Professional Focus Paper
Course: History
1.
Level: National 4
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
History National 4.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning from 3-18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3-15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes which that build directly on the BGE
leading to qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, selfmotivation is likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity
and progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on
high-quality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the BGE, to meet the needs of all learners?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
History National 4 consists of four Units, providing learners insights into their own lives, society and the wider world
in which they live.
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Historical Study: Scottish
Historical Study: British
Historical Study: European and World
Added Value Unit: History Assignment
To achieve History National 4, learners must pass all of the Units. There is no mandatory content at National 4 and
learners can study any aspect of the past that falls within the historical studies. However, as many classes are
likely to span Nationals 4 and 5, teachers will need to plan carefully to ensure the contexts explored at National 4
will help learners to move into National 5.
HISTORY
What are the key aspects of History National 4?
Integrated approach to skills development
History National 4 builds on the skills developed within the BGE. Staff may wish to consider thematic approaches to
learning and teaching. Gathering information and source handling are integral to studying history. Learners should
regularly use books or online resources, local museums and libraries to learn about the strengths and weakness of
a variety of sources.
Wider range of evidence of learning
There is a focus on assessment as an integral part of learning and teaching. Staff can make use of a wider range
of evidence of learning including, for example, digital or spoken presentations, posters, leaflets, extended writing,
notes or podcasts. These could be used by learners to build a portfolio to show their progress through the Units.
Hierarchy of Units
Programmes of learning should be planned to encourage learners to aim for the highest level of achievement.
There is no mandatory content at National 4 but the aim of the course is to develop historical knowledge and skills
such as: a conceptual understanding of the past; the ability to apply a straightforward historical perspective and
comment on historical sources; a straightforward knowledge and understanding of the factors contributing to, and
the impact of, historical events; investigating historical skills and forming views; and explaining historical events and
drawing straightforward conclusions.
These skills and knowledge will be developed further in National 5 and beyond. The skills developed in the
hierarchy of Units enables staff to plan courses to cater for multi-level delivery. Careful planning of historical
contexts will be required to ensure learners can move between the levels as required and that content is not
repeated unnecessarily as learners progress through the SCQF levels.
Added Value Unit
Learners will be required to complete an Added Value Unit, which will take the form of an assignment. Learners will
have a choice of historical theme to be researched and can present evidence of their learning in a variety of ways,
including through an oral presentation or in an extended piece of writing. The topic for the assignment can be
decided by the learner, with support from staff. Because there is no mandatory content, learners have much more
opportunity to exercise choice in a way that is personal to them. The assignment is an opportunity to apply skills
and abilities, for example, in selecting and researching evidence, organising and using information and to increase
challenge, describing the impact of a historical event. Questions which learners could research might include, for
example:
Why did William Wallace’s forces win at Stirling Bridge in 1297?
Was the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 lost at Derby?
What effect did Irish immigration have on Glasgow during the 19th century?
Why did the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 fail?
What are the key features of learning in History National 4?
Active learning
Learners will be expected to take an active role in the learning process, working individually and collectively to
develop skills and to reflect on their learning. Learning activities, linked to their own interests, will develop learners
abilities to explore, to analyse, to evaluate, to solve problems, to communicate for different purposes, to create and
to apply learning. For example, learners could create a script for a role-play about a topic they are studying. The
script would be based on sources to ensure the characters portrayed are as historically accurate as possible. The
HISTORY
learners could then act out the script. A good example might be using the resources on the Act of Union on the
Scotland’s History website. Learners could be asked to work in groups to write a short script of the final debate in
the Scottish Parliament in 1707. One group could be against the union, one group for and one group undecided.
Learning independently
Learning independently involves learners making decisions, solving problems and initiating learning. Learners can
develop confidence and self-motivation through activities that offer a choice of approaches and resources. For
example, staff could ask learners to post their answers to a historical question on a Glow blog. They could then
comment on each other’s answers, making suggestions for improvement and learning from each other. The
discussions could be summarised in class and learners could agree on a class answer. Presenting history as an
issue is also a very good way of encouraging independent thinking and problem solving. For example, when
looking at the part Ronald Reagan played in the ending of the Cold War, you might end the topic with the
discussion: 'Without the actions of Ronald Reagan the Cold War would not have ended'.
Because there is no mandatory content, learners have real opportunities to explore aspects of history that interest
them most. For example, learners may wish to study local history, selecting local sources of information and
choosing the most appropriate way to respond including, for example, through writing, podcasting or other digital
media. Analytical and evaluative skills might, for example, be developed in a critical essay context, or could be
promoted through creating a presentation. Through careful planning, staff can link aspects of local history to work
in multi-level classes. For example, learners studying National 4 might research letters written by local Scottish
soldiers in World War One. This is a good link to ‘The Era of the Great War’ Unit at National 5. There are wills and
letters on the Scottish Archives for Schools.
How will you plan opportunities for learners to learn independently?
How will you plan contexts to ensure there is progression without unnecessary repetition of content?
What exciting issues can learners debate while studying National 4?
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be expected to take responsibility for and plan their own learning, based on an understanding of
how best they themselves actually learn. Opportunities for personalisation and choice, such as research for and
presentation of the assignment, will enable learners to show what they can do. This will also motivate learners and
ensure that individuals are challenged appropriately. An individual or group might, for example, take responsibility
for researching a particular part of a topic. Given clear deadlines, the individual or group could be asked to develop
a five-minute lesson to teach the rest of the class about what they found. Each group or individual could provide a
task for the rest of the class to learn from.
Learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective use of
feedback to improve. By planning regular opportunities to discuss and review learning, including self- and peerassessment activities, staff will help learners engage with this process and to set meaningful targets for
improvement. For example, staff may wish to have learners peer-assess a small selection of history homework in
groups. The groups could then give feedback to the class, highlighting the areas of strength in each answer, and
discussing the ways in which each answer could be improved. It will be helpful to focus discussions about progress
on the aim of the course as identified above.
How will you support learners to take responsibility for and plan their own learning?
What key areas will you discuss with learners to ensure they are making progress with the aims of the course?
HISTORY
Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning challenges learners to think independently and engage in discussion and debate. In history it
enables learners to test out their ideas and argue about the past from their point of view. It can also assist in
developing confidence and providing evidence that learners can argue a case and come to valid conclusions.
Learners will be able to explain their thinking while being able to explore, develop and reinforce knowledge.
Collaborative learning also helps to develop a range of important literacy skills. Effective collaboration makes the
learning process visible and encourages deeper and more reflective learning. For example, learners could work in
pairs to describe the attack by Christian forces on Jerusalem in 1099. They could then work in fours to consider the
impact of the slaughter on the way Muslims saw Christians. The whole class could then consider whether the
attack is still having an impact on the world today. Effective use of technology can facilitate this collaboration
further. Learners could contribute to a Glow wiki, focusing on particular sources that describe the attack and
exploring their reliability. Staff may wish to explore how a class blog could be used to record reflections on learning
and to facilitate peer-assessment.
As learners become more confident, they could begin to collaborate, not just with their peers, but also with learners
from other establishments, from the wider community and from around the world. This may help them to
understand that different cultures have different views about the past depending on what sources they have access
to.
How might you develop collaborative approaches to learning and make effective use of technology?
Applying learning
Learners will apply their skills and knowledge to enrich their learning across all aspects of their learning in history.
For example, in the Added Value Unit, learners may choose topics for more independent and open-ended study,
where source handling, and knowledge and understanding can be integrated and applied. The skills developed can
then be applied in learning across curriculum areas and in future learning, life and work. By studying history,
learners should be more able to understand and participate in society. They should be able to apply their
understanding of aspects of the past to recognise the origins of some of today’s problems. They should be able to
use their source handling skills to find out about and take a reasoned view on current social, political and economic
issues.
Links with other curriculum areas, such as languages, are essential to help learners apply and make connections in
their learning. For example, by studying war poetry in English they may be able to increase their understanding of
what they study in history and also bring some contextual understanding to the poems.
How can you ensure that learners can access opportunities to apply their learning in other curriculum areas?
HISTORY
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
History National 4: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45628.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curriculumareas/socialstudies/index.asp
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nationalqualifications/subjects/history.asp
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
© Crown copyright, 2012
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