The evaluation of historical learning:

a study based on Nacional High School exams and entrance examinations

Abstract

This article presents some results of a study based on ENEM (National High School Exam) and entrance exams from 4 large public universities in the state of Paraná (UFPR, UEL, UEM and UEPG). We understand that, when it comes to teaching History, there are several possibilities for analyzing these tests, such as the observation of which contents, concepts and themes are most recurrent, which are absent and also what types of approaches to these contents can be observed, their references concepts, their gaps, inaccuracies, among others.  It is also possible to observe what kind of historical knowledge requirements these exams contemplate, whether they are focused on the mastery and use of concepts, on the memorization of information or dates, among others. Thinking about this last aspect, related to the type of learning required of students, we took as a basis the concept of historical learning of theorists of English History Education and Didactics of German History, to analyze the historical learning required in entrance exams and ENEM. we analyzed a documentary corpus composed of five editions of these exams, between 2014 and 2018, and we sought to highlight weaknesses and potentialities of these large-scale assessments in the measurement of learning focused on literacy and historical thinking.