Aboriginal Studies 2020 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• capitalise ‘Aboriginal’
• refer to a specific Aboriginal community, not just ‘Australian Aboriginal people’ or ‘Aboriginal people’
• refrain from using the term ‘tribe’
• correctly identify an International Indigenous community, for example, Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge Reservation, USA
• correctly identify an Aboriginal community, for example, Wiradjuri community of Parkes, NSW
• compare both an international Indigenous community and an Aboriginal community, for example, Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge Reservation, USA, with Wiradjuri community of Parkes, NSW
• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• integrate source material throughout their response
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question, recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• use the first page of the answer booklet to develop a plan to assist in the logical sequencing of information for an extended response
• engage with what the question is asking rather than presenting a prepared response
• relate to the question throughout the response rather than just at the beginning
• sustain their judgements, where appropriate, throughout the response with a clear connection to the question
• use relevant concepts and terms, where appropriate, to support their response
• present a sustained, logical and cohesive response, where appropriate, that addresses the question.

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the terms ‘socioeconomic indicator’ and ‘social status’.
• clearly outline one socioeconomic indicator, such as income, employment, housing, and link to Aboriginal peoples’ social status as a reflection of how limited access to these indicators can limit access to opportunities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding links between the concepts of socioeconomic indicators and social status
• linking concepts to real world examples and statistics.

Question 7

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify one initiative, such as NAIDOC Week, and link the initiative to the promotion of social equality
• provide specific information about how the initiative has promoted social equality, such as how  the NAIDOC 2020 theme Always Was, Always Will Be promotes Aboriginal cultures and recognises that Aboriginal Peoples are spiritually and culturally connected to Country and always have been, and always will be, the custodians of their lands.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying a relevant initiative
• making the connection between the initiative and improving social equality.

Question 8

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify one Australian Government initiative and link it to a positive effect on social justice and human rights issues, such as ‘Closing the Gap’
• clearly show how the initiative has had a positive effect on social justice and human rights issues, for example, ‘Closing the Gap’ is designed to meet targets to fund a range of programs in areas such as health and education, to improve the lives of Aboriginal peoples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring the initiative is an Australian Government initiative, rather than a community initiative.

Question 9

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate detailed knowledge of social justice and human rights issues, and their impacts
• show the causal links between social justice and human rights issues, and the lived experiences of Aboriginal and other Indigenous peoples
• provide detailed knowledge of social justice and human rights and their impacts
• integrate June Oscar’s comments on racism from Source B into their response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to the experiences of both Aboriginal peoples and other Indigenous peoples
• linking the impact of racism to social justice and the lived experiences of Aboriginal peoples and other Indigenous peoples
• incorporating the source in a meaningful way.

Question 10(a) – Health

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify and outline one health issue such as diabetes, smoking
• demonstrate a clear connection between the issue, how it affects Aboriginal peoples and the impacts on communities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly showing how the health issue affects Aboriginal peoples, AND how it affects communities.

Question 10(b) – Health

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community, and the health issues faced by the chosen communities
• provide a thorough analysis of the effects of colonisation and colonialism
• make strong links between colonialism and its effects on health
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples
• focus on colonialism within a contemporary context.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• understanding the concept of colonialism in the contemporary context
• making a stronger link between colonialism and health
• providing examples of the health issues faced by the chosen communities.

Question 11(a) – Education

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify and outline one education issue, such as early childhood education
• demonstrate a clear connection between the issue, how it affects Aboriginal peoples, and the impacts on communities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly showing how the education issue affects Aboriginal peoples, AND how it affects communities.

Question 11(b) – Education

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community, and the education issues faced by the chosen communities
• provide a thorough analysis of the effects of colonisation and colonialism
• make strong links between colonialism and its effects on education
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples
• focus on colonialism within a contemporary context.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• understanding the concept of colonialism in the contemporary context
• making a stronger link between colonialism and education
• providing examples of the education issues faced by the chosen communities.

Question 12(a) – Housing

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify and outline one housing issue, such as loss of land
• demonstrate a clear connection between the issue, how it affects Aboriginal peoples, and the impacts on communities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly showing how the housing issue affects Aboriginal peoples, AND how it affects communities.

Question 12(b) – Housing

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community, and the housing issues faced by the chosen communities
• provide a thorough analysis of the effects of colonisation and colonialism
• make strong links between colonialism and its effects on housing
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples
• focus on colonialism within a contemporary context.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• understanding the concept of colonialism in the contemporary context
• making a stronger link between colonialism and housing
• providing examples of the housing issues faced by the chosen communities.

Question 13(a) – Employment

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify and outline one employment issue, such as high rates of unemployment
• demonstrate a clear connection between the issue, how it affects Aboriginal peoples, and the impacts on communities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly showing how the employment issue affects Aboriginal peoples, AND how it affects communities.

Question 13(b) – Employment

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community, and the employment issues faced by the chosen communities
• provide a thorough analysis of the effects of colonisation and colonialism
• make strong links between colonialism and its effects on employment and work patterns
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples
• focus on colonialism within a contemporary context.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• understanding the concept of colonialism in the contemporary context
• making a stronger link between colonialism and work patterns
• providing examples of the employment issues faced by the chosen communities.

Question 14(a) – Criminal justice

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify and outline one criminal justice issue, such as high rates of incarceration
• demonstrate a clear connection between the issue, how it affects Aboriginal peoples, and the impacts on communities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly showing how the criminal justice issue affects Aboriginal peoples, AND how it affects communities.

Question 14(b) – Criminal justice

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community, and their experiences with the criminal justice system
• provide a thorough analysis of the effects of colonisation and colonialism
• make strong links between colonialism and its effects on criminal justice
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples
• focus on colonialism within a contemporary context.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• understanding the concept of colonialism in the contemporary context
• making a stronger link between colonialism and criminal justice
• providing examples of the chosen communities’ experiences with the criminal justice system.

Question 15(a) – Economic independence

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify and outline one economic independence issue such as business ownership
• demonstrate a clear connection between the issue, how it affects Aboriginal peoples, and the impacts on communities.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly showing how the economic independence issue affects Aboriginal peoples, AND how it affects communities.

Question 15(b) – Economic independence

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community, and the economic independence issues faced by the chosen communities
• provide a thorough analysis of the effects of colonisation and colonialism
• make strong links between colonialism and its effects on economic status
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples
• focus on colonialism within a contemporary context.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying one Australian Aboriginal community and one international Indigenous community
• understanding the concept of colonialism in the contemporary context
• making a stronger link between colonialism and economic status
• providing examples of the economic independence issues faced by the chosen communities.

Question 16

In better responses, students were able to:

• make an extensive comparison between an Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community
• show the causal link between social justice and lived experiences of chosen communities
• integrate detailed reference to two social justice topics throughout the response
• use statistical data to support their response with real world examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying chosen communities
• understanding the similarities and differences between communities
• explicitly mentioning and detailing two social justice topics within the response.

Question 17(a) – Research and inquiry methods

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly explain the importance of judging the usefulness and reliability of data in research
• outline the importance of accuracy in data, such as checking for inaccuracies, bias or propaganda
• state the potential positive and/or negative consequences, for example, respect/offence, representation/stereotyping, influence on research finding.

 Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the terms ‘usefulness’ and ‘reliability’
• linking all aspects of the question in their response.

Question 17(b) – Research and inquiry methods

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly explain the importance of community consultation in research and fieldwork, and integrate thorough examples based on their own research and major project
• outline essential ethical research practices, such as following protocols and seeking permission
• provide explicit examples of issues that have arisen, for example, the Carpets case in the Federal Court: Milpurrurru and others v Indofurn Pty Ltd and Others 1993, highlighting the importance of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property.  

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing BOTH consultation practices AND why they are necessary
• drawing from practices used in their own major project
• clearly outlining why community consultation is essential.

Question 18(a) – Aboriginality and the land

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of historical events and their impact on the progress of the land rights movement
• integrate Source C into their response and note the importance of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy as a place of protest, raising awareness of Aboriginal peoples’ issues
• identify and explicitly refer to land rights milestones, such as Mabo v Queensland changing the concept of land law in Australia; the establishment of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council.

Areas for students to improve include:

• referencing more than one historical event relating to land rights.

Question 18(b) – Aboriginality and the land

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of the importance of land AND water rights AND Native Title to Aboriginal peoples
• provide thorough examples from an Australian Aboriginal community
• integrate Source D throughout their response, making links to their chosen community.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing all parts of the question, including land AND water rights, AND Native Title
• providing detailed examples from the chosen Aboriginal community.

Question 19(a) – Heritage and identity

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of the interconnectedness of language and culture
• demonstrate knowledge of the aspects of understanding languages such as the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal languages, and contemporary initiatives to revive and maintain language and culture
• integrate Source E  into the response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying the importance of languages to Aboriginal peoples and cultures
• clearly showing how heritage and identity are affirmed through language
• integrating the source, not just referencing it
• linking examples explicitly. 

Question 19(b) – Heritage and identity

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate extensive knowledge and understanding of how Aboriginal heritage and identity is affirmed by a variety of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups
• integrate more complex concepts, such as cultural safety, increase awareness and recognition, advance social and political standing, pride and confidence for young people.
• provide specific in-depth examples from a number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups
• explicitly refer to Source F, such as sporting Indigenous Rounds, jerseys featuring Aboriginal designs.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a variety of examples clearly demonstrating their knowledge
• clearly showing how heritage and identity are affirmed by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups
• linking examples more explicitly.