Breianna Fish's Portfolio page

Navigation links: ETAP 623 Fall 2024 | Link to my mini-course front page Teaching and Assessing Historical Thinking and Global Awareness

About Me

My name is Breianna Fish, and I’m from Albany, NY. I recently graduated from Siena College with a BA in History and Adolescent Education, earning my initial teaching certification to teach social studies for grades 5-12 in New York. During my time at Siena, I also completed the 5/6 extension. Currently, I work as a teaching assistant at Albany High School and am a full-time graduate student in the CDIT program at UAlbany.

Outside of teaching, I enjoy traveling to new places, spending time with family, going to the gym, and reading!

My Topic and Purpose

My mini-course is going to be "Developing Authentic Assessments for Historical Thinking: A Global Awareness Approach for Educators." As a new social studies teacher, this topic is especially important to me because I see firsthand how crucial it is for students to engage in authentic historical thinking and develop a global perspective. During my student teaching experience, I strived to move beyond memorization of dates and events, guiding students to critically analyze history, evaluate sources, and understand how historical moments are interconnected across different regions and cultures. Focusing on authentic assessments in this mini-course aims to help fellow educators do the same. Create assessments that challenge students to think deeply and globally. By integrating these strategies, I aim to equip students with the tools they need to analyze history like historians and appreciate its relevance to the world they live in today.

Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify and apply core historical thinking skills (sourcing, contextualization, corroboration, significance) in the design of assessments.
Design authentic assessments that challenge students to engage in real-world historical analysis.
Incorporate global awareness into assessments, helping students connect local and global historical events.
Critically evaluate and refine assessment designs through peer collaboration and feedback.
Implement classroom assessments that foster students’ ability to think critically and understand history in a global context.

Outline for this course:

Week 1: Foundations of Historical Thinking & Global Awareness
Week 2: Designing Authentic Assessments for Historical Thinking
Week 3: Case Studies and Application of Global Assessments
Week 4: Peer Review, Refinement, and Implementation

Needs Assessment

Educational Problem or Opportunity

The problem I’m addressing with this mini-course is that many educators struggle to create assessments that truly encourage historical thinking and global awareness. Too often, assessments focus on memorizing facts instead of pushing students to think critically, analyze history from multiple perspectives, and connect what they’ve learned to the wider world.

Learners/Participants Involved

This mini-course is designed for K-12 teachers, curriculum developers, and instructional leaders who are looking to improve how they assess students’ understanding of history, especially in ways that build both critical thinking and global awareness.

Analysis of Gaps: Know vs. Need to Know (Reality vs. Ideal)
- Current Reality: Right now, many educators still rely on traditional testing methods like multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank questions that don’t really challenge students to think deeply about history or understand its global impact. There’s also often a lack of clarity on how to design assessments that move beyond surface-level knowledge.
- Ideal State: Ideally, teachers would be designing assessments that really make students engage with history, getting them to think critically, consider different perspectives, and connect events to global themes. The goal is to move from just testing facts to truly assessing deeper historical understanding.

Existing Efforts to Address This Gap

There are some existing efforts, like professional development workshops and teacher training programs, that focus on inquiry-based learning or global education. However, many of these programs don’t give teachers practical, step-by-step guidance on how to build assessments that align with these teaching strategies. Teachers have access to resources, but they often find them scattered and not always easy to apply in a real classroom.

Intent Statement

This mini-course, Developing Authentic Assessments for Historical Thinking: A Global Awareness Approach for Educators, is designed to help educators bridge that gap. It will give participants the tools and knowledge they need to create assessments that don’t just test content but actually encourage students to think like historians and understand the global connections behind the events they’re studying. My goal is to offer practical strategies that will make it easier for teachers to design meaningful assessments that truly reflect the goals of historical thinking and global awareness.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

Who Are the Participants (Learners)?

The participants in this mini-course are K-12 educators, instructional coaches, and curriculum developers who want to enhance their assessment practices in social studies education. Many of them are likely to be history or social studies teachers, though others might work in interdisciplinary roles that combine global education or critical thinking skills. They may come from diverse educational backgrounds but share a common interest in making their history teaching more engaging and relevant by incorporating global perspectives and authentic assessments.

Prior Personal/Cultural Experiences, Knowledge, and Skills

Participants will likely have a range of prior experiences with teaching and assessment. Some may have several years of experience and have tried out inquiry-based approaches or project-based learning, while others might still rely heavily on traditional assessments, such as quizzes and tests. Culturally, these educators may come from a variety of contexts—urban, rural, or suburban schools—each with its own challenges and opportunities.

Many participants may have a basic understanding of critical thinking in history education, but they might not be familiar with the concept of “historical thinking” or global awareness as it relates to assessment. They’ll likely have experience in classroom management, grading, and lesson planning but may need more specific skills in aligning assessments with 21st-century learning goals. Additionally, they may have a personal interest in global issues or culturally relevant teaching and are seeking to incorporate this into their practice.

Learning Settings

Participants will likely engage with the mini-course in various settings, depending on their professional and personal schedules. Some may complete the course individually during professional development days, while others might participate in small groups within their school or district’s ongoing training initiatives.

Since this is a self-paced online course, participants can learn in their own time. Whether that’s during planning periods, after school, or on weekends. Some may participate in school districts that encourage professional learning communities or work in schools with limited time for professional development. The flexible format allows them to take the course whenever it fits into their schedules, and they may revisit parts of the course as needed.

Time Commitment

Participants will likely spend between 5 and 10 hours on the mini-course, depending on their pace and the depth of their engagement with the materials. This includes time spent watching instructional videos, reading course materials, reflecting on their current assessment practices, and completing assignments or activities that apply the course content to their specific teaching context. The course is designed to be broken up into smaller chunks, allowing participants to complete it over a week or more, as time permits.

Resources Needed

Participants will need access to a computer or tablet with a reliable internet connection to access the mini-course content. They will also benefit from having their current lesson plans, assessments, or curriculum materials available, as these can be used in reflection activities and assignments where they adapt or revise their existing assessment strategies.

Other necessary resources may include:

Basic note-taking tools for personal reflection.

Access to any relevant digital tools or platforms (Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, etc.) that they use to create and manage assessments in their own classrooms.

Optional: They might find it helpful to engage with peers or instructional coaches as they work through the course, so access to collaborative tools or spaces (like shared Google Docs or district-provided forums) may enhance their learning experience.

The course will also provide templates, rubrics, and sample assessments that they can adapt and implement in their classrooms, ensuring that they leave the course with actionable resources.

Performance-Based Objectives

After completing this mini-course, learners will be able to:

Create authentic assessments that effectively measure students’ historical thinking skills and their ability to engage with global issues.

Evaluate and select appropriate historical sources for use in assessments that encourage critical thinking and inquiry-based learning.

Implement diverse assessment strategies that reflect students’ understanding of historical events and their relevance to contemporary global contexts.

Construct clear and effective rubrics for evaluating student performance on historical assessments, ensuring alignment with learning objectives and standards.

Integrate global awareness into assessment design, enabling students to connect historical events to current global challenges and perspectives.

Facilitate collaborative assessment activities that promote discussion, debate, and cooperative learning among students, enhancing their understanding of historical perspectives.

Critically reflect on their own assessment practices and make data-informed adjustments to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes in historical education.

Task and Content Analysis

Prerequisites

Before taking this course, the learner:

Should have a basic knowledge of computer usage, file management, and word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Should have a foundational understanding of social studies concepts, including historical thinking skills.
Must be interested in improving assessment strategies in the context of social studies education.

Unit 1: Understanding Historical Thinking and Global Awareness in Assessments

After this unit, the learner:

Will be able to define historical thinking skills and explain their significance in social studies education.
Will understand the importance of global awareness and how it can be incorporated into assessments.
Will be able to identify opportunities to integrate historical thinking into their own classroom assessments.
Will read articles and watch a video related to historical thinking and global awareness.
Will begin working on a course-long project focused on designing an assessment that incorporates historical thinking and global awareness.

Unit 2: Pedagogical Approaches for Designing Effective Social Studies Assessments

After this unit, the learner:

Will understand various pedagogical approaches that can be used to enhance social studies assessments, including inquiry-based learning and collaborative methods.
Will be able to identify the benefits of these approaches for improving student engagement and critical thinking.
Will evaluate which pedagogical methods align best with their students’ needs.
Will read articles focused on pedagogical approaches for social studies assessment.
Will continue working on the course-long project by refining the assessment designed in Unit 1.

Unit 3: Aligning Assessments with Learning Objectives and Standards

After this unit, the learner:

Will understand strategies for aligning social studies assessments with learning objectives and educational standards.
Will be able to design clear rubrics and assessment tools that measure students’ understanding of historical concepts and global issues.
Will read an article focused on designing assessments that align with standards and learning objectives.
Will continue their course-long project by developing a rubric and refining the assessment’s alignment with standards.

Unit 4: Developing and Refining Assessments for Social Studies Education

After this unit, the learner:

Will have a comprehensive understanding of how to develop and refine a social studies assessment from scratch.
Will draft a final plan on how to integrate the strategies and pedagogical techniques learned in previous units into their classroom.
Will learn methods for evaluating and improving assessments, such as the ADDIE model.
Will read an article covering the ADDIE model for instructional design and assessment improvement.
Will complete their course-long project by finalizing their assessment and preparing a reflection on its design and potential classroom implementation

Curriculum Map

References and Resources

American Psychological Association, Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education. (2015). Top 20 principles from psychology for preK–12 teaching and learning. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ed/schools/cpse/top-twenty-principles.pdf
Banks, J., et al. (2007). LIFE diversity report (pp. 24-31). Retrieved from http://life-slc.org/docs/Banks_etal-LIFE-Diversity-Report.pdf
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school (Chapter 6). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9853&page=131
Larson, M. B., & Lockee, B. B. (Year). [Title of the Textbook] (Chapter 1). [Publisher].