HIST 2080 - Contested Ground: Aborigines in Colonial Australia

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2014

A history of Aboriginal/European relations in colonial Australia, focussing especially on South Australia. The issues addressed will include land rights, Aboriginal responses to colonisation, frontier violence, government policy and administration, missions, Aboriginal engagement in the colonial economy, and European representations of Aboriginal people. As well as examining 'what happened', the course will also examine how aspects of this history have been remembered in regional communities, and within the national community. Special attention will be given to the analysis of primary source materials, and students will be encouraged to develop an original research project.

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Course Details

Course Code	HIST 2080
Course	Contested Ground: Aborigines in Colonial Australia
Coordinating Unit	Historical and Classical Studies
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Prerequisites	12 units of Level I study
Incompatible	HIST 2017 or HIST 3017
Assessment	1500 review essay (40%); 3000 word research essay (50%), participation (10%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Robert Foster

Associate Professor Robert Foster (course convenor)
Ph: 8313 5616; Email: robert.foster@adelaide.edu.au

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

To be announced.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:

1	To understand the nature of relations between Indigenous peoples and European settlers in colonial Australia.
2	An ability to distinguish between different historical interpretations and different cultural perspectives.
3	Enhanced skills in research, synthesis, organisation and presentation of information.
4	Enhanced problem solving skills.
5	Familiarisation with the research skills necessary for working with primary sources.
6	An ability to work independently.
7	An ability to work cooperatively.
8	An ability to critically evaluate arguments.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.	1 - 10
The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.	3, 4, 5, 6
An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.	3, 7
A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.	3, 5
A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.	3, 4, 5, 6
A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.	1, 2, 7
An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.	1, 2, 7

Learning Resources

Required Resources

There is no textbook for this course.

1. A Course Guide containing details of lecture topics and tutorial tasks, together with advice and instructions relating to course activities and assessment will be made available on MyUni.

2. A Course Reader, containing the texts that need to be read prior to each tutorial discussion, will be available for purchase at the start of the course from the Image and Copy Centre.

Recommended Resources

The Barr Smith Library has a rich collection of books and journals relevant to the subject. A Resources Guide for the Subject will also be available through the library and will provide links to useful online resources.

Online Learning

Lecture slides and MyMedia lecture recordings will be available on MyUni. Other materials will be made available as needed as the course progresses.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

The course comprises face-to-face teaching on campus with two one-hour lectures and one tutorial per week.

Lectures begin in Week One and tutorials commence in Week Two.

Lectures in this course provide a framework for understanding the broader issues canvassed in the course (drawing, in part, on the lecturer’s specialised knowledge), and will relate directly to the topics and readings discussed in the tutorials. Some of the lectures will deal directly with the research skills focus of the course.

Tutorials are designed to develop a range of skills. They will be a forum to discuss the historical issues and controversies canvassed in the course. They will give all students an opportunity to develop their skills in identifying and synthesising historical arguments, as well as honing their oral presentation skills. They will be an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between the Discipline and the broader community and the ethical issues that need to be considered in the practice of history, and the communication of ideas. The tasks and exercises in the tutorials will be strongly slanted toward the development of the research skills necessary for the primary research essay which will be a focus of the course.

The Course Guide will contain detailed information about the lectures and tutorial topics.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Students will need to devote approximately 12 hours per week to this course across the semester. This will comprise the 3 contact hours and about 9 hours of independent study in preparation for tutorials, written assignments and the exam.

This course is designed on the assumption that all learning and assessment activities (including lectures, tutorials, preparatory work, research and writing of assignments etc.) will require approximately 156 hours.

Learning Activities Summary

The lecture series will examine the Aboriginal experience of life in Colonial Australia. It will begin with an overview of Aboriginal Australia prior to the arrival of Europeans. In broadly chronological sequence, it will consider the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in the various arenas of European colonisation, highlighting themes that will be the focus of more detailed discussion in the tutorials:

· Aboriginal rights, particularly rights to land

· Conflict on the frontiers of settlement

· Institutionalisation on missions and reserves

· The significance of Aboriginal labour in rural industries

· The growing influence of Social Darwinism in the late 19th century

· The enactment of discriminatory laws and legal regimes in the early years of a federated Australia

The focus of both lectures and tutorials will be the South Australian experience, although lectures and tutorials will frame them both in terms of the broader Australian experience and comparable experiences of Aboriginal peoples in other colonial situations. The focus on South Australia is in part because the course is directed toward the development of research skills, and the principal assessed task is a primary source essay. The students will be encouraged to undertake original research at local archives, investigating topics of their own choosing.

Specific Course Requirements

Tutorial attendance is a requirement of this course and absences other than for medical reasons (with supporting documentation) will result in serious penalties.

Small Group Discovery Experience

The research project undertaken by students in this course entails undertaking original research, using primary sources materials accessed at local archives (both physical and virtual). The research process itself is a central focus of the course.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Given the research focus of the course, the principal assessable task will be a major research essay. There will be a minor essay designed to help students prepare for the major essay. Students will also be expected to give one oral presentation in a tutorial during the semester.

Assessment Related Requirements

Tutorial attendance is a requirement of this course and absences other than for medical reasons (with supporting documentation) will result in serious penalties.

Assessment Detail

Assessment details will be available in the Course Guide which will be posted on MyUni.

Submission

Online Submission of Assignments (e-submission) via MyUni
All assignments are to be submitted electronically via MyUni - this is a two-step process. The assignment needs to be electronically submitted for marking via the ‘Assignments’ link in the course menu. It then needs to be submitted separately to Turnitin, which is also done via the MyUni site. Marked assignments will be returned to the student in printed form.

(This means that you DO NOT have to submit hard copies of your assignments.)

Extensions
Students wishing to apply for an extension need to submit the relevant form available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/mod_arrange.html to the school office at least 5 days prior to the due date for the assignment.

Exceptions to the Policy

If one of the following criteria is met, an informal extension can be organised with the course coordinator or tutor:

· small extension – 2 days or less;

· assessment item is worth 20% or less;

· student is registered with the Disability Office (need to attach a Disability Access Plan – DAP).

All work submitted late without an extension will incur a penalty of 2% per day including weekends.

Normally written work will be returned a fortnight after submission.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

All assignments are submitted electronically. Further information on how to do this, as well as information regarding extensions, penalties for late submission etc., will be given to you at the beginning of the course.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
The School of History and Politics is committed to upholding the University's Policy on Occupational
Health & Safety (OH&S). All staff and students have a legal responsibility to act in the
interests of themselves and others with respect to OH&S. For information on the School's contingency plan and emergency procedures, please see the OH&S section on the school website:

http://www.hss.adelaide.edu.au/historypolitics/ohs
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator