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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title History and Geography
Module Code EDP1160
Faculty STEM Ed, Innov, Global Studies School DCU Institute of Education
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Description



Learning Outcomes



WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Seminars84 x 2 hrs face to face seminars for Geography
Online activity84 x 2 hrs asynchronous seminars for Geography
Seminars84 x 2 hrs face to face seminars for History
Online activity44 x 1 hrs asynchronous seminars for History
Lecture44 x 1 hrs for History
Independent Study43Research, reading and independent work
Assignment Completion50Completion of assignments
Total Workload: 125
Section Breakdown
CRN21456Part of TermSemester 2
Coursework0%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsY
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorBenjamin MallonModule TeacherCaitriona NI Cassaithe, Joe Usher, Lisa Clarke, Peter Whelan
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Written ExamWritten assignment (SE - Social Environmental Education)80%n/a
Loop QuizAsynchronous quiz x 420%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Overview
The module is designed as a set of two learning pathways, one in Geography and one in History. Both pathways will include in-class, face-to face (F2F) seminars and asynchronous, online seminars also. In the F2F seminars, innovative, inclusive and creative classroom pedagogies in Geography and History Education are modelled and reflected upon. These pedagogical approaches include inquiry based learning, outdoor learning and fieldwork and playful and dialogical approaches to teaching and learning. In the asynchronous seminars, students will be provided with opportunities to deepen their understanding of these key pedagogies as a vehicle to explore and investigate historical and geographical ideas, concepts and issues, as well as developing their own content and pedagogical knowledge.

Indicative Content for History Education
In History Education, students will identify the need for both substantive and procedural knowledge in order to do history in the classroom. Using examples of research, the students will identify the capabilities of young children to interpret sources, make inferences, apply previous knowledge and undertake complex historical investigation even where they may have had little prior experience of enquiry-based learning. The students will be introduced to a variety of collaborative activities that can be used to develop children’s critical thinking skills. Opportunities to discuss and review key considerations in planning for and teaching history will also be provided. Student pedagogic content knowledge will be developed through the demonstration and discussion of exemplar activities. In each of the seminars provided, issues and possibilities for creative, enquiry led planning for primary classrooms will be exemplified and explored. The use of ICT and digital resources suitable for the teaching of history will complement the content of the course.

Indicative Content for Geography Education
In Geography Education, students will critically explore key pedagogical principles through collaborative seminar-based activities based on a number of themes which include geography through local and global issues, children’s rights and citizenship, sustainability and natural resources, big ideas and concepts such as weather and climate, examining places and ‘People and other lands’ by critically engaging with a variety of resources and textbooks and debating what is deemed important ‘knowledge’ pertaining to children’s understanding of place. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in and collaboratively plan for learning activities and experiences in geography through inquiry, outdoor learning/fieldwork and playful approaches ; engaging with the curriculum and critically reviewing a broad range of resources for geography education.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Tony Pickford,Wendy Garner,Elaine Jackson: 2013, Primary Humanities, SAGE Publications Limited, 0, 0857023403
  • Linda S. Levstik,Keith C. Barton: 2015, Doing History, 5th, Routledge, 9780415737333
  • Hilary Cooper: 2016, Teaching History Creatively, Routledge, 0, 9781138949065
  • Simon Catling,Tessa Willy: 2018, Understanding and Teaching Primary Geography, SAGE Publications Limited, 0, 9781526408396
  • Susan Pike: 2015, Learning Primary Geography, Routledge, 0, 9781138922976


Articles:
  • Fionnuala Waldron: 2003, Irish primary children's perceptions of history., Irish Educational Studies, 22(2), 522528
  • 2001: Extending primary children’s thinking through the use of artefacts, History Education Research Journal, 1(2), 522529, 1
  • “We can’t really know cos we weren’t really there”: Identifying Irish primary children’s bottleneck beliefs about history: Historical Encounters, https://doi.org/10.52289/hej9.105, 522530, 1, Joe Usher
  • Irish Educational Studies: https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2023.2196257, 522531, 1, Joe Usher, 2021
  • https://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1080/03323315.2021.1910975:
Other Resources

  • 1: Report, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, 2023, Literature Review to Inform the Primary Curriculum for Social and Environmental Education (Geography and History Education),
  • 419175: 1, Website, SCOILNET,
  • https://maps.scoilnet.ie/:

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