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Digital Classroom

Explore Australia's history at the National Library's Digital Classroom, aligned with the Australian Curriculum. With over 10 million items, we support diverse learning styles, fostering inquiry-based learning for students to analyse sources and draw conclusions about the Australian story.
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Man wearing face mask and purple vest standing new a doorway. On the wall around the door are instructions on how to vote in a federal election.

Sandy Scheltema, Australian Electoral Commission officer standing next to a 'How to Vote in a Federal Election' poster outside the polling place in Glenlyon Hall, during the Australian federal election, Glenlyon, Victoria, 21 May, 2022, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3108998796

Why do we need these skills?

Topic

We interact with information in a vast array of forms from any number of sources every day. It is becoming increasingly apparent that, to fully participate, navigate and thrive in the modern world, people need the skills and abilities to engage critically with information presented to them.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
A black and white photograph of a group of men standing at a white information desk. Above the desk is a large sign that says INFORMATION. Men behind the counter and speaking and hanging out brochures.

Wolfgang Sievers, Information desk at German stand, Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Victoria 1966, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-161478886

Where to start?

Topic

Information is all around us, every day. Regardless of whether we are looking for the information or having it presented to us unexpectedly, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of data we are exposed to.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
A large red and yellow poster with a bold headline reading 'COAL IS VITAL TO VICTORY!'. The poster has three sub headings that read 'Switch off PROMPTLY' with a picture of a light switch, 'Turn that GAS down!' With an image of a pot on a gas cooktop, and 'Don't waste WATER!' with an image of a running tap.

Commonwealth Coal Commission from New South Wales. Department of Health. & Commonwealth Salvage Commission (Australia). & Commonwealth Coal Commission (Australia), Coal is Vital to Victory!, from [Posters Relating to the Australian Civilian War Effort During World War 2]. nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2633341080

Public service announcements: For the war effort

Topic

The posters on this page were published during times of conflict.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
The front page of the Tribune newspaper. The headline reads 'USA FORCED TO DROP CUBA INVASION'. There is a black and white photograph of 5 people holding protest signs.

(1962, October 31). Tribune (Sydney, NSW : 1939 - 1991), p. 1, nla.gov.au/nla.news-page25610837

Print media: The Cuban Missile Crisis

Topic

Under legal deposit provisions of the Copyright Act (1968), one copy of everything that is published in Australia must be lodged with the National Library of Australia. As a result, the Library’s collection holds a vast array of Australia’s printed news media.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
A comic panel on yellowed newspaper paper. A large well-dressed man wearing a top hat that says 'Capital' is pushing a wheelbarrow marked 'Federal Capital' which is full of material marked 'Unearned increments'. He is pushing it towards a a man dressed in workwear wearing a hat marked 'NSW Elector'. The title below the comic reads 'A One-sided Affair'

(1880) The Bulletin, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-683703369

Media and information literacy

Module 

A resource for educators teaching digital and/or media literacy in their classrooms. 

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
A page of a newspaper with the headline 'LITERACY: FACT and FICTION'. The page also includes cartoons and black and white photos

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). LITERACY: FACT and FICTION, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-710682297

Defining literacies

Topic

Media, information and digital literacy, by their most basic definitions, relate to a person’s skills and ability to locate, create, use and engage critically with information in a range of formats.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
A yellowed sheet of paper with the headline '[Co]nventional Lies of the Anti-Federal Party'. The 'C' and 'O' of the word 'conventional' is missing as the corner of the page has been torn off. The very small text is set out in four columns

(1899). Conventional lies of the Anti-Federal Party, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135107257

Commentary: "Conventional Lies"

Topic

The idea of Federation of the states had been discussed in Australia from about 1850, with the movement gaining real momentum in 1889 after a speech by veteran New South Wales politician Sir Henry Parkes.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media
A black and white photograph of a group of men standing at a white information desk. Above the desk is a large sign that says INFORMATION. Men behind the counter and speaking and hanging out brochures.

Wolfgang Sievers, Information desk at German stand, Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Victoria 1966, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-161478886

Art: The Death of Cook

Topic

Within the Treasures Gallery in the Library hangs a large oil painting in a gilded frame. The artwork was painted in 1781 by British artist George Carter (1737–1795). It is titled Death of Captain Cook.

English
Languages
Mathematics
Teachers
Communications and media

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