Aboriginal Studies 2021 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• capitalise ‘Aboriginal’
• refer to a specific Aboriginal community, not just ‘Australian Aboriginal people’ or ‘Aboriginal people’
• correctly identify an International Indigenous community, for example, Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, USA
• correctly identify an Aboriginal community, for example, Wodi Wodi community of Yuin Country, NSW
• compare both an international Indigenous community and an Aboriginal community, for example, Oglala Lakota of Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, USA, with Wodi Wodi community of Yuin Country, NSW
• know the difference between a community and government initiative
• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• incorporate 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 relevant concepts and terms, where appropriate, to support their response
• 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
• present a sustained, logical and cohesive response, where appropriate, that addresses the question.

Question 6

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate clear understanding of the effect of on Aboriginal people of ONE form of racism: attitudinal, institutional, cultural
• describe the effect relevant to the selected form of racism
• provide examples of the effect to support their response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly identifying the form of racism selected
• clearly describing the effect of the selected form of racism
• providing examples to support their response.

Question 7

In better responses, students were able to:

• correctly identify ONE Aboriginal community response or initiative
• make links to and outline how the response or initiative improved human rights.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a strong link to improving human rights, rather than just a description of the response/initiative
• knowing the difference between an Aboriginal community response/initiative and a government response/initiative.

Question 8

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly incorporate the source throughout their response
• outline the effect of the recommendations of the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody on decreasing the number of Aboriginal deaths in prison custody
• make a clear judgement about the effect.

Areas for students to improve include:

• drawing on their own knowledge, as well as the source
• making explicit reference to the source
• referring to the source throughout, rather than only at the beginning of the response
• making a clear judgement of the effect.

Question 9

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly incorporate the source
• refer to protests by Aboriginal peoples AND by international Indigenous peoples
• explain how protests have generally contributed to social justice and human rights
• provide specific examples of protests and link to the improvement of social justice and human rights.

Areas for students to improve include:

• incorporating the source throughout the response, rather than just at the beginning
• using knowledge of protests by BOTH Aboriginal peoples AND international Indigenous peoples
• identifying and explaining aspects of a protest by international Indigenous peoples.

Question 10(a) – Health

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a government program or strategy relating to health
• articulate the aim of the program or strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between a government program or strategy and an Aboriginal community program or strategy
• incorporating clear details of the program or strategy and its aim
• using relevant statistics.

Question 10(b) – Health

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of socioeconomic factors
• link socioeconomic status and health outcomes using relevant statistics.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making clear links between socioeconomic status and health outcomes
• providing a balanced response by giving examples related to both Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples
• using examples and statistics to support their response.

Question 11(a) – Education

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a government program or strategy linked to education
• articulate the aim of the program or strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between a government program or strategy and an Aboriginal community program or strategy
• incorporating clear details of the program or strategy and its aim
• using relevant statistics.

Question 11(b) – Education

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of socioeconomic factors
• link socioeconomic status and education outcomes using relevant statistics
• provide thorough examples related to Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making clear links between socioeconomic status and education outcomes
• providing a balanced response by giving examples related to both Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples
• using examples and statistics to support their response.

Question 12(a) – Housing

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a government program or strategy linked to housing
• articulate the aim of the program or strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between a government program or strategy and an Aboriginal community program or strategy
• incorporating clear details of the program or strategy and its aim
• using relevant statistics.

Question 12(b) – Housing

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of socioeconomic factors
• link socioeconomic status and housing outcomes using relevant statistics
• provide thorough examples related to Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making clear links between socioeconomic status and employment outcomes
• providing a balanced response by giving examples related to both Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples
• using examples and statistics to support their response.

Question 13(a) – Employment

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a government program or strategy linked to employment
• articulate the aim of the program or strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between a government program or strategy and an Aboriginal community program or strategy
• incorporating clear details of the program or strategy and its aim
• using relevant statistics.

Question 13(b) – Employment

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of socioeconomic factors
• link socioeconomic status and employment outcomes using relevant statistics
• provide thorough examples related to Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making clear links between socioeconomic status and employment outcomes
• providing a balanced response by giving examples related to both Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples
• using examples and statistics to support their response.

Question 14(a) – Criminal justice

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a government program or strategy linked to criminal justice
• articulate the aim of the program or strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between a government program or strategy and an Aboriginal community program or strategy
• incorporating clear details of the program or strategy and its aim
• using relevant statistics.

Question 14(b) – Criminal justice

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of socio-economic factors
• linking socioeconomic status and criminal justice outcomes using relevant statistics
• provide thorough examples related to Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making clear links between socioeconomic status and criminal justice outcomes
• providing a balanced response by giving examples related to both Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples
• using examples and statistics to support their response.

Question 15(a) – Economic independence

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a government program or strategy linked to economic independence
• articulate the aim of the program or strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between a government program or strategy and an Aboriginal community program or strategy
• incorporating clear details of the program or strategy and its aim
• using relevant statistics.

Question 15(b) – Economic independence

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of socioeconomic factors
• linking socioeconomic status and economic independence outcomes using relevant statistics
• provide thorough examples related to Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making clear links between socioeconomic status and economic independence outcomes
• providing a balanced response by giving examples related to both Aboriginal peoples and international Indigenous peoples
• using examples and statistics to support their response.

Question 16

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly compare the success of the initiatives in addressing TWO social justice issues
• incorporate relevant statistics
• produce a balanced comparison of the success of initiatives of an Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community.

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly identifying and referring to an Australian Aboriginal community and an international Indigenous community
• focussing on a comparison of the initiatives and their success, rather than the communities or issues in general
• using relevant statistics to support their response.

Question 17(a) – Research and inquiry methods

In better responses, students were able to:

• explicitly outline three communication methods
• provide relevant examples of appropriate communication.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the differences between communication methods and protocols.

Question 17(b) – Research and inquiry methods

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a thorough explanation of why Aboriginal perspectives, cultural ownership and copyright issues are necessary considerations
• address all three aspects in their response
• provide thorough examples to support their explanation
• effectively link the source to perspectives, cultural ownership and ethical research practices.

Areas for students to improve include:

• taking care with the interpretation of the source
• linking the source to the question
• addressing all three aspects of the question.

Question 18(a) – Aboriginality and the land

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly explain the intricacies of Aboriginal peoples’ connection to Country
• clearly and explicitly refer to the nature of Aboriginal peoples’ responsibilities relating to Country
• incorporate thorough reference to the source.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding restating the quote from the source
• clearly linking to the question asked
• referring to key terms and concepts such as totems, kinship, social identity.

Question 18(b) – Aboriginality and the land

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly articulate a variety of Aboriginal responses to Native Title legislation and the struggle for land and water rights
• explicitly refer to the responses of at least one Aboriginal community
• provide clear and explicit judgements relating to the outcomes of responses, whether successful or unsuccessful.

Areas for students to improve include:

• presenting a sustained argument that is explicitly linked to the question
• incorporating relevant examples drawn from at least one Aboriginal community
• avoiding generalised responses
• clearly identifying Aboriginal communities.

Question 19(a) – Heritage and identity

In better responses, students were able to:

• appropriately identify government legislation and policies
• focus on the effects of specific legislation and policies on protecting and preserving Aboriginal peoples’ heritage and identity
• incorporate the source and draw on their own knowledge in their response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a detailed response
• ensuring that post 1960s context is applied
• specifying legislation and policies, such as copyright legislation, heritage acts, National Parks, government support of NAIDOC and grants programs.

Question 19(b) – Heritage and identity

In better responses, students were able to:

• articulate the importance of Country to Aboriginal peoples’ heritage and identity
• make explicit links between regaining access to Country and Aboriginal peoples’ heritage and identity
• refer to socio-cultural effects, such as health and economic benefits, and explicitly link to heritage and identity.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly linking to the importance of access with tangible examples to assist in the justification
• ensuring all aspects of the question are addressed in the response.