Humanities

About the Department

The Humanities Department comprises of the Social Studies, Geography, History, Principles of Accounts and Elements of Business Skills units. The Humanities Department aims to develop in CCKSians, inquiry-oriented learning dispositions that will allow them to make sense of the complexities of the societal issues that they will encounter in the future.

Teaching & Learning Approaches

The department's key teaching and learning approach is adopted in line with the aim to help students become inquiry-oriented learners. As such, the department adopts an inquiry-based approach towards teaching and learning to enable students to reach for deeper and enduring understanding of concepts through their own discovery and reasoning.

Social Studies

At the heart of the Singapore Social Studies curriculum is the preparation of students to be effective citizens by helping them to better understand the interconnectedness of Singapore and the world they live in, and appreciate the complexities of the human experience.

Drawing on aspects of society that are of meaning and interest to students, Social Studies seeks to ignite students’ curiosity to inquire into real-world issues that concern their lives. Through inquiry and authentic learning experiences, Social Studies helps students to attain relevant knowledge and understanding about these issues, develop critical and reflective thinking skills, and appreciate multiple perspectives.

Social Studies seeks to inculcate in students a deeper understanding of the values that define the Singapore society, nurture dispositions that will inspire them to show concern for the society and the world in which they live, and demonstrate empathy in their relationships with others. The curriculum therefore envisions students as informed, concerned and participative citizens, competent in decision-making with an impassioned spirit to contribute responsibly to the society and world they live in.

Geography

Geography bridges the humanities, social and natural sciences. It is a holistic subject that provides students with integrative ways of understanding the real world. Students will explore Earth, its natural and man-made environments, and examine the interactions of humans with these environments, from the personal to global scales.

Geography fascinates and inspires students, enabling them to gain a deep appreciation of Earth’s beauty, the immense power of natural forces, and the ingenious ways humans thrive under different circumstances. Through Geography, students will understand how places and landscapes evolve, deliberate on consequences arising from our everyday decisions, and experience the mosaic of cultures and societies.

Fieldwork satisfies and nourishes students’ curiosity about contemporary issues that affect their communities. Through fieldwork, students apply their classroom learning in the real world to make new discoveries. They also get to hone their abilities to generate innovative solutions and help make our world a better place. Such learning experiences make Geography a vital resource, in enabling students living in an interconnected world to discover what it means to live sustainably and exist harmoniously with one another and with other living species.

History

History education in Singapore seeks to develop in students an appreciation of past human experiences, critical awareness of the nature of historical knowledge, and the ability to make connections between the past and present.

History prepares students to thrive as citizens in a complex and fast-changing world by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to understand how forces, events and developments of the past shaped today’s world. It also develops in students a disciplined and critical mind to discern and make informed judgements based on consideration of multiple perspectives, reasoned and well-substantiated conclusions.

History also helps students to participate actively in a globalised world, as they learn to make sense of ambiguous and complex global developments, appreciate local contexts and engage with different cultures and societies sensitively. These are encapsulated in the seven qualities of a history learner which the History curriculum aims to develop:

Principles of Accounts

Principles of Accounts is designed to teach age-appropriate and relevant accounting knowledge, skills and values. In addition, students will understand how businesses use accounting and nonaccounting information to make decisions. Through the subject, they will acquire transferrable skills that they can apply in their daily lives. This subject forms part of a broad-based education to equip students with strong fundamentals for future learning.

Principles of Accounts aims to help students to become users of accounting information and make informed decisions using both accounting and non-accounting business-related information. By learning to become users of information, students understand:

• what business decisions are

• how decisions are made using accounting information

• the limitations of relying only on accounting information; and

• the consideration of non-accounting business-related information.

Elements of Business Skills

Elements of Business Skills is an introduction to business through an understanding of business activities, focusing on basic marketing and customer relations, in the context of Singapore.

The syllabus intends to provide students with opportunities to develop transferable employability skills and knowledge in the service industry, namely the Travel and Tourism, Hospitality, and Retail industries, which continue to offer employment opportunities accessible to the students. It provides students with the foundational knowledge and skills for further studies in institutes of higher learning and the awareness of prospects of a career in the service industry.

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