Why Is Assessment Important in Social Studies Teaching?

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Assessment is a perpetual process that involves accumulating, analysing and utilizing vital data about student learning. Assessment is derived from “assidere” which means “to sit with or beside.” Assessment information support teachers to develop a good erudition of their students and set the next steps for students’ learning. It is a requirement for teacher reflection on the efficacy of their teaching strategies and for school self review. The successful gathering and utilization of assessment data has a dynamic influence on students’ achievement, when used properly can also have a positive impact on students’ motivation and self-esteem. The nature of assessment is kenned to affect students' approaches to learning and research has shown that students are more liable to adopt 'surface' rather than 'deep' approaches to learning if regurgitation of information is the main criterion genuinely being assessed. But assessment satisfies a number of different purposes in addition to student learning, such as classifying accomplishment, quality assurance and supporting ultimate learning. In a perfect world the assessments that you use should be adequately varied and unbiased to support these different (and diverse) purposes. According to a report from NCSS Task Force on Early Childhood/Elementary Social Studies, approved by NCSS Board of Directors, clearly states that “Social Studies is the study of political, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects of societies in the past, present, and future.” For elementary school children, as well as for all age groups social studies have quite a lot of functions. Social Studies makes available to them the data and understanding of the past necessary for coping with the present and planning for the future, enabling them to understand and participate effectively in their world, and give explanations of their relationship to other

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