Demystifying history for region's brightest HSC students

Nov 10, 2005

The best and brightest students undertaking HSC History Extension attended a free half-day seminar at the University of Wollongong yesterday (Wednesday, 9 November ) aimed at boosting their research skills and overall confidence in the subject.

About 140 students and some teachers from Sutherland to Kiama and from Campelltown to Bowral participated in the seminar.

Students heard from Dr Glenn Mitchell (Senior Lecturer and Convener of the History Program at UOW) on “How History Extension Changed My Life: Stories from the History Front Line”; and Associate Professor John McQuilton and Associate Professor Greg Melleuish (Arts, UOW) on “How to Find, Read and Use Documents and Triumph in the HSC”.

There were also presentations from Niki Kallenberger, Manager Education and Training, State Library of NSW; Jen Lyons (UOW’s Arts Faculty Librarian) and Marissa O’Connor, who is Acting Local Studies Librarian at Wollongong City Library.

Dr Mitchell said that as professional historians and librarians, they believed it was important for them to spread their knowledge around as much as possible.

“We noticed in the past that History Extension students were coming in individually to the University to learn how they could best use primary documents for their project work and how to use resources such as the Library’s on line services. So we thought why not offer a free seminar and get them all here at one time.

“The response to our seminar has been staggering so we have obviously tapped into an area of need for these incoming HSC students many of whom may end up coming to UOW to further their studies,” Dr Mitchell said.