Exercises in Assessment for World History Classrooms Patrick Manning University of Pittsburgh April 23, 2011

PRIMARY DOCUMENTS About 10 minutes of work. Select one of the two documents provided, read it, and write responses to these points: 1.List historical events and processes (with approximate dates) that are referred to in the document. 2.Identify world historical arguments (or interpretations) that are presented.

PRIMARY DOCUMENTS – 2. Up to 5 minutes, on your own: Self-assessment: How did you do in interpreting the document? (Write comments that you will keep to yourself)

PRIMARY DOCUMENTS – 3. Discussion (10 minutes): What criteria do you use to assess world- historical interpretation of a primary document?

ESSAYS (COLLEGE-LEVEL) MATERIALS: 1.Rubric announced to students for Midterm exam in World History course at Pitt, Essay topic given to students in introductory World History course at Pitt, Basically, “put a recent event in world-historical context.” 3.Essays written by students in response to the topic above.

ESSAYS – 2. ASSESSMENT (up to 30 minutes): 1.Read the two student essays distributed to you. 2.Create a rubric for evaluating the essays: it should emphasize both general historical skills and world-historical interpretation 3.Choose one essay and evaluate it according to the rubric.

ESSAYS – 3. DISCUSSION (up to 30 minutes): 1.Discuss the rubrics you have created. 2.Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the student essays. 3.Discuss “world-historical thinking”: How do you identify it? How do you encourage it? What difference does it make?