkillsObjective

forlearnersto“developknowledgeandunderstandingofthenatureofhistory

andsignificantchangesanddevelopmentsfromthepast,themodernworld

andAustralia,”3and“developknowledgeandunderstandingofideas,

movements,peopleandeventsthatshapedpastcivilization,themodernworld

andAustralia.”4Bothobjectivesallowforknowledgedevelopmentthrough

alternatemediasourcesforhistoryandthroughthewiderstudyofProgressive

IdeasandMovementsoutsideofAustralia,tocontrastwithpre-existingor

furtherstudyrelatingtosimilarideasonindigenousrightsandnational

movementshereinAustralia.

Byundertakingthismoduleofstudylearnerswillultimatelybeginto

3"Years7-10LifeSkillsOutcomesTables,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/life-skills-outcomes-tables/4Ibid.

68

“developskillstoundertaketheprocessofahistoricalinquiry,”5astheypush

theknowledgethroughhigher-orderlearningobjectivestoanalyse,evaluate

andcreateknowledge.WorkshopOneaimstointroduceStage5Learner

ObjectivesHT5-5“identifiesandevaluatestheusefulnessofsourcesinthe

historicalinquiryprocess”6andHT5-4“explainsandanalysesthecauseand

effectsofeventsanddevelopmentsinthemodernworldandAustralia”7asthey

worktodevelopasetofskillsinhistoricalanalysis.Thisworkshopintroduces

learnerstothegatherarangeofsources,analysisthecontent,andtoformulate

andcommunicateanargumentbasedontheanalysis.Thesecanbeadapted

andappliedacrossarangeofmedia.Theyalsoworktowardscommunicating

argumentsandconceptsrevolvingarounddevelopinghistoricalinquiries.

TeachingAims

AsthisworkshopisdesignedasanintroductiontothetopicProgressive

IdeasandMovementsinDepthStudy1,teachingaimsarefocusedon

familiarisinglearnerswiththeparametersoftheareaoflearningandonthekey

conceptsofthemodule.TheintroductoryphaseofDepthStudy1throughits

mixedmediadeliveryisdesignedforeducatorstoaddresstheLifeSkills

Objectivesforlearnersto“investigatehowpeoplelivedinvarioussocietiesof

thepast”8HTLS-3and“explorethesignificanceofchangesanddevelopments

inthepast”9HTLS-6.Theinitialstagewillrequiretheeducatortoleadand

directlearnerengagementwiththecontentandhistoricalsources.

Educators,throughthedeliveryofWorkshopOneareapproachthe

workshopasafacilitatorforlearnercollaboration,workingtodirectknowledge

productionandtheengagementwiththecontentsratherthansimplydeliver

contenttothem.EducatorfocusforWorkshopOneremainsfirmlycentredon

thedevelopmentof21stcenturylearningskills,inparticularcriticalthinking

andcollaboration.5"Years7-10LifeSkillsOutcomesTables,"NESA.6"NSWSyllabuses:Objectives,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/objectives/7"NSWSyllabuses:Outcomes,"NESA.8“LifeSkillsObjectives,”NESA.9Ibid.

69

Pre-ReadingActivities

Thepre-readingforthisworkshophasbeenselectedtobemanageable

andenjoyableforlearners,tomovethemawayfromendlessreadingabout

names,placesanddatesandintoanintroductiontomediathattheymayor

maynothavepreviouslyengaged.Asanoverviewtothetopiclearnersare

requiredtoreadandmakenotesonthefollowingsectionsoftheStage5

textbookRetroactive2.AustralianHistoryStage5:TheMakingoftheModern

WorldandAustralia:Overview1:4“Economic,SocialandPoliticalIdeasofthe

ModernWorld”10andTopic1C“ProgressiveIdeasandMovements.”11Spanning

only8pagesintotal,thesesectionswillprovidelearnerswithanintroductory

overviewoftheconceptsandtopicscoveredinthemodule,aswellas,

providingananchorforfurtherknowledgeandabasefromwhichtheycan

challengetheirperceptionsofthepast.

Theotherprereadingforthismodulesetslearnersuptomovepast

simplyreadingTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmericabutdirectingthem

tobeawareofthenarrativeandhistoricalinformationbeingtransmittedbythe

authorthroughthecomicform.Learnerswillbechallengedandmotivatedto

continueinthemodulethroughreadingScottMcCloud’sUnderstanding

Comics:TheInvisibleArt.Forthisworkshoplearners’aredirectedtoread

ChapterOne“SettingtheRecordStraight,”12whichintroducesananalytic

frameworkforworkingwithcomicbookswhichwillformpartoftheir‘tool

box’ofhistoricalanalyticalskillsandconcepts.

ThefinalprereadingforthisworkshopisthecomicbookitselfThe

AdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.Learnersintheirapproachtoreading

thecomicbookshouldbeabletoapplybasichistoricalanalysisskillsrelatingto

content,contextofproductionandtobeabletoframetheirreadingthrough

theDepthStudy1focusProgressiveIdeasandMovements.Learnersshouldalso

beadvisedtoframetheirreadingofthecomicthroughtheconceptsoutlinedin

10Anderson,AustralianHistory.Stage5,Retroactive.2,20-26.11Ibid,112-114.12McCloud,Scott.UnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt,(NewYork:HarperPerennial,1994),2-23.

70

Retroactive2.Thethreepre-readingsforthisworkshophavebeenselectedto

worktogethertocontrastandhighlightinformationforlearnersinaneffortto

introducethelearnerstotheskillsofahistorianandtheengagethelearnerin

furtherstudyofthesubject.

SectionOne:ReadingComics

Thefirstsectionoftheworkshopisfocusedonaneducator-facilitated

discussiononthelearners’previousexperiencesreadingcomics;whetherthat

beinthenewspaperorincomicbook,mangaorgraphicnovelform.Thiscan

becentredontheverybasicconversationaroundwhetherornotlearnersenjoy

readingcomicbooksandwhetherornottheyfoundreadingtobechallenging.

Thissectionalsointroduceslearnerstothefeaturesofcomicbooksoutlinedby

McCloudinUnderstandingComics,specificallytheinterfunctionalityofpanels,

gutters,wordballoons,theuseofspace(andofnegativespace)andshorthand

symbols(sweatbeads,exclamationmarksandlighteningbolts)inthevisual

codificationofthenarrative.

Thissectionisalsodevotedtothediscussionofthevaluefoundincomic

booksasamediumforthedepictionofhistory,whatthecomicformoffers

furtherstudyandwhataspectsoftherepresentationofCapitalism,Nationalism

andImperialismfeatureprominentlyinTintininAmerica.Thisisalsothepoint

foreducatorstointroduceabackgroundtothecomicbookSeriesThe

AdventuresofTintinandinparticulartheoriginalproductioncontextsandthe

laterreproduction(particularfocusonthecollationadditionofcolourand

translationintoEnglishin1945bytheBelgianpublishinghouseCasterman)of

TintininAmerica.

Aroundtable/groupdiscussionprovideslearnerswithanopportunityto

hashoutideasandcomparenotes.Thelearnerleaddiscussionallowslearners

toexpandonconceptsorargumentstheymaynothavepickedupwhile

completingtherereadingsectionoftheworkshop.Whileeducatorsfacilitatetis

sectionoftheworkshoponcomicbooksasamediumforhistoryothermedia

formscanalsobebroughtinforcomparableanalysis.Asawholethediscussion

shouldleavelearnersinterestedinpopularentertainmentandhistory.

71

SectionTwo:ReadingTintininAmerica

SectionTwoisdevotedtofurtherlearner-centredanalysisofthetext.By

dividingthelearnersintotwoorthreegroups,learnershavetheopportunityto

reportbackonthefeaturesofNationalism,ImperialismandCapitalismfound

inTintininAmerica.Bybreakingstudentsintosmallfocusedgroupstoreport

backtotheclasslearnersaredevelopingskillsincommunicationand

collaboration.Educatorswillfindthatdifferentlearnersandgroupsisolate

differentexamplesandwillbringawiderknowledgebaseforaspectssuchas

comicbookdesignandstructureorhistoricalknowledgerelatingtothetopic

ofanalysis.Learnerfocuseddiscussionleadstobetterengagementfrom

learnersaboutthetopic,astheyarenotbeingtaughtthroughalecturebased

knowledgedeliverysystem.

SectionThree:AssessmentofLearning

Thefinalsectionseekstofurtherlearnerknowledgeofhistoricalsources

anddevelopskillstodeveloptheirownskillsinhistoricalinquiry.Dividing

learnersintosmallgroupsoftwotothreeandassigningeachgrouponeofthe

coreideasandmovementsinthemoduleasoutlinedinthetextbook

Retroactive2.AustralianHistoryStage5:

• Capitalism

• Chartism(1836-1860)

• Darwinism

• Egalitarianism

• Imperialism

• Nationalism

• Socialism

Learnersaretoresearchthemovementorideaintheirgroup.Attheend

ofanallottedperiodoftimestudentswillreportbacktothelargerclass

throughanoral,writtenandmulti-mediapresentationonthekeyfeaturesof

themovementoridea,geographicalpocketswherethemovementoridea

72

featuredprominentlyintheperiod1750-1945,theeffectsonthedevelopmentof

Australiangovernmental,immigrationorsocialpolicies,andfinallywhether

themovementorideaisevidentincurrentsocialandpoliticalmovements

acrosstheglobe.Eachgroupisalsorequiredtopresenttwosourcesthat

portraytheirmovementoridea,tohighlightthedepictionorlastingimageleft

behindbysomeofthemovementsorideas(someofwhichmayhavediedout

throughouttheperiodofanalysis).Educatorsmayusethissectionofthe

workshopasanassessableactivityforlearnersorsimplyasaplatformin

developingStage5OutcomesHT5-7“explainsdifferentcontexts,perspectives

andinterpretationsofthemodernworldandAustralia”13andHT5-8“selects

andanalysesarangeofhistoricalsourcestolocateinformationrelevanttoa

historicalinquiry.”14

WorkshopTwo

ChangingPerceptionsofthePast

AspartoftheNESAStage5syllabuslearnersarerequiredtodevelopa

repertoireofhistoricalconceptsandskills.WorkshopTwoisconstructedto

introducelearnerstheconceptsofperspectivesandinterpretationswhen

dealingwithsources.BuildingontheanalysisforthemoduleProgressiveIdeas

andMovementsinWorkshopOne,thisworkshopseekstohighlighttheStage5

ContinuumofLearnerK-10PerspectiveandInterpretations,whichfocuses

learnerdevelopmentto“identifyandanalysethereasonsfordifferent

perspectivesinaparticularhistoricalcontext”15andto“recognisethat

historiansmayinterpreteventsanddevelopmentsdifferently.”16TheAdventures

ofTintinwereproducedandoriginallyprintedinBelgiuminthechildren’s

sectionLePetitVingtièmeofthewidelyreadLeVingtièmeSiècle,asaEuropean

13"NSWSyllabuses:Outcomes,"NESA.14Ibid.15"ContinuumofSkillsinHistoryK-10,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/continuum-of-skills/16Ibid.

73

colonialpowertheoriginalpublicationsreflectthesocialandpoliticalcontext

ofthattime.Subsequentpublicationsintendedforaninternationalaudience

reflectsocialandpoliticalchangesevidentatthetimeofpublication.By

contrastingpanelsfromdifferentpublicationsfromTintinintheCongo,Tintin

inAmericaandLandofBlackGoldlearnerscanvisualisethechangingsocial

andpoliticalvaluesoverdifferentproductiontimescalestoreflectthe

changingperspectivesandglobalunderstandingoftheproductionteamandof

theseriesreaders.

TheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongothesecondadventurefor

TintinandSnowywasserialisedinweeklyinstalmentsbetweenMay1930and

June1931,inthechildren’ssupplementoftheBelgiannewspaperLePetit

Vingtieme.OurcourageouslittlereportertravelsthroughtheCongotoa

Catholicmission,encounteringanexoticarrayoflocalanimals.Tintinand

Snowytravelthroughthecountryonthetailofadiamondsmugglingring

headedbyAlCapone,anAmericangangsterwhoreappearsinTintinin

America.FollowingthesuccessofTintin’sfirstadventureTheAdventuresof

Tintin:LandoftheSovietstheBelgiangovernmentapproachedHergétosetthe

nextseriesintheCongoinanefforttoincreaseinterestincareersorholidaying

inthecolony.17Hergésetthestageforlatterpublicationsundertakingvigorous

researchintotheCatholicandProtestantmissionariesoperatingintheCongo

inthe1930s.Coordinatingwithreportersintheregion,Catholicmissionaries

andvisitingtheMuseumofCentralAfrica,intheBrusselssuburbofTurvueren,

HergéconstructedavibrantandexhilaratingadventureforTintinandSnowy.

TintinintheCongoandTintininAmericareflectsimilarsocialvaluesin

theiroriginalpublicationsintheearly1930s.Theyillustratethesuperiorityof

thewhitecolonistsovertheCongoleseandthelowlyoccupationsoftheblack

Americanpopulation.CharactersofAfricandecentinbothadventuresare

depictedwithmoreape-likefeaturesthanthatoftheirwhitecounter-parts.

Laterpublicationsofbothadventuresreflectthesocialchangesurrounding

colonialinteractionwithindigenouspopulationsandtheFreedomMovement

17"Tintin.Com."StudiosHergé.AccessedJanuary23,2017.http://en.tintin.com

74

emerginginAmerica.

TheAdventuresofTintin:LandofBlackGoldincontrastreflectsthe

changingpoliticalcontextsurroundingtheoriginalandlaterpublications.The

fifteenthadventureofTintinandSnowydeeplyreflectstheongoingpolitical

andeconomictensionintheMiddleEasternregioninthe20thcentury.Weekly

publicationinLePetitVingtièmebeganinSeptember1939butwasinterrupted

inMay1940withtheGermaninvasionofBelgiumLandofBlackGolddidnot

resumeuntilSeptember1948andwascompleteinFebruary1950inTintinand

Snowy’snewhometheTintinMagazine,whichwaspublishedbyStudios

Hergé.OriginallysetintheBritishMandateofPalestineTintin’sadventureto

rescuelocalPrincesandoutwitArabinsurgentsisplayedoutoverthetension

intheregiontocontroloilsupplies.

WorkshopContext

Thisworkshopisbeendesignedtobedeliveredinasingleclass,

howevertheconceptsexploredanddevelopedbylearnersaretobere-

examinedthroughoutallDepthStudiesundertakenaspartofthelargerStage5

Historysyllabus.Theintroductionofhistoricaltheories,conceptsandideasare

anessentialcomponentinthedevelopmentoftheskillsofahistorian,and

shouldbereaddressedacrossDepthStudiestohighlightversatilityand

applicationforlearners.Throughoutthisworkshoplearnersshouldbedirected

tofocusonthedifferentperspectivesinparticularhistoricalcontexts,18andto

beabletoread,understandandanalyseanarrayofhistoricalsourcesapplying

appropriatetermsandconcepts.19Theintroductionoftheseconceptsandskills

worktogethertoachieveLifeSkillsObjectiveHTLS-8aslearners“usesources

tounderstandthepast.”20Bydevelopinglearnerskillsinchangingperspectives

andcomprehensionlearnersareworkingtowardsachievingtheLifeSkills

18"ContinuumofConceptsinHistoryK-10."NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/continuum-of-concepts/19“ContinuumofSkills,”NESA.20“LifeSkillsObjectives,”NESA.

75

ObjectivesHTLS-11“useshistoricaltermstodescribethepast”21andHTLS-12

“investigatesthepastusinghistoricalskills.”22Mostimportantlytheconcepts

andresearchskillsdevelopedinthisworkshopcanbeappliedacrosssyllabiand

intoeverydayapplication.Educatorscansetlearnerstoperformsimilar

analysisoninternationaladvertisingandthedeliveryofthenews(both

internationallyandlocally).

TeachingAims

EducatordeliveryforWorkshopTwoisorientatedtowardsa

demonstrationoftheversatilityandapplicationofhistoricalconceptsand

theoriesasoutlinesintheNESAsyllabus,relatingtosourceperspectiveand

interpretation.Astheconceptsaredevelopededucatorsshouldaimto

reintroducetheskillsinthedeliveryofallotherDepthStudiesthatmakeup

theStage5syllabus.Educatorsshoulddelivertheselessonsnotasan

introductiontotheseconceptsandtheoriesbutrathertopushlearners

understandingoftheiruseandapplicationintheanalysisofhistoricalsources.

WorkshopTwoisdesignedtobefacilitatedbyaneducatorbutdriventhrough

collaborativelearningintheclassroom.Learnersshouldworktogetherinthe

analysisanddiscussionofideasthroughouttheWorkshop.

PreReadingActivities

Thisworkshopisdesignedtobuildontheskillsandreadingexposure

fromWorkshopOne.However,duetothenatureofthehistoricalconcept

underinvestigationbylearnersapre-readingofTheAdventuresofTintin

instalmentsTintinintheCongo,TintininAmericaandLandofBlackGoldare

notessentialforalearnertoactivelyparticipateandcontributetothe

discussionofChangingPerceptionsofthePast.Theanalyticalskillsand

conceptsdevelopedbylearnersinWorkshopTwoareintendedforcross-

subjectandareaofstudyapplication.

21“LifeSkillsObjectives,”NESA.22Ibid.

76

SectionOne:ChangingHistoricalPerspectives

ThisfirstsectionoftheWorkshopisanintroductiontothechanging

perspectiveandinterpretationsofhistoricalsources.Learnersarewalked

throughtheconceptofperspectiveswhendealingwithdifferentmediaandin

thedepictionofthepastasakeyinfluenceonthemeaningandintended

audienceofthesourcethroughwhichtheyareworkwith.Learnersarealso

introducedtotheideaofchangingcontextualvaluesurroundingthe

publicationandaudiencefordifferentsources.Thiscanbeachallenging

conceptforlearnersandeducatorsareencouragedtoaskquestionsandprompt

learnersforexamplestheymayhavepreviouslyencountered.

Learnerscanthenbedividedintothreegroupstoworktogetherto

discussthechanginghistoricalperspectiveevidentinthereproductionofthe

singlepanelinfigures14and15TintinintheCongo,23figure16Tintinin

America24andfigure17TheLandofBlackGold.25Learnersarerequiredto

contrastthepanelandtheoriginalnarrativeofthepanelwiththelater

publication.Furtheranalysisrelatingtoproduction,context,subsequent

publicationsandchangingsocialorpoliticalvaluesisrequiredbyeachgroup.

Groupsarethenrequiredtoreportbacktothelargerclassoneachfocusarea,

educatorscanfacilitatefurtherdiscussionasaclassbringoutsideknowledge

andcontrastingthedifferentFiguresandthecontextofeachpublication.

23Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo.TranslatedbyLeslieLonsdale-CooperandMichaelTurner,(NewYork:Little,Brown&Company,1946).24Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.TranslatedbyLeslieLonsdale-CooperandMichaelTurner,(NewYork:Little,Brown&Company,1945).25Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:LandofBlackGold.TranslatedbyLeslieLonsdale-CooperandMichaelTurner,(NewYork:Little,BrownandCompany,1972).

77

Figure14.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo.Originalpublication1931.26

Aslearnersareshownfigure14theeducatorcanpromptadiscussionon

theimagefocussingontheinterrelationofTintinandtheCongoleseinthe

classroom.Thissectionwillrequirelearnerstodrawonanypre-existing

knowledgeoftheBelgianCongo,EuropeanmissionsandTintinintheCongo.

Figure14depictsTintinandSnowyeducatingtheCongoleseinaBelgian

missionabout“yourcountryBelgium.”27Thisimageisfromtheoriginal

publicationthatappearedinthechildren’ssupplementoftheBelgianpaperLe

PetitVingtiemein1930.Thisstageofthediscussioncanalsomovetowardsthe

relationshipbetweencolonialpowersandindigenouspeoplesandthestruggle

toadapttoEuropeanidealsinthecolonies.Learnerscancontrastfigure15with

the1946publicationofthesameseriesthatappearsinthecollatedandfully

colouredTintinintheCongo.

26Hergé,TheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo,67.27Ibid.

78

Figure15.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo.Latercolourpublication1946.28

Figure15noticeablyusesthesamepanel,howeverStudioHergéhasmodified

thelessonTintinandSnowyareteaching;thecolonialpaternalismhasbeen

removed;itisnowjustbasicaddition.Educatorscanfacilitateadiscussionwith

learnersaroundthechangingsocialvaluesbetween1930andthe1946

publication.

Figure16.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TintininAmerica.Left,originalpublication1933.Right,fullcolourpublication1945.29

Followingasimilaranalyticalapproachindiscussionoffigure16learners

28Hergé,TheAdventuresofTintin:TintinintheCongo,67.29Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.TranslatedbyLeslieLonsdale-CooperandMichaelTurner,(NewYork:Little,Brown&Company,1946),131.

79

canseethattheoriginalpublicationhighlightsthesocialstatusofblack

Americansinthecrudedepictionandlowlyemploymentpotential.Theoriginal

panelfromthe1933publicationTintininAmericaalsodepictsthefootmanat

anentrancetoabuildinginthedessert,isolatedandnotneartheurbancentre.

Intheimageontherightfromthe1945colourpublicationthefootmanisan

upscalesmartlypresentedwhiteAmericanwithanotherwhitebuilderworking

onthebuilding.LearnerscancontrastthedepictionofblackAmericansand

theFreedommovementinAmericaonthelaterpublication.Theycanalso

contrasttheoriginalpublication’scriticaldepictionoftheattitudeof

Americanstowardsitsnon-whitecitizenswiththelaterpublicationthatwas

releasedandpopularinAmerica,andassuch,depictedAmericansinaless

hostile,moretolerantlight.

Figure17.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:LandofBlackGold.Left,originalpublication1950.Right,1972publication.30

Incontrasttofigures14and15,andfigure16,thefinalfigureforanalysis

depictspoliticalchangeratherthansocialchange.ThepanelfromThe

AdventuresofTintin:LandofBlackGoldcontainsnospeechbubbles,merely

illustratingTintinbeingescortedacrosstheroadtothelocalauthority

headquartersbytwoguards.Theanalysisforfigure17willrequiredeeper

30Hergé,LandofBlackGold,16.

80

investigationbythegroupasthechangefromScottishcladguards(iconizedby

theirkilts)tolocallygarbedauthorities.TheoriginalpublicationofTheLandof

BlackGoldintheTintinMagazinewaspublishedbetween1948and1950.The

imageontheleftissetinPalestinewhiletheimageontherighthasbeen

movedtothefictionalnationofKhemed.TheresettingofLandofBlackGold

fromPalestinetoKhemedoccurredfromthe1970publicationsonwardsatthe

requestoftheBelgianGovernment.Learnersshouldbeencouragedtoresearch

thepoliticalmotivesbehindHergéstransformationofLandofBlackGoldand

theongoinginternationaltensionsintheareainrelationtobothEuropeand

Australia.

WorkshopThree

EastMeetsWest–TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus

TheinterrelationofAsia’spositionintheglobalpoliticalareainthe20th

century,andtheinteractionofAustraliaandAsiaformsthecentralthemeof

analysisfortheNESAStage5syllabus.WorkshopTwohasbeendesignedto

movelearnerawarenessoutsideofthehistoricaloverviewofevents,andinto

perspectivesandinterpretationsofthepast.TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlue

LotusisHergés’beautifullyillustratedfifthinstalmentoftheBelgianjournalist

TintinandthiswhiteScottishterrierSnowy.Itpicksupfromtheconclusionof

CigarsofthePharaoh,whereTintinandSnowyareinvitedtoinvestigatea

mysteryinShanghai,China.OriginallypublishedinLeVingtiemeSiecle

betweenAugust1934andOctober1935,itwastranslatedandpublishedin

colourin1946,TheBlueLotuswitnessesTintintravelthrough1931China,a

timeofJapaneseoccupation,touncoveradrugsmugglingringandoutwitting

ruthlessspies.Hergés’interestintheregionreflectsthelargerinterestofthe

Westthroughoutthisperiod.TherelationshipbetweenJapanandChina

illustratedthroughoutTheBlueLotusreflectstheeventsofSeptember1931,

whenJapaninitiatedmilitaryactionintheChineseregionofManchuria.

Hergés’depictionoftheJapanesethroughouttheadventureecho’sthe

Europeansentimentsoftheirmilitaryactionintheregion.

81

Figure18.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.TintinandSnowytakearickshawthroughthestreetsofShanghai.31

Thebeautifullyillustratedadventurehighlightsforreadersthemystique

oftheEastforWesternaudiencesintheearly1930period.Hergé,throughhis

newacquaintanceChangChong-jen,astudentoftheAcademyofFineArtsin

Brusselswasintroducedtostoriesandimagesfromaperspectivehehadnotyet

encountered.ThisenabledHergétoproduceamoreaccurateandmature

imageofChina.TheBlueLotusemphasisestheelementsofthetraditional,as

seeinfigure18andcontrastswiththemysticoftheunknownEast.Thestory

alsofollowsTintinandhisnewfriendChang(namedinhonourofChang

Chong-jen)throughtheJapaneseoccupiedregionofChina,whereHergé

vividlydepictsthemilitaryruleintheregion,seeninfigure19.

31Hergé.TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus,136.

82

Figure19.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotus.Japaneseoccupation.32

TheBlueLotusprovidesaninvaluablesightintonotonlycolonialist

preconceivedvaluesoftheFarEastbutalsoEuropeaninteractionthroughout

theregion.Itremainsaninteractivesourceforthedepictionofcolonialvalues

andinterpretationsoftheFarEastfromaEuropeanperspective.Furthermore,

throughthepoliticalorientationofChangtheslogansdepictedonthewallsof

Shanghaiareauthentic,protestingtheJapaneseoccupationofManchuria.

Thesehaveremainedinthroughoutthevariouspublications.

32Hergé,TheBlueLotus,156.

83

WorkshopContext

ThisWorkshopisdeignedtobedeliveredover2-3weeks,buildingon

thehistoricalconceptsandtheoriesfromWorkshopOneandTwoasoutlined

bytheNESAsyllabus.Learnerswillberequiredtomovebeyondtheabilityto

reciteandoverlayhistoricalconceptsandtheoriesintheir‘toolbox’toselect,

evaluateandapplyappropriateconceptsthroughsourcebasedanalysis.

WorkshopTwoispartcoreareaofstudyMakingoftheModernWorldDepth

Study2AsiaandtheWorld.33

ThethemeforthisWorkshopishistoricalinterpretation,understanding

andperspectives:relatingtolearneridentificationofthe“origin,content,

contextandpurposeofprimaryandsecondarysources”34andtofurther

developanempatheticunderstandingtowards“theactions,values,attitudes

andmotivesofpeopleinthecontextofthepast.”35Workshopisfocusedonthe

learnerabilitytoapproachsourcesthroughtheanalyticalconceptsandtheories

honedinearlierWorkshopsandoutlineintheNESAsyllabus,astheyanalyse

TheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotusasawesterninterpretationoftheEast

intheperiodof1910–1933.

TeachingAims

ThisWorkshopiseducatorfacilitatedandlearnerdriven.Buildingon

theintroductoryskillsdevelopedinWorkshopOne,andexpandingon

historicalanalysisskillsinWorkshopTwolearnersshouldbeencouragedto

worktogetherintheanalysisofAsiaandtheWorldintheearly20thcentury.

Educatorsarerequiredtofacilitatelearnerdiscussionandanalysisfocusedon

theproductioncontextofTheAdventuresofTintin:TheBlueLotusaswellas

thedepictionsofChina,theoccupyingJapanese,andtheirinteractionwiththe

West.Byundertakingthisanalyticaltaskeducatorscanintroducelearnersto

historicalinquiryskillsastheyworktowardsconstructingaconciseanalysisof

thetextandtheinfluencesonitsproduction.

33"NSWSyllabuses:ContentforStage5,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/content/1089/34“ContinuumofSkills,”NESA.35“ContinuumofConcepts,”NESA.

84


Thepre-readingforWorkshopThreehasbeencollatedtobuildon

previousworkundertakenbythelearnerthroughouttheStage5syllabus.The

readingsprovidebackgroundknowledgeofthecontentbeingdeliveredto

assistthelearnertolocatetheiranalysisandpushtheiranalyticalskillswhen

encounteringvarietyofmediumsinthedepictionofthepast.

Asanoverviewtothetopiclearnersarerequiredtoreadandmakenotes

onthefollowingsectionsoftheStage5textbookRetroactive2.Australian

HistoryStage5:TheMakingoftheModernWorldandAustralia:Topic2b

“ChinaandtheWorld,”2b.5“Contact,ConflictandChange”36and2b.7“China

andtheModernWorld.”37Thiswillprovidelearnerswithanoverviewofthe

concepts,andtopicscoveredwithinthemodule,aswellas,providingan

anchorforfurtherknowledgeandabasethroughwhichtheycanchallenge

theirperceptionsofthepast.

Thesecondpre-readingforWorkshopThreeisChapter9“PuttingItAll

Together”38fromScottMcCloud’sUnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt.

WrittenincomicformUnderstandingComicsseekstodefineanddevelopaset

ofparametersforcomicbookanalysis,andtohighlighttheperspectiveeach

readerbringstothecomicbook.Thischapterintroduceslearnerstheroleof

thereaderwhenreadingcomicbooks.Theconceptsoutlinedinthischapter

canbeadaptedtoanymediasource.Thiswonderfullyvisualdepictionof

interpretationandreadercontextisapplicablewhenhandlingallsources,and

isimportantforleanersinthedevelopmentofthepersonalreading

perspectivesandontheeffectithasontheperspectiveofothersecondary

analysis.

ThefinalreadingforWorkshopThreeisTheAdventuresofTintin:The

BlueLotus.Learnersshouldbedirectedtoframethereadingthroughthe

analysisoftheinteractionoftheEastandWest.

36Anderson,AustralianHistory,177-184.37Ibid,186-193. 38McCloud,UnderstandingComics,193-215.

85

SectionOne:TheComicSpace:PuttingitAllTogether

ThefirstsectionoftheWorkshopisdesignedtobedeliveredin

conjunctionwithSectionTwo.However,itcaneasilybeexpandedintoa

separateworkshopforlearnerstoworkonpersonalcontextandtheanalysisof

sourcesorforlearnercontrastofsecondaryanalysisandthecontrastin

readingsofsources.Forthissectionlearnersshouldbedirectedtofocuson

self-reflectionwhenapproachingsources.Factorsthatmayinfluencetheir

readingofatextshouldbeidentifiedanddiscussed.Thispersonalreflection

canthenbecontrastedwithotherlearners.Workinginagrouporasaclass

discussionleanerscanworktogethertohighlighthoweachindividual

approachessources.Whatfactorstheynoticedfirst,whethertheyapproachthe

sourcethroughtextorimagefirst,andoutsideinformationtheymaybringto

thereading.ThisWorkshopisalsoimportantinthedevelopmentofself-

awarenessforlearning.

SectionTwo:AWesternFascinationwiththeEast.

SectionTwoisfocusedontheanalysisofTheBlueLotusandthe

interactionoftheEastandWest,particularlytheEuropeancolonialsinthe

East.Learnerscanfocusontwouniquelydifferentframesofanalysis.Thefirst

onthedepictionofEasterculture,TheBlueLotusbeautifullyillustratesboth

ChineseandIndiaculturesthroughoutthenarrative,andthesecondisonthe

depictionofthecharacteristicsoflocalsandEuropeansandtheinteraction

betweenthetwo.

Figure13isawonderfulillustrationofthemisrepresentationheldby

bothpartiesasChangandTintindiscusstheirunderstandingofoneanother.

LearnersshouldworkinasimilarfashiontocontrastthedepictionofChinain

theWest(focusonEuropeandAmerica)withthatofAustralian

interpretations.Astheeducatorseparatesstudentsintosmallergroupsthey

canworktoseehowthetwointerpretationsaffectedpolitics,migrations

policiesandtradebetweentheselargeforces.Thisisalsoachanceforlearners

toundertakeresearchonorientalisminart,homedécorandfashion.Ifdesired

thisWorkshopcanbedevelopedintoaresearchstudyforlearnerassessment,

86

butisdesignedasanintroductiontothechallengingconceptsofself-reflection

inanalysisandinterpretation.

WorkshopFour

ConstructingaHistoricalInquiry:TheBlueLotus

AnessentialcomponentoftheStage5syllabusislearnerdevelopmentof

theskillsofahistorian,andconstructingandundertakingahistoricalinquiry.

Assessinglearnerknowledgeapplicationandhistoricalinquiryskillsneedsto

movebeyondthetraditionalessaywritingandintotheconstructionof

argumentsandcommunicatingthroughavarietyofmedia,toavarietyof

audiences.Developinghistoricalinquiryskillsthroughtheapplicationofa‘tool

box’ofhistoricalconceptsandtheoriesisdesignatedasthreeofthetenStage5

Outcomes(seeAppendix2).ThroughtheapplicationoftheseOutcomes

learnersdevelophistoricalinquiryskillsasthey“selectandanalysearangerof

historicalsourcestolocateinformationrelevanttoahistoricalinquiry”39(HT5-

8)andeffectivelycommunicatingargumentsandideasaslearners“selectand

useappropriateoral,written,visualanddigitalformstocommunicate

effectivelyaboutthepastfordifferentaudiences”40(HT5-10).Buildingonthe

readingsfromWorkshopThreelearnerswillworkwithavarietyofmedia

focusedontheperspectivesofhistoricalsourcesandontheanalysisofsources

usingthehistoricalconceptsandskillsdevelopedthroughtheDepthStudies,

andhighlightedinWorkshopsOne–Three.UsingTheAdventuresofTintin:The

BlueLotusasaplatformlearnerswillbeintroducedtoalternatemediaforms

andperspectivesontheJapaneseExpansionPolicy1914-1933.Byexposing

learnerstodifferentmediumsforrepresentingthepasttheyhavethe

opportunitytoapplytheappropriateanalyticalscopeastheyworkthroughthe

stagesinapproachingahistoricalinquiry.

39"ContinuumofLearninginHistoryK-10,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/continuum-of-learning/40Ibid.

87

WorkshopContext

Thisworkshopisdesignedtobuildalearner’sskillsasahistorianby

applyingthe‘toolbox’ofconceptsandtheoriesintoanassessablehistorical

inquiry.NESAadviseseducatorstouseinquiry-basedresearchactivitiesasa

keyassessmentforStage5and6learners:“inquiry-basedresearchprovides

studentswithopportunitiestoinvestigatehistoricalpersonalities,eventsand

issues,todevelopskillstoundertaketheprocessesofhistoricalinquiry,andto

communicatetheirunderstandingofhistory.”41Undertakinginquiry-based

researchactivitieslearnerswilldevelopskillsenablingthemto:42

• Posequestionsaboutthepast

• Planahistoricalinquiry

• Collect,analyseandorganisesources

• Develophistoricaltexts

• Communicateideasandinformation

• IncorporatearangeofcommunicationformsandICT

Theseskillsarecross-syllabusapplicableandwillplacelearnersina

goodpositiontoundertakeModernandAncientHistoryforStage6(HSC)and

topreparetheiranalyticalskillsfortertiaryeducation.Theskillslistedabove

alsoleadlearnerstoapplytheseskillsoutsideoftheclassroom,ensuringthat

theyareactiveandinformedcitizen.TheskillsoutlinedbytheNESAif

introducedandfosteredintheclassroomareadaptabletoamultitudeof

scenariosandsituations.Theseskillscanbescaleddownandmovedaround

butensurethatlearnersareengagedwiththeinformationsurroundingthem

andactivelyseekfurtherknowledgeonanysubjectbase.

NESAadvocatesinquiry-basedresearchtechniqueswhenusedfor

assessinglearnerdevelopmentaseducatorsgatherevidenceaboutlearners’

41"HistoryYears7-10AssessmentStrategies,"NSWEducationStandardsAuthority,accessedJuly23,2017.http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/hsie/history-k10/history-7-10-assessment-strategies/42Ibid.

88

abilityto:

• Locate,selectandorganiserelevantinformationfromanumberof

sources

• Interpretandevaluatesourcesforusefulnessand/orreliability

• Usesourcesandrelevanthistoricaltermsandconceptsappropriatelyin

anhistoricalinquiry

• Selectappropriatedigital,oral,writtenandothercommunicationforms

topresentthefindingsoftheirresearchtodifferentaudiences

• Compareinformationsourcesforaccuracyandrelevance

• Chooseappropriatesecondarysourcesandcriticallyanalysetheseto

provideexplanationsandevaluations

• Establishcause-and-effectrelationships.

Educatorswillorientatethisworkshoptobedeliveredintheclassroomover3

weeksbutitdoesrequirelearnerstocontinuetheassessmentashomework.


Thepre-readingforthisworkshopensuresthatlearnershaveastrong

backgroundunderstandingofboththeJapaneseexpansionintoAsiafrom1914–

1933,andontheconceptsandskillsofahistoriantobeusedwhileundertaking

ahistoricalinquiry.Learnershavebeenintroducedtothehistoricalconcepts

fromStage4oftheNESAsyllabus;byhavinglearnersread“TheHistoriansTool

Kit”43fromOxfordBigIdeasGeography/History8AustralianCurriculumthey

havetheopportunitythere-familiarisethemselveswiththeconcepts.“The

Historian’sToolKit”willalsoframethelearners’analysisofthesourcesutilised

throughouttheassessment.Thisworkshophasbeendesignedtofollowa

DepthStudyonAsiaandtheWorldfrom1910-1935.Learnersshouldhavegood

backgroundknowledgeoftheregionthroughoutthistimeperiodbutitis

43MarkEaston,BernieHowitt,MaggySaldais,andDenisMootz,OxfordBigIdeasHistory8-AustralianCurriculum,Volume8,(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2013),212-233.

89

alwaysworthrevisitingkeyareasofstudy.Dependingonthecurriculum

textbooklearnersshouldre-readkeychaptersthatrelatetoJapaneseExpansion

Policy.Japan:ItsHistoryandCulture,“Expansion,LiberalismandMilitarism,”44

providesstudentswithaconciseoverviewofthetopic,directingthemto

perspectivesandsourcesontheeventsfrom1914-1933.

Thefinalpre-readingfortheworkshopisTheAdventuresofTintin:The

BlueLotus.Iftheworkshopisfollowingonfrompreviousworkshops,learners

shouldalreadybefamiliarwiththetext.Inpre-readingTheBlueLotusforthis

workshoplearnersshouldbeapplyingthehistoricalskillsandconceptstothe

reading,payingparticularattentiontothedepictionofJapaneseoccupationof

China.

SectionOne:AHistorian’s‘ToolKit’

Thefirstsectionoftheworkshopisdesignedtobeinformaland

deliveredasalearnerfocussedclassroomdiscussion.Havingcompletedthe

pre-readinglearnersshoulddiscussthekeyconceptsrelatingtoahistorical

inquiryinthecontextofTheBlueLotusandJapaneseexpansionfollowingthe

MeijiRestoration.ThekeyconceptsareoutlinedintheNESAsyllabusas:

• Perspectives

• Continuityandchange

• Causeandeffect

• Evidence

• Empathy

• Significance

• Contestability

• Chronology,termsandconcepts

Learnersarenotrestrictedtoformingtheirhistoricalinquirybasedonthese

concepts,butitdoesprovideagoodstatingpoint.Thissectionoftheworkshop

44W.ScottMortonandJ.KennethOlenik,Japan:ItsHistoryandCulture.4thed.(NewYork:McGraw-Hill,Inc,2005),168-177.

90

willformthefoundationoftheassessment.Byengaginglearnersina

discussionofthehistoricalconceptsandskills,learnerswillbeabletohashout

difficultconceptsandbyworkingtogethertoidentifytheseconceptsinThe

BlueLotus.

SectionTwo:PerspectivesofHistory

ThissectionoftheWorkshopwillpushlearnerstoadapttheirhistorian

skillsacrossmediatoengagewithdifferentperspectivesandanalyticaltools.

SectionTwowillintroducelearnerstoDirectorChoiDong-hoon2015film

Assassination.45TheKoreanfilmissetinJapaneseoccupiedKoreabetween1911

and1933.Itisnotnecessaryforlearnerstowatchtheentiremovieinthe

classroom;furtheranalysiscanbecompletedashomework.

Thefocusofthisclassroomactivityistohavelearnersworktogetherto

applyasimilaranalyticalframeworktothatusedonTheBlueLotuswhile

identifyingtheuniquefeaturesfilmpossessasavisualrepresentationofthe

past.Educatorsshouldusethisclassroomactivityasaplatformtohavelearners

pushtheirhistoricalunderstandingacrossavarietyofmedia.

SectionThree:BuildingaHistoricalInquiry

ThisfinalsectionoftheWorkshoplearnerdrivenanddirected.

Educatorssetlearnerstheassessabletaskofdeliveringaninteractive

presentationandwrittenanalysisofavarietyofmediaandperspectivesfor

JapaneseexpansioninAsia1914–1933.Whilethisassessmentwillprimarilybe

undertakenashomeworkeducatorswillstillneedtoallocatetimeinlessonsfor

learnerquestions.Itisalsorecommendedthateducatorshaveprogressupdates

fromlearnersthroughouttheassessmentperiod.

45ChoiDong-hoon,"Assassination."140minutes.SouthKorea:CaperFilm,2015.

91

Conclusion

Historyisallaroundus.Itismorethanjustanacademicdiscipline,itis

populargenreforentertainment,andweengagewithitalmostdaily.Itis

throughtheexposuretotheeverydaypopularentertainmentthatasignificant

partofhistoricalknowledgeandunderstandingisshapedinyounglearners.To

re-engagelearners,andre-invigoratethestudyofsecondaryeducationshistory

syllabusweshouldintroducepopularmediarepresentationsofthepast.

Incorporatingnon-traditionalmediasourcesinStage5(Year9and10)ofthe

NewSouthWalesKindergarten–Year10Historysyllabuswillbreakdownthe

wallbetweenclassroomlearningandpopularentertainment.Todevelopa‘tool

box’ofcriticalandanalyticalconceptsforlearnerstoapplyacrossaspectrumof

inquiries,theseskillsarenotsubjectspecific.Skillsandconceptsrelatingto

criticalanalysis,conductingresearchbasedinquiryandcommunicating

argumentsandideasareanessentialcomponentforlearnersinthe

developmentofthe4Csof21stcenturylearning–creativity,criticalthinking,

collaboratingandcommunication.Aslearnersareintroducedtotheseskills

theylearntothinkandapproachinquirybasedresearchapplyingtheskillsofa

historian.Theseskillsarenotsubjectspecificandareadaptabletoeveryday

social,historicalorpoliticalinquiry,ortodevelopingalineofinquiry-based

research.Learnerswhoareadeptinapplyingtheseconceptsandskillsare

primed,notonlytocontinueinhigheracademicpursuitsinthediscipline,but

alsotoactivelyengageinsociety.

ByintroducinglearnerstotheseconceptsthroughcomicbookslikeThe

AdventuresofTintinseriesintotheNewSouthWaleEducationStandards

Authority2017syllabus,educatorswilltransitionthefamiliarandiconicform

intotheclassroomthroughwell-lovedcharactersandadventures.Comicbooks,

sincetheirearlyoriginsasa‘funnystrip’inpamphletsandnewspapers,have

drawnonhistory,asaformofsocialorpoliticalcommentary,abackdropfor

thenarrative,or,insomecases,asthemediumtopresentthepast.Comic

bookshavecometodominatepopularentertainmentamongstadolescent

92

learners.ThecomicpowerhousesofDCandMarvelhaveexpandedtohave

theirheroesandvillainsgraceboththebigandsmallscreens,expos,likecomic

concanattractmassivecrowds,andthecosplayandfranchiseappealstofans

ofanyage.IntroducingcomicbooksintotheNESAhistorysyllabuslearners

canreengagewiththeirstudyofthepast.

Comicbooksaremorethanjustamediumforhistoricalanalysis.Their

introductionintotheclassroomworkstodevelopasenseofself-awareness,

towardslearningpreferencesandreadingstyles,inlearners.Theyformpartofa

larger‘toolbox’ofanalyticalconceptsthatcanbeadaptedtoavarietyofmedia

source,andactingasaspringboardintoanalysingothermediaresources,

expandinglearners’knowledgerelatingtohistoricalrepresentationandmoving

theirknowledgebaseoutsideoftheclassroom.

Theacademicdisciplineofhistoryhasbeengrapplingwithargumentsof

historiographysincethe1970s.Analysisofthelimitationinwrittenhistoryand

thepotentialofnon-traditionalsources,particularlyfilm,havedominatedthe

discipline.Largelyoverlookedforitshistoricvalue,thecomicbookhas

emergedfromtheearly1990sasmorethanamediumofchildren’s

entertainment.Theiconicblendingofillustrationandtextcombinestodepict

thepastinaformthattextalonecannot.Themediumcanbeanalysedfor

historicalrepresentation,throughthedepictionofcontextualsocialand

culturalorientationsoftheauthorandtheintendedaudience.Asthisresearch

hashighlightedtheseargumentsareprimedtobeintroducedintotheNSW

classroom.TheNESAsyllabuswasdesignedtoredirectthelargebodyof

knowledgeintoadepthofconceptsandtheories.Theinclusionofcomicbooks

intheclassroomaddressestheOutcomesofthesyllabus.Italsoworksto

reengagelearnersinthestudyofhistoryandencouragefurthereducationfor

HSCandtertiarystudy.

Whilethisshortthesishasbeenfocussedonthepotentialofcomic

booksintheclassroomthereremainsawidearrayofmediathateducatorsand

learnersshouldbecomeconversantinthroughouttheNESAK-10syllabus.The

researchandworkshopsoutlinedinthechaptersaboveshouldworkasa

guidelineortheinfinitepossibilitiesavailableforeducators.Thesemediaare

93

encounteredeveryday,includingfilm,documentary,newsreports,television

dram,historicalnovels,art,onlinearticlesandadvertising.Comicbooksare

butonepieceofalargerpuzzlelearnersneedtocompletethroughouttheir

education.Theideasandtheinspirationofthisresearchandcomicbooksin

theclassroomcanbetransferredacrossmedia,andtheprojectwasapproached

tohighlighttheuseofcomicbooksandpartofalargerarsenalofeducation

tools.

Toaddressthedeclineinlearners’completingtheHSCinModernand

AncientHistorythisresearchhasfocussedonStage5oftheNESAsyllabus.

However,theapproachthroughcomicsandtheanalyticaltoolsexaminedcan

beappropriatedtoanystageofthehistorysyllabus.Stage6(Years11and12)

havearichvarietyofsourcestodrawon,asWorldWar11,NaziGermanyand

theWeimarRepublicremainpopularsettingsforcomicbooksandgraphic

novels.Theresearchandworkshopsdesignedforthisthesisareexaminethe

potentialofshiftingourapproachtoteachingthehistorysyllabusbyengaging

out21stcenturylearnersthroughcomicbooks.Withtheimplementationofthe

NESAsyllabusinJanuary2017researchsuchasthiscanmoveintoapractical

application.Educatorsandinstitutionswillbelookingfornewwaystoaddress

theongoingresearchintotheworkplacepreparednessofAustralianleaners.

Comicbooksshouldformpartofalargerteachingarsenalforeducators,

makinglearningchallengingandfun.Historyisimportantbothforthestudyof

thepastforwhatwecanlearnfromit,andbecauseoftheskillsitteachers.

Encouraginglearnerstostudyhistorycanmakeimportantcontributionsas

activeandinformedcitizensandfuturehistorians.

Figure20.HergéTheAdventuresofTintin.Snowy.

94

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Appendices

Appendix1:Stage5HistorySyllabus

THEMAKINGOFTHEMODERNWORLD(50HOURSMINIMUMTEACHINGTIME)

Overview

Theoverviewisapproximately10%oftheteachingtimeforTheMakingoftheModernWorld.Theoverviewmaybetaughtseparatelyormaybeintegratedwiththedepthstudies.

Historicalcontextoftheoverview

TheIndustrialRevolution,developingfirstineighteenth-centuryBritain,gaverisetoeconomicchangesthathavehadanenormousimpactonsociety.Anobviousresultwasurbanisation,buttheIndustrialRevolutionalsocontributedtootherpopulationmovementssuchastheslavetrade,emigrationandconvicttransportation.TheIndustrialRevolutionalsoencouragedEuropeannationalismandimperialism.WhiletheIndustrialRevolutioncreatedwealthforsomeandsupportforcapitalism,italsocreatedanewclassofurbanworkerswhowereforcedtoendurepoorlivingandworkingconditions.Theresultingsocialdiscontentcreatedsupportfornewpoliticalideassuchassocialism.Attheendofthisperiod,abuild-upoftensionsamongEurope'sgreatpowerscontributedtotheoutbreakofWorldWarI,thefirstglobalwar.

Studentsbrieflyoutline:

• thenatureandsignificanceoftheIndustrialRevolutionandhowitaffectedlivingandworkingconditions,includingwithinAustralia

• thenatureandextentofthemovementofpeoplesintheperiod(slaves,convictsandsettlers)

• theextentofEuropeanimperialexpansionanddifferentresponses,includingintheAsianregion

• theemergenceandnatureofsignificanteconomic,socialandpoliticalideasintheperiod,includingnationalism

• theinter-waryearsbetweenWorldWarIandWorldWarII,includingtheTreatyofVersailles,theRoaringTwentiesandtheGreatDepression.

101

DepthStudies

InStage5,four(4)ofthesix(6)depthstudiesaretobestudied.DepthStudy3andDepthStudy4areCoreStudies,tobestudiedbyallstudents.Theremainingfour(4)depthstudiesofferinternalelectives.ONEelectivewillbestudiedindetailfromeachofthechosendepthstudies.Depthstudycontentcanbeintegratedwiththeoverviewcontentand/orwithotherdepthstudyelectives.

Keyinquiryquestions:

• Whatwerethechangingfeaturesofthemovementofpeoplesfrom1750to1918?

• Howdidnewideasandtechnologicaldevelopmentscontributetochangeinthisperiod?

• Whatwastheorigin,development,significanceandlong-termimpactofimperialisminthisperiod?

• WhatwasthesignificanceofWorldWarsIandII?

DepthStudy1

MakingaBetterWorld?

ONEofthefollowingtobestudied:

• TheIndustrialRevolutionOR

• MovementofpeoplesOR

• Progressiveideasandmovements

DepthStudy2

AustraliaandAsia

ONEofthefollowingtobestudied:

• MakinganationOR

• Asiaandtheworld

CoreStudy–

DepthStudy3

AustraliansatWar(WorldWarsIandII)

Mandatorystudy

102

Appendix2:NESAContinuumofLearning

103

Appendix3:NESAContinuumofConcepts

104

Appendix4:NESAContinuumofSkills

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