The AIS History Conference 2022

Daniel Nilsson Head of History and Legal Studies

The AIS History Conference 2022 focused on the theme, Contested Discourses in History. The Conference was convened by the AISNSW History Convenor and Head of History and Legal Studies at The King’s School, Daniel Nilsson, and the program included a range of speakers and presenters from independent schools and historical associations. The keynote was presented by Associate Professor Robert Parkes from the University of Newcastle, who explored the role of History teachers and History Departments at schools to serve as curators of historical content, understanding, and knowledge for their students and teams. The keynote also promoted discussion at King’s amongst the History staff as to how, as an academic team, the History Department is curating its historical studies to fit within the mission and values of The King’s School and its place in a global society.

The conference also included a panel, moderated by Daniel Nilsson, comprising Heads of Department and Modern History HSC Markers who explored the learnings from the 2021 HSC Modern History Paper. Panel members reflected on how to best approach teaching the Core section of the Modern History Paper to best ensure student success on the HSC Examination. Tom Ruddock, History teacher and Bishop Barker Housemaster, in conjunction with George Davis from SHORE, and with contributions from King’s History teacher Eliza Little, presented an exploration of a unit of work that students at King’s study in History Elective on the theme of Terrorism Across the Ages. The presentation allowed Tom to share with the wider educational community some of what is being undertaken at King’s, thus demonstrating the leading role that our school and department are taking in approaching the teaching of History.

The learnings from the various presentations were brought back to King’s and have been incorporated into History Department meetings, planning, programming, and scopes and sequences for 2023 courses and beyond. For example, the department has developed a unit of work, Afghanistan and Australia’s Role in the War in Afghanistan, for implementation from Term 4, 2022.