THE emphasis on teaching Australian history in recent years will be scaled down in the national curriculum, as its initial draft, to be released today, outlines a course that places the national story in the context of broader global events...Solipsism: extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption.
"To think one can study Australian history in isolation is a bit short-sighted," Professor Macintyre said.
"There was a concern ... that it was solipsistic and not conducive to understanding Australia and its place in the world...
The draft, described as initial advice to the National Curriculum Board, was developed by a group of historians and history teachers led by the Left-aligned Professor Macintyre, whose appointment was criticised as being provocative by the conservative side in the history wars.
The broad aim of the curriculum is to introduce students to world history from the time of the earliest human communities, and to have an appreciation of the major civilisations that have existed in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Australia.
The Courier Mail reports:
Greater serve of history in national curriculumNo doubt there will be a strong dose of globalisation brain-washing, to pump out submissive global citizens who will not object to completely dissolving Australia's borders. Start brainwashing them from kindergarten, way to go Chairman Rudd.
HISTORY lessons will be soon be compulsory for every Australian student until the end of Year 10 under radical national curriculum proposals.
The Rudd Government is pushing for extended and compulsory history subjects across Australia as educators survey a generation of students with "gaps in their history"...
The NCB proposes the subject become compulsory and stand alone with about 100 lessons a year from Years 7 to 10, and a "distinctive branch of learning" constituting 10 per cent of all primary class time...
The radical reforms were formulated by a 10-strong advisory group containing Brisbane Girls Grammar School head of history Julie Hennessey, and led by University of Melbourne Professor Stuart Macintyre...
The proposals draw heavily from Monash University's National Centre for History Education.
A quote from the teachers guide an the National Centre for History Education:
... history "extends our perspectives and enlarges our experience". This broader view of other times and other events reduces the possibility of political parochialism and self-centredness - giving citizens a sense of perspective and of the pace of historical change.That evil self-centredness just has to go. No doubt history will be concocted as one fatalistic train ride leading inevitably to an open-borders 'utopia'.
And another quote from NCHE:
Key aspects of civics and citizenship educationThat's where it's all headed, to an identity not as Australian but as a global citizen.
# Recognition of linguistic and cultural diversity.
# Promoting tolerance and respect for others.
# Supporting the development of identity - individual, school, local, national and global.
