Assessments for History 262

NVCC policy requires that you take two proctored assessments for every online course. For this course you will select two films, one from groups 3-4, and one from groups 5-8, and use them for your proctored assessment, which you will have to take at any campus testing center or other approved location. Prior to taking the proctored assessment you should take the practice assessment which is available in Blackboard.

Please go ahead and complete the practice assessment so that I can get an idea of how it's working. If you have suggestions, let me know. You can do the practice review as many times as you like, and if you want to skip a question, that's fine. Just give me something to work with so that the “graded” assessments will be fair and worthwhile.

Your two proctored assessments will come from groups 3&4 and groups 5-8. When the time comes I will post a notice in Blackboard and here on the web site home page. Both proctored assessments be available and you can do them both at once if you choose.

The questions will be generic, that is to say, I am not going to write specific questions about any of the films, for I would then have to write an exam for every film on the list, and that's not necessary. Instead I will ask you to identify for the film the real characters, the actors, the main event or situation, time period in which the film is set, etc. Then I will ask a series of questions which you will answer based upon the film you have seen. The practice assessment gives you an idea of what will be expected.

Remember: the for-real assessment will not be available until I have had a chance to review some of your practice work. The purpose is to maximize your chances to do a good job.

Although you will not be allowed to take any notes with you to the exam, you will know all the questions in advance and can have your responses prepared in your head before you go to the testing center. I will put a sample assessment in the Assignments section of the Blackboard site so that you will see what I'm talking about. I will reserve the right to modify the actual assessment somewhat from the samples in case I think of something interesting I would like you to discuss, but as long as you have seen the film and have done your your homework, you will be well prepared to answer the questions.

The bulk of your grade for the course will be based upon the essays you submit to me, so these two assessments will probably not change your grade. Guidelines for the actual scoring for the course goes like this:

Your background essay and and review for the first two weeks of the class will be done on a pass-fail basis. They are required, and you do need to do them successfully, but I'm giving you two film groups for warm up so that you get the idea. For the remaining six films I will grade your background essay and your critique on a point basis. By the time you have done the first two you should have a clear sense of what's required.

Students in this course of always done very well as long as they have done the work, and I expect the grades in this course will reflect that fact. As long as you take these exercises seriously and spend the required time on them, you should have no difficulty getting a good grade.

Link to Blackboard.

When you get to your course, click on the button above to see the sample assessment. Proctored assessments will be password protected to meet college protocol, but as indicated above, you will know what will be on the assessment before you take it.

History 262 Home | Updated September 13, 2004 5:43 PM