Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 333-348 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Keywords
- Assessment in higher education
- medieval history
- Outreach
- Public history
Cite this
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A Team-Based “Public History” Assessment for Undergraduates: Rationale, Design and Implementation in a Medieval History Course. / Neal, Kathleen Bronwyn; Amendola, Robyn Natasha; Jeske, Diana; Joyce, Stephen J.; Baudinette, Samuel; Martorana, Rosa; Smith, Erin G.
In: International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Vol. 30, No. 2, 2018, p. 333-348.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - A Team-Based “Public History” Assessment for Undergraduates: Rationale, Design and Implementation in a Medieval History Course
AU - Neal, Kathleen Bronwyn
AU - Amendola, Robyn Natasha
AU - Jeske, Diana
AU - Joyce, Stephen J.
AU - Baudinette, Samuel
AU - Martorana, Rosa
AU - Smith, Erin G.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - The design of assessment in undergraduate history courses, as university populations grow and change, must adapt to meet and serve a range of new pedagogical imperatives and student constituencies in order to ensure both disciplinary integrity and the development of employability skills transferable to work in other fields. In delivering an elective course on Medieval history we have developed the “Medieval Expo,” a team-based assessment task that challenges students to develop a presentation aimed at educating a general audience on a specific aspect of Medieval history. The task aims, primarily, to develop students’ ability to communicate complex information to a non-specialist audience as well as develop effective teamwork skills: two valuable characteristics for humanities graduates entering any career, while still reinforcing the importance of historical study. A “scaffolded research” model, providing foundational structures that guide student research, is combined with opportunities for students to exercise creative freedom, providing suitable pedagogical support yet maximizing opportunities for student engagement. The reported benefits of this task include increased student engagement with the course content; smoother transitions to tertiary study through the formation of friendships, which is crucial for retention; and increased awareness of the employability skills embedded in the liberal arts.
AB - The design of assessment in undergraduate history courses, as university populations grow and change, must adapt to meet and serve a range of new pedagogical imperatives and student constituencies in order to ensure both disciplinary integrity and the development of employability skills transferable to work in other fields. In delivering an elective course on Medieval history we have developed the “Medieval Expo,” a team-based assessment task that challenges students to develop a presentation aimed at educating a general audience on a specific aspect of Medieval history. The task aims, primarily, to develop students’ ability to communicate complex information to a non-specialist audience as well as develop effective teamwork skills: two valuable characteristics for humanities graduates entering any career, while still reinforcing the importance of historical study. A “scaffolded research” model, providing foundational structures that guide student research, is combined with opportunities for students to exercise creative freedom, providing suitable pedagogical support yet maximizing opportunities for student engagement. The reported benefits of this task include increased student engagement with the course content; smoother transitions to tertiary study through the formation of friendships, which is crucial for retention; and increased awareness of the employability skills embedded in the liberal arts.
KW - Assessment in higher education
KW - medieval history
KW - Outreach
KW - Public history
M3 - Article
VL - 30
SP - 333
EP - 348
JO - International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
JF - International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
SN - 1812-9129
IS - 2
ER -