How to work through the course
Introductory video call
You will receive an activation code for your digital coursebook (Insight History Year 8 obook) and you will use this to access your book online (see instructions below - How to access my obook). You should also read through this Course Guide, paying attention to the Programme of Study and the important course resources. When you have done this, you are ready to begin the course!
The course begins with an introductory video call with your tutor. This is an informal discussion to make contact with your tutor and ensure you are prepared for the course. It is an opportunity to ask any questions and to check you are confident with the online resources. For more information, see here.
Introduction
Each module begins with a short introduction which introduces you to the topics you will be studying in that module. You then move on to the topic work.
Topic work
Each module contains a number of separate topics. You should work through the topics in turn, completing the activities as directed.
Each topic begins with working through your coursebook. You will need to read some pages of the coursebook and answer some questions to make sure you have absorbed what you have read. You can answer these questions on the worksheets provided or independently.
You will then be directed to a range of optional activities. Some of these refer to tasks in the coursebook and some will take you to external resources selected by us. All links were correct at the time of launching this course and are regularly monitored, but we hope you will contact us if you encounter any problems. These activities are divided into support and extension activities.
The support activities are suggested to help you consolidate your learning, and give you more time to process the information, sometimes approaching it from different angles or using different skills.
The extension activities are designed to give opportunities to expand and enrich your learning, whether by developing your knowledge, engaging with what you do know more deeply, applying your research skills or pursuing a creative project inspired by the material you have been studying.
You do not have to complete all of these activities but we hope you might choose one or two each time. The Year 7 International History course is what you make it!
There is always a final section in which you can check your answers.
Resources
At the end of the module, all of the resources that we have directed you to are gathered together in a useful overview.
Now check your understanding
This page gives you the chance to check that you have understood some of the main learning points in the module. If you are uncertain about anything, you can go back to the topics and refresh your memory. This will help you to complete the short end of module quiz. You need to score 50% on this quiz to progress to the assignment, but you can take the quiz as many times as you like - the aim is to consolidate key knowledge points before moving on.
Assignments
When you are ready to attempt an assignment, we suggest that you read through the assignment guidance and check that you have got all the resources you need. The assignments are formative, which means that you can use your coursebook and other resources to help you complete the assignment, and in International History we encourage you to draw on independent research too. For more information on assignments, see here.
Assignment mark schemes
Once you have submitted your assignment, you will have access to a mark scheme on Canvas.
The mark scheme outlines the criteria that your tutor has used to grade your assignment.
Mid-course and end-of-course reviews
After Module Three there is a mid-course review and after Module Seven there is an end-of-course review. These reviews give you an opportunity to reflect on your learning, identify your strengths and weaknesses and review your skills and study habits. When you have completed the review document, which is similar to an assignment but is not marked or graded, you have the opportunity to arrange a video call with your tutor.
The mid-course review is an opportunity to ensure that you are getting the most out of the course and are receiving the support that you need.
The end-of-course review is an opportunity to reflect on your progress since the beginning of the course and to review whether you feel ready to transition to the next stage of your studies.