History & Current Affairs
Integrated Programme
Year 1-2
Curriculum Document
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
1 Nature of the subject
History and Current Affairs for Years 1 and 2 in the Integrated Programme
(IP)/School-Based Gifted Education (SBGE) Programme is a two-year history course
that encompasses a stimulating engagement with the past and the contemporary. In
other words, the study of history is not simply to present facts and memorize dates,
but to search for an interpretation of the past. An understanding of the past is
fundamental to an understanding of the present. The analysis and interpretation of
history also provides an essential context for evaluating contemporary institutions,
politics, and cultures.
The History Department is offering a course entitled ‘Singapore in Transition’ which
aims to equip students with the necessary skills required for the study of History at
higher levels as well as the Pre-IB compulsory subject, International Studies Pre-IB
programme. In this course, students will study themes and issues pertaining to
Singapore so as to gain an understanding of our seemingly constant state of flux in
relation to global changes and demands. At the end of 2 years, they should not only
be able to grasp the broad fundamental concepts common to all historical
explanations, but should also gain a greater awareness of the influence of external
affairs on Singapore.
In order to develop their skills of historical inquiry, students will work with a wide
range of historical sources in this course. They will be equipped with skills to assess
evidence and conflicting interpretations, as well as learn how to identify trends and
patterns in relationships. They will also be able to understand Singapore’s position in
relation to social-political changes around the world and develop a more empathic
nature regarding our own national policies.
2 Aims of the subject
Content
1. Have a firm knowledge of broad, fundamental concepts common to all historical
explanations.
2. Understand key developments and events in Singapore’s history
3. Recognise how international and current affairs shape the development of
Singapore.
4. Develop a sense of empathy for and sensitivity towards different political
experiences and government policies
Skills
1. Apply concepts across space and time.
2. Recall, select and deploy relevant historical knowledge and communicate this
knowledge in a clear and coherent form
3. Demonstrate understanding of historical terminology and concepts
4. Develop critical and creative thinking skills such as making comparison,
analysing and drawing conclusions through an examination of different types of
source materials
3 Assessment objectives
Assessment objective 1: Knowledge and understanding
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Demonstrate detailed, relevant and accurate historical knowledge
Demonstrate understanding of historical concepts and context
Demonstrate understanding of historical sources
Assessment objective 2: Application and analysis
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Formulate clear and coherent arguments
Use relevant historical knowledge to effectively support analysis
Analyse and interpret a variety of sources
Assessment objective 3: Synthesis and evaluation
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Integrate evidence and analysis to produce a coherent response
Evaluate different perspectives on historical issues and events, and integrate this
evaluation effectively into a response
Evaluate sources as historical evidence, recognizing their value and limitations
Assessment objective 4: Use and application of appropriate skills
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Structure and develop focused essays that respond effectively to the demands of
a question
Formulate an appropriate, focused question to guide a historical inquiry
Demonstrate evidence of research skills, organization, referencing and selection
of appropriate sources
4 Historical concepts
The following six key concepts have particular prominence throughout the IP/SBGE
History and Current Affairs Years 1 and 2 curriculum.
Change
Perspectives
Continuity
Key
Concepts
Significance
Causation
Consequences
5 Key concepts for History and Current Affairs unpacked
(Extracted from IBDP History Guide for First Examinations 2017)
Change
The study of history involves investigation of the extent to which people and
events bring about change. Discussion of the concept of change can
encourage sophisticated discussions such as encouraging students to think
about, and look for, change where some claim none exists, or using
evidence to challenge orthodox theories and assumptions about people
and events that it is claimed led to significant change. Students’ questions
and judgments about historical change should be based on deep
understanding of content and on comparison of the situation before and
after the events under examination.
Continuity
While historical study often focuses on moments of significant change,
students should also be aware that some change is slow, and that
throughout history there is also significant continuity. Students can
demonstrate deep historical knowledge and understanding by, for example,
showing awareness that there are times when there has been considerable
continuity in the midst of great historical change. Alternatively, students
may question and assess whether a change in policy, or whether it was
more accurately mirroring policies of previous governments.
Causation
Effective historical thinkers recognize that many claims made about the
past seek to more thoroughly explain and understand how a certain set of
circumstances originated. Deep historical understanding is demonstrated
where students recognize that most historical events are caused by an
interplay of diverse and multiple causes that require students to make
evidence-based judgments about which causes were more important or
significant, or which causes were within the scope of individuals to direct
and which were not.
Consequence History is the understanding of how forces in the past have shaped future
people and societies. Students demonstrate competency as historical
thinkers where they understand and can explain how significant events and
people have had both short-term and long-lasting effects. Students use
evidence and interpretations of those people and events to make
comparisons between different points in time, and to make judgments
about the extent to which those forces produced long-lasting and important
consequences.
Significance
History is not simply the record of all events that have happened in the
past. Instead, history is the record that has been preserved through
evidence or traces of the past, and/or the aspects that someone has
consciously decided to record and communicate. Students should be
encouraged to think about who or what has been excluded from historical
narratives, and for what reasons. Additionally, students’ questions should
encourage them to think about, and assess, the relative importance of
events, people, groups or developments, and whether the evidence
supports the claims that others make about their significance.
6 Perspectives
IP students should be aware of how history is sometimes used and abused
to retell and promote a grand narrative of history, a narrowly focused
national mythology that ignores other perspectives, or to elevate a single
perspective to a position of predominance. Students are encouraged to
challenge and critique multiple perspectives of the past, and to compare
them and corroborate them with historical evidence. Students should
recognize that for every event recorded in the past, there may be multiple
contrasting or differing perspectives. Using primary-source accounts and
historians’ interpretations, students may also investigate and compare how
people, including specific groups such as minorities or women, may have
experienced events differently in the past. In this way, there are particularly
strong links between exploring multiple perspectives and the development
of international-mindedness.
7 Syllabus Outline for IP/SBGE History and Current Affairs Year 1
S/N Units
1. What is History?
2.
History of ACS
3.
Colonialism
4.
5.
Singapore’s Vulnerability
to External Factors
Military History
Material for Detailed Study
 Definitions of History
 Challenges of Studying History
 Beginnings of ACS
 Research and Presentation of ACS Fact
 History of Mythical Singapore
 Theories of Colonialism
 Case Study: Singapore
SBGE Only
 Case Study: ACS (Soft Colonialism)
 Cause and Effect (History):
o Industrial Revolution
o Opening of the Suez Canal
o World War I
o Terrorism 9/11
o The Great Depression
o Asian Financial Crisis of 1997
 Link to Cause and Effect (Current Affairs):
o IR: The Internet and its effects on social
life
o War: Terrorism
o GD: Financial Crisis of the 21st Century
o Global: Haze
 Impact:
o Globalism
o Internet Revolution
SBGE Only
 Link to Cause and Effect (Current Affairs):
o SARs
 Theories of Conflict
 Cause:
Case Study: Japanese Occupation of Singapore
 Effect:
Building the Singapore’s National Service
 Diplomacy and the Role of the UN
SBGE Only
 Post-WWII and American
movement: José Rizal
8 anti-colonialist
Syllabus Outline for IP/SBGE History and Current Affairs Year 2
S/N Units
1. Cultural History
2.
Economic History
3.
Political Style and
Leadership
4.
Political History
(Governance)
Material for Detailed Study
 Immigration
o Theories of Immigration
o Immigration Policies by British in Colonial
Singapore (History)
o Immigration
Policies
by
Independent
Singapore (Current Affairs)
 Tourism
o Theories of Tourism
o Development of Tourism in Singapore
 Food and the Singapore Identity
o Manufactured vs Factual Images
o Politicization of food and culture
 Basic Theories of Economics
 Economic Development of Singapore
 Gross National Happiness
 Theories of Political Leadership Styles
 Case Studies:
o Lee Kuan Yew
o Goh Keng Swee
SBGE Only
 Soft authoritarianism/ intrusive/consensus
seeking/ populist/ catering to a generation X
 Theories and Ideology of political systems
 Singapore’s Political Development
SBGE Only
 Population and Culture and its effects on the
implementation of Political Systems
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