Year 12 Common Module Texts and Human Experiences!
We’ve prepared a blog to introduce you to an in-depth interpretation of the components of the Texts & Human Experiences module!
 
This will cover all the aspects of the module you need to know (the range of ways and ideas you can get tested on) and some of the essential key skills to learn and understand for what is required by this module.
 
 
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
 
Let’s unpack the key concepts & terms relating to Human Experiences, which are most probably new to you. The following are expressly stated in the syllabus:
 
‘Individual and collective human experiences’
  • You need to understand that some experiences faced by people can be individual (i.e. faced by themselves) as well as collective (i.e. faced together in a group of people). Examples of a collective human experience would be racism or more extremely, the eradication of a tribe or race.
‘Human qualities and emotions’
  • Human qualities refer to the characteristics that are inherent in the general nature of humans. For example, our selfish nature.
  • Human emotions are the distinct feelings aroused by certain experiences, situations, confrontations and so forth. This one is probably most familiar to you as it includes everyday feelings of joy, fear, sadness, grief, hopelessness and so on!
‘Human behaviour and motivations’
  • Human behaviour is the way individuals act.
  • Motivations here refers to the factors, reasons, causes, motives which encourage, steer, urge certain human behaviours.
‘Anomalies’
  • In the context of the module, you’d be interpreting this word as the odd, peculiar and mysterious ways and reasons humans behave, which sometimes don’t always make sense or have a logical reasoning. Sometimes human behaviour and the reasons or factors motivating such behaviour is not easily understood, especially on the outset. (Remember humans are like onions – we have layers of emotions and qualities. Thus, sometimes you have to dive and think deeper to understand why a person behaves a certain way.)
‘Paradoxes’
  • In many circumstances, the ways a person acts and behaves is paradoxical, that is, contradictory to their set of beliefs, values, motives, personality, character etc. Often, paradoxical behaviour is motivated or caused by new, unusual, infuriating or/and confrontational human experiences and situations.
‘Inconsistencies’
  • Sometimes human behaviour will be inconsistent with their usual behaviour from the past or/and present. It can also be inconsistent with their innate character, beliefs and values. All of this will usually have a reason motivating such inconsistency of human behaviour. These motivations can be found by analysing a person’s qualities, emotions, traits and the circumstances they are in.
‘Storytelling’
  • Storytelling is simply the act or communicating stories. These are often stories of the past, which encompass traditional values and beliefs pertaining to a certain culture. Your job is to think what impact has this act of ‘storytelling’ made on individuals and groups? For example, storytelling may have informed us on our ancestors’ past mistakes, thus it forces us to learn those lessons vicariously, in turn avoiding repeating those actions and behaviour leading to ruination.
 
 
Key concepts & terms (pertaining to the skills required) expressly stated in the syllabus:
 
‘Informed judgements’: The module requires you to make informed judgements about
your text. This means you have to make a conclusion/judgment that is based on what you
have observed about the text or character(s). This will often include using evidence to
support your judgment or interpretation.
‘Challenge assumptions’: This involves you to take an evaluative and critical stance (i.e. one
that is always judging). You’ll need to challenge the general norms and expectations held by
a group, society or individual by interrogating and questioning those norms and expectations.
‘Ignite new ideas’: This draws upon your ability to instigate unique interpretations of your
own on why a person may be acting a certain way, or more generally on the themes
entailing human experiences.
‘Reflect personally’: Here you are drawing connections between your experiences and
relating, linking or comparing them to the ideas explored in the text.
 
 
There are also some other, more common key words in the module which you have likely
seen before in other of your modules. These are:
 
‘Examine’
‘Represent’
‘Illuminated’
‘Evaluate’
‘Shape’
‘Insight’
‘Appreciate’
‘Explore’
‘Analyse/Analysing’
‘Comprehending’
‘Interpret/Interpreting’
 
These words and their definitions have already been provided by NESA in their “Glossary of Key Words”, which can be found here https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-student-guide/glossary-keywords