Assessment in Integrated Humanities

Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. It supports learning by providing guidance and feedback on students’ performance and proficiency in the subject. This helps to foster positive attitudinal characteristics in students in their pursuit for academic excellence.

 Though the lower secondary IH is non-examinable, assessment is taken seriously and the marks are considered for the next course of study a student takes. A comprehensive structure has been adopted to ensure that assessment helps to develop in students positive habits of reflection and independent learning in their pursuit for discovery and knowledge.

The assessment objectives of the IH syllabus have been aligned to the lower secondary history and geography syllabuses. The objectives aim to assess the knowledge and skills students have acquired through their study of IH. The objectives are:

Objective 1: Knowledge

• Demonstrate an understanding of concepts, terms and facts learnt

Objective 2 :Constructing Explanations

• Select, organize and apply the concepts, terms and facts learnt

• Make judgement, recommendations and decisions on historical events and issues

Objective 3: Interpreting and evaluating source materials

• Comprehend and extract relevant information

• Draw inferences from given information

• Analyze and evaluate evidence / data

• Compare and contrast different views

• Distinguish between fact and opinion

• Recognize values and detect bias

• Recognize patterns in data and deduce relationships

• Draw sound conclusions based on a reasoned consideration of evidence and arguments

To encourage independent learning, foster the spirit of enquiry and develop collaborative and communication skills, and lay a strong foundation of knowledge in our students, three modes of assessment have been adopted. These are as follows:

1. Class Test

Students in the IH programme sit for a minimum of six class tests per year. The distribution of the class test is as follows:

• Term 1: 2 class tests

• Term 2: 1 class test

• Term 3: 2 class tests

• Term 4: 1 class test

2. Small scale projects

Small scale projects are planned to encourage the students to be independent learners with exploratory minds. The students are involved in a total of six small scale projects for each year. These projects are assigned by the teachers. Students, however, are free to suggest alternative studies which they would like to research on. The proposal has to be submitted to the teachers who would approve the project based on its alignment to the syllabus and assessment objectives. The school’s key events like ExCITe@Singapore_River Education Quest and Epicurean Hunt will be incorporated as part of this small scale projects.

3. Major projects

A major project is set for each semester. This project aims to allow the students to develop effective research and analytical skills. The details of the projects assigned are given below.

 Table 1: Assessment for one year of IH syllabus

 CT: Class Test  SP: Small Scale Project  MP: Major Project

 o        All pupils start with 0 mark deduction for prompt submission of assignment and showing school’s core values at work. Any evidence of a lack of these qualities will lead to deduction of marks from eventual grade.