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Assessment Development

Improving Assessment Instructions

Strategy: Use AI to Support Higher-Order Historical Thinking and Assignment Design 

Artificial Intelligence can be leveraged to support instructional design in content-rich courses by helping instructors create assignments that emphasize synthesis, analysis, and reflection. By using AI to draft aligned assignment instructions and model exemplar work, instructors can shift learning beyond memorization toward deeper engagement with historical patterns, themes, and connections across time. 

AMH 2020 – American History II 

In AMH 2020 American History II, Dr. Cassandra Yacovazzi partnered with Learning Designer Laura "Poppy" Aguado to use AI to design an assessment that encouraged higher-order thinking and sustained student engagement in a content-heavy history course. 

While foundational historical knowledge is essential, a key instructional goal of this course is to provide students with opportunities to synthesize key events and themes across multiple modules rather than focusing solely on memorization and quizzes. To support this goal, ChatGPT was used during course development to help draft clear, outcome-aligned assignment instructions for a cumulative timeline activity. AI was also used to generate sample timeline content, distinct from course materials, that could be embedded into the assignment template as a reference model for students. This assignment provided students with a visual, hands-on way to connect historical events over time.  

AI Tools Used: ChatGPT