The World Around Us 

A study of places and people. Students will look at a range of different local and global environments and discuss how they have changed over time and have been impacted by people. 

Human wellbeing will also be another focus of this subject. The students will explore a range of global issues that have impacted people and places. Some example case studies would be Indigenous wellbeing, recent conflicts around the world such as in Palestine and Israel, climate change and global pandemics. 

This subject will include a day trip or perhaps an overnight camp to Phillip Island to look at different coastal environments and learn valuable skills in fieldwork and surveying. While at Phillip Island the students will visit a range of popular tourist attractions, see the penguin parade of an evening (if camp goes ahead) and discuss management strategies with an Environmental Scientist and Ecologist.

This elective will also aim to teach the valuable skills of using GIS (Geographic Information System) technology. By analysing satellite images, maps and data the students can use this new technology to look at a variety of communities within the world around us. As this technology is also very current within workplaces and at university level, it will begin to develop skills for future pathways in these careers.

Global Politics

This is a contemporary study of global events of the past 10 years, providing an introduction to the concept and significance of politics, power, and authority. Students are introduced to the political spectrum; left, right, radical and conservative. They explore ideas that shape political systems including liberal democracy, socialism, fascism, authoritarianism and theocracy. Students explore the characteristics of the Australian political system and investigate a case study of a non-democratic political system such as Cuba, China, North Korea and Iran and the context of this type of political system, the values which underpin the political system, the structures and powers of government, participation of citizens in determining who governs, the protection of individual rights and freedoms and the accountability of government to its citizens.