Expanding assessment methods and moments in history

Abstract

History courses at The University of Auckland are typically assessed at two or three moments during a semester. The methods used normally employ two essays and a written examination answering questions set by the lecturer. This study describes an assessment innovation in 2008 that expanded both the frequency and variety of activities completed by 182 undergraduates taking a course on the history of African‐American freedom struggles. All week‐by‐week tutorial assignments were collected for textual analysis to see if students were moving beyond the recollection and regurgitation of facts (surface learning) and instead were dealing with the deeper historical issues. The quality of student work coupled with our own classroom observations indicate that innovative assessment methods at regular moments during the semester made a positive difference to the student learning experience.

Keywords:

• continuous assessment
• history teaching
• student learning

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the support received for curriculum development and research from a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute Award (US), a University of Auckland Faculty of Arts Research Grant, and a University of Auckland Teaching Improvement Grant. We would like to thank the History 208/308 students, especially those who are quoted by permission and with University of Auckland ethical approval, reference 2007/455.