Beyond the Essay
Major
Educational Studies
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Educational Studies
Faculty Advisor
Leah Nillas
Location
CNS Atrium
Abstract
Research suggests that student achievement in secondary history courses improves when learners are given multiple means through which to demonstrate their understanding (Dingler, 2017). Despite this, traditional history classrooms continue to rely heavily on text-based assessments that may not capture the full range of student learning. This study examines how the implementation of multimodal assignments affects student learning outcomes in a high school history setting. Multimodal assignments are defined as tasks that allow students to engage with and demonstrate content knowledge through more than one mode of communication or medium, including written essays, oral examinations, digital presentation, video productions, artistic representations, and computer based projects. Related terms, such as differentiated assessments and multiple means of expression, as conceptualized within Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (CAST, 2018) framework, also inform this investigation. UDL is designed to improve teaching and learning for students, and in doing so, this study is focused on multimodal assignments. Participants in this study include high school students enrolled in history courses from freshman to seniors. Data sources include a wide variety of assignment types and completion forms such as traditional paper based essays, oral exams, online submissions, multimedia projects, and collaborative digital tools. Student performance data was analyzed using rubrics, collection techniques, and peer feedback to evaluate the relationship between assignment modality and demonstrated content mastery. The significance of this study lies in its potential to inform instructional and assessment practices at the secondary level. If multimodal assignments are shown to positively affect student achievement, findings may encourage history educators to broaden their assessment arsenal, better serving diverse learners and more equitably measuring historical thinking skills across student populations.
Beyond the Essay
CNS Atrium
Research suggests that student achievement in secondary history courses improves when learners are given multiple means through which to demonstrate their understanding (Dingler, 2017). Despite this, traditional history classrooms continue to rely heavily on text-based assessments that may not capture the full range of student learning. This study examines how the implementation of multimodal assignments affects student learning outcomes in a high school history setting. Multimodal assignments are defined as tasks that allow students to engage with and demonstrate content knowledge through more than one mode of communication or medium, including written essays, oral examinations, digital presentation, video productions, artistic representations, and computer based projects. Related terms, such as differentiated assessments and multiple means of expression, as conceptualized within Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (CAST, 2018) framework, also inform this investigation. UDL is designed to improve teaching and learning for students, and in doing so, this study is focused on multimodal assignments. Participants in this study include high school students enrolled in history courses from freshman to seniors. Data sources include a wide variety of assignment types and completion forms such as traditional paper based essays, oral exams, online submissions, multimedia projects, and collaborative digital tools. Student performance data was analyzed using rubrics, collection techniques, and peer feedback to evaluate the relationship between assignment modality and demonstrated content mastery. The significance of this study lies in its potential to inform instructional and assessment practices at the secondary level. If multimodal assignments are shown to positively affect student achievement, findings may encourage history educators to broaden their assessment arsenal, better serving diverse learners and more equitably measuring historical thinking skills across student populations.