Rethinking Evidence: Assessment in the History Discipline in Australian Universities

Abstract

A study of the history discipline in Australian universities, historical thinking in higher education, revealed that history academics were particularly modest about their innovative assessment ideas and strategies. This chapter will share some of those practices, which sometimes challenge disciplinary boundaries or revamp standard methods while others entirely disrupt epistemological traditions. Examining these assessment methods confirms the broader findings of the study, which showed that engagement in historical thinking, imagination and analysis required students to be able to locate themselves in the narratives of history and to feel a sense of authentic participation in a disciplinary dialogue. At a time when national benchmarks and standards are being implemented across the sector, it is timely to remind ourselves of the value of creative and alternative assessment strategies.