Now that our PLC has developed inquiry-based units of study for US History in Grade 8, I think the next logical step is to evaluate our formative & summative assessments (including supports & rubrics) to look for ways we can include students in the process, as well as considering how we make their thinking more visible. I'll recommend we look at either of these two books and do a book club as we work through the evaluation of assessments:

• Assessing historical thinking and understanding : innovative designs for new standards / Bruce A. VanSledright. Strategies to use “weighted multiple choice questions”.

• What If? The World's Foremost Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays)

I wonder if there are other books that you might recommend we consider?

I am wondering how many people use Knowing What Students Know: The Science and Design of Educational Assessment as a research base for the development of assessments? Is this something that folks were introduced to in grad (or undergrad) programs? 

At times I feel constrained on how to assess historical thinking because I want to ensure that students are able to do well on their SOL end of year testing, which is heavily based on factual knowledge.  I would like to extend this discussion to our department of education to rethink how we assess our social studies classes.  Which makes me wonder -- does OER reach out to district and state level administrators/curriculum specialists, or only teacher-focused?

Van Sledright's book is great (it is also super expensive, sadly) because he also provides rubrics for the assessments he discusses. 

Hi Dawn!

We do work with districts and state level admin. What state/district are you in? I can forward that info to our PD/Outreach team members and see if we can help in some way.

Hi Joseph!

I was not introduced to this book in grad school (too old to have been intro'd to it in undergrad!). But I do have a vague recollection of it in a PD session that I attend years ago. Anyone else out there familiar with this text and incorporating lessons from it into the classroom?

So much to learn, especially ways to assess learning!

Hi Nisse!

I love the idea of writing "what if essays". Using those in the classroom would really get students to interact with the content and test out those historical thinking skills, while also getting them to use their critical thinking skills. Love that!

Hi Bridgette OConnor and DAWN MERKLE ! I noticed Dawn is from VA. Here are some planning resources from the OER Project that align with your state, and it also incudes a link to contact a member of our Outreach team. Let us know if we can help with anything else!

And it's always so much work to change assessments!  I'll put in a plug for it, though.  It pays off in the long run.