Aboriginal Studies 2019 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• use the reading time to plan your responses
• plan the extended responses in the examination answer booklet
• capitalise Aboriginal
• refer to a specific national community not just ‘Australian Aboriginal people’ or ‘Aboriginal people’
• refrain from using the term ‘tribe’
• use the full correct name for communities, for example, Wadi Wadi people of Yuin Country/nation
• incorporate source material more effectively in responses
• use relevant terminology to support their judgement throughout their response
• provide thorough examples from Australian Aboriginal communities and international Indigenous communities.

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide an outline of ONE Aboriginal initiative to improve their legal status
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal peoples’ legal status
• clearly state the relationship of the selected initiative to improvement of legal status.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying ONE initiative by Aboriginal people to improve legal status
• providing key features of the selected initiative
• explicitly linking the chosen Aboriginal initiative to the improvement of Aboriginal peoples’ legal status.

Question 7

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain ONE way in which Aboriginal peoples have aimed to achieve some level of equality
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the issue of inequality for Aboriginal people
• explicitly link the selected action to the desired outcomes, in relation to equality.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding general comments about equality and instead identifying a specific example of how Aboriginal peoples aim for some level of equality
• stating what action has been taken, and how the action relates to equality.

Question 8

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide explicit links to government initiatives that attempt to address discrimination against Aboriginal peoples
• focus on the attempt of government initiatives to address discrimination and state why they have been unsuccessful.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying key reasons why government initiatives have been unsuccessful.

Question 9

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate detailed knowledge of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• demonstrate detailed understanding of the significance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in addressing human rights and social justice issues for Aboriginal and other Indigenous peoples
• outline the non-binding nature of the declaration and its implications
• make explicit reference to the source to support response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• responding to all parts of the question, such as, outlining the significance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and, addressing human rights and social justice issues.

Question 10(a) – Health

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal peoples’ socioeconomic status and how health is impacted
• clearly link Aboriginal peoples’ socioeconomic status to health outcomes.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the link between Aboriginal peoples’ socioeconomic status and health outcomes.

Question 10(b) – Health

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of initiatives that address health needs
• provide clear examples from an Australian Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating a clear understanding of initiatives and with a good depth of knowledge
• linking initiatives to Aboriginal and Indigenous peoples’ health needs.

Question 11 – Education

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly outline the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal peoples and link it to participation in education (a)
• provide thorough examples from Aboriginal communities (a)
• clearly identify programs and strategies in education (b)
• identify the requirements of the question and answer all parts (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• depth of knowledge of the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal peoples (a)
• demonstrating clearly how education can improve Aboriginal peoples socioeconomic status (a)
• accurately identifying communities (b)
• answering all parts of the question and linking to examples of programs and strategies used by Aboriginal communities (b).

Question 12 – Housing

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly outline the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal peoples (a)
• link socioeconomic status of Aboriginal peoples to housing conditions (a)
• clearly examine programs and strategies (b)
• identify strategies used to improve housing status (b)
• examine the link between Aboriginal peoples socioeconomic status and health outcomes (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding of socioeconomic status (a)
• showing clear links to housing conditions (a)
• clearly identifying  one Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community and the programs and strategies that link to housing (b).

Question 13 – Employment

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people (a)
• link socioeconomic status to employment outcomes (a)
• provide thorough examples from Aboriginal communities(a)
• clearly examine similarities in employment issues for Aboriginal and other Indigenous peoples (b)
• make clear reference to an Australian Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community and employment program(s) (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding of the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people (a)
• providing clear links to employment outcomes through the use of examples(a)
• clearly identifying one Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community (b).

Question 14 – Criminal justice

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly outline the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people (a)
• link the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people to over representation in the criminal justice system (a)
• clearly examine similarities in criminal justice issues for Aboriginal and other Indigenous peoples (b)
• make clear reference to an Australian Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• outlining the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people and provide clear links to over representation in the criminal justice system(a)
• identifying one Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community (b).

Question 15 – Economic independence

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly outline the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people (a)
• link socioeconomic status to economic independence with clear examples (a)
• clearly examine programs and strategies for Aboriginal and other Indigenous peoples (b)
• make clear reference to an Australian Aboriginal community and international Indigenous community (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly outline the socioeconomic status of Aboriginal people (a)
• provide clear links to economic independence (a)
• clearly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community (b).

Question 16

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge of the impact of international agreements on Aboriginal and Indigenous peoples
• make clear and specific references to at least one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• link their response to two of the listed topics
• incorporate social justice and human rights in their response
• integrate references to the source throughout their response
• make a clear judgement (positive and/or negative).

Areas for students to improve include:

• including both social justice and human rights in their response
• clear identification of Australian Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community.

Question 17 – Research and inquiry methods

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly outline the methods for effective community consultation (a)
• identify protocols when working with Aboriginal communities (a)
• provide clear examples of methods and protocols (a)
• clearly demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of ethical research practices when working with Aboriginal communities (b)
• explain the importance of the use of ethical research practices when undertaking consultation with Aboriginal communities (b)
• outline the impact of not using ethical research practices (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly identifying both methods and protocols (a)
• drawing on their major project methods and protocols and give examples (a)
• ensuring a clear distinction between ethical research practices and consultation (b)
• demonstrating a clear understanding of ethical research practices (b)
• using examples from their major project (b).

Question 18 – Aboriginality and the land

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge of the importance of Country to Aboriginal peoples (a)
• clearly link the reasons why Aboriginal people sought to affirm sovereign title to the importance of Country (a)
• demonstrate extensive knowledge of the responses, whether Aboriginal communities or other groups (b)
• make clear and specific references to at least one Australian Aboriginal community (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring that references to the source are clear and integrated into the response (a)
• clearly linking both parts of the question in their response (a)
• understanding of the impact of land rights for at least one Australian Aboriginal community with an example (b).

Question 19 – Heritage and identity

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of key contemporary issues for Aboriginal people that affect their social and cultural lives (a)
• clearly incorporate factors that have an effect on social and emotional wellbeing such as continued discrimination, and explain the impact (a)
• demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of key contemporary issues that affect Aboriginal peoples’ social and cultural lives (b)
• clearly identify sources of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal media (b)
• make clear links to Aboriginal peoples’ heritage and identity (b)
• provide specific examples from Australian Aboriginal communities (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• references to the source should be clear and integrated into the response (a)
• clearly linking both parts of the question in their response (a)
• knowledge of key contemporary issues affecting Aboriginal peoples’ social and cultural lives (b)
• identification of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal sources of media (b)linking key contemporary issues to Aboriginal peoples’ heritage and identity (b).