Assessment Is What We Make of It

Tuning the discipline of history in the United States: Harmony (and dissonance) in teaching and learning

“…Numerous disciplines, such as history, have long operated without specific certification standards, precise licensing requirements, or exact accreditation standards. An aversion to assessment is quite apparent among historians who frequently disparage the work as imposed, unnecessarily complex, and seemingly unrelated to their core work (Grossman and Brookins, 2016: 1132; Hutchings, 2011: 3; Hyde, 2015). But beyond the hesitancy and resistance of faculty, analysts such as Adelman have criticized the poor conceptualization of assessment by institutions trying to be “accountable” to policymakers and the public.…”

“…The author is well aware that faculty in his own department, while steadily engaged in the work of clarifying and reformulating courses and curricula to make the discipline of history more transparent and meaningful to students, have little academic training (or patience) with the terminology of Tuning and its references to “learning outcomes,” “competencies,” “rubrics,” “qualification frameworks,” and “level descriptors.” Department colleagues are deeply involved in Tuning-related activities but rarely identify their work as “Tuning.” While other Tuning advocates across the nation have faced obstacles explaining the work in meaningful terms to their fellow faculty, it also remains challenging to “translate” the work of Tuning into terms that students can understand and internalize. Particularly in a field of study such as history that students and parents often question for its employment prospects, it is important to provide learners with a persuasive narrative of their educational experience, providing them with the language that effectively conveys history-based skills in terms that businesses understand and value (Grossman and Brookins, 2016: 1132–1133; Hyde, 2013a).…”

“…Unfortunately, the purpose of collecting evidence all too often revolves around “compliance” measures, directing considerable energy to the completion of forms used by administrators and external agencies. The core purpose of thoughtful assessment can easily get lost in the formal procedures, and the process may take “precedence over the use of its findings to improve student success and educational effectiveness” (Grossman and Brookins, 2016; Kuh et al., 2015). Faculty Tuners need much more assistance with tools that can identify changes in student learning as well as additional guidance on using such evidence to help learners become proficient in core knowledge and skills.…”

“…While other Tuning advocates across the nation have faced obstacles explaining the work in meaningful terms to their fellow faculty, it also remains challenging to ''translate'' the work of Tuning into terms that students can understand and internalize. Particularly in a field of study such as history that students and parents often question for its employment prospects, it is important to provide learners with a persuasive narrative of their educational experience, providing them with the language that effectively conveys history-based skills in terms that businesses understand and value (Grossman and Brookins, 2016: 1132-1133Hyde, 2013a).…”