An introduction to GCSE

An introduction to GCSE History

An introduction to GCSE History

Dylan Jones

GCSE History Subject Officer & Humanities Domain Leader (WJEC & Eduqas)

Prior to joining WJEC, I was Head of History for many years in a Cardiff secondary school, teaching both GCSE and A-level. I have taught a range of topics including Nazi Germany and European fascism.

Pictured above, a detail from the tiled mural of Picasso's "Guernica", Gernika, Basque Autonomous Community, northern Spain. Credit: Pixabay The world is changing. The world is always changing – mostly for the better, but not always. To understand if those changes are progressive ones, we need knowledge of the past: it is essential in understanding and trying to make sense of what is happening now. And that is where GCSE History is beneficial. It helps us to understand the complex world in which we live; teaching us to think critically, to analyse the past and develop the skills needed to discern fact from fiction even today, to understand that there are forces that are constantly trying to shift and shape our opinions – often on an emotional basis that has little to do with the real-world situation.

This critical thinking is an essential skill – now more than ever. In a world of 24-hour news, non-linear television and ever-increasing access to technology we need to be careful about what we hear and read as well as what we say and write. In this area, one technological development stands head and shoulders above the others: social media, those channels of instant communication with their sharing of opinions – informed or, invariably, otherwise – that are driven by the desire to gain "likes", even when those "likes" are at the expense of others. And, of course, one cannot think about social media without considering the proliferation of fake news. In a world such as this (and let's not to be too severe on the world - for most of us it is undoubtedly better to be alive today than 100, 500, 1000 years ago), critical thinking isn't a luxury: it is a tool to get us through every day and to make a success of life. Being a thoughtful, rational, critical person will never hold somebody back, instead it will help them to achieve their full potential. Employers are always looking for people who think critically and analytically – the key attributes of the historian. Studying GCSE History will help you develop these attributes, and hopefully, instil an interest in the past, in events, in stories, in cultures and in people. Through completion of the course learners gain improved abilities in absorbing large quantities of information, sifting content, analysing sources and interpretations, shaping arguments and reaching balanced conclusions. They can do this through the study of a several eras and themes that are drawn from a rich range of options. These include: • Wales and the Wider perspective • History with a European/ World focus • Thematic studies from a broad historical perspective Somewhere in there will be options that spark interest. Find them and use them to shape a progressive world view.