Humanities K to 12

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Competencies and Skills and Blueprint

The test design below describes general testing information. The blueprints that follow provide a detailed outline that explains the competencies and skills that this test measures.

Test Design

table describing the format of the test, including test time, number of questions, and required passing score
Format Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions Approximately 80 multiple-choice questions
Time 2 hours and 30 minutes
Passing Score A scaled score of at least 200

 

Competencies, Skills, and Approximate Percentages of Questions

Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.



table describing the competencies, skills, and approximate percentage of each competency's weight toward overall test score
Competency Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions
1 Knowledge of the vocabulary and concepts basic to the humanities 15%
2 Knowledge of historical periods, styles, and movements 28%
3 Knowledge of the interrelatedness of arts and ideas 17%
4 Knowledge of the relationship between a culture's beliefs and values and their expression in the humanities 26%
5 Knowledge of prominent aesthetic principles used by major cultures in evaluating the arts 7%
6 Knowledge of instructional techniques, assessment, and resources appropriate to the humanities 7%

Competencies and Skills

Competency 1—Knowledge of the vocabulary and concepts basic to the humanities

  1. Identify basic vocabulary used in discussing the arts.

  2. Identify organizational principles of the arts.

  3. Identify characteristics of various genres of musical, visual, literary, and performing arts.

Competency 2—Knowledge of historical periods, styles, and movements

  1. Identify major periods of Western culture.

  2. Identify significant artists and characteristics of major art forms and principal genres throughout the different periods of Western culture.

  3. Identify prominent philosophers and philosophical ideas throughout the different periods of Western culture.

  4. Identify prominent political and economic systems of the major periods of Western culture.

  5. Identify significant Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine contributions to, and influences on, Western culture.

  6. Identify significant Jewish, Christian, and Muslim contributions to, and influences on, Western culture.

  7. Identify significant African, Asian, Latin American, and indigenous American contributions to, and influences on, Western culture.

  8. Identify the influences of geography and historical events on the arts.

Competency 3—Knowledge of the interrelatedness of arts and ideas

  1. Identify works of art with common themes, symbols, or motifs.

  2. Identify the influence of one artistic work, artist, or group of artists on another.

  3. Relate a major concept or idea to a representative work or person.

  4. Identify the influences popular and fine art forms have on each other.

  5. Identify the effects of scientific discoveries and technological advances on the arts.

Competency 4—Knowledge of the relationship between a culture's beliefs and values and their expression in the humanities

  1. Identify major works of art that influence a culture.

  2. Identify themes, symbols, and motifs that recur over time and across cultures.

  3. Identify ways in which different cultures portray and express historical and religious events.

  4. Identify the philosophical and religious influences found in significant artistic works.

  5. Identify the influences of political, social, or religious institutions on artistic expression.

  6. Identify ways in which gender roles are reflected in the arts.

  7. Relate artistic styles and techniques to the beliefs and values of different cultures.

Competency 5—Knowledge of prominent aesthetic principles used by major cultures in evaluating the arts

  1. Identify ways in which different aesthetic principles are manifested in significant works of musical, visual, literary, and performing art.

  2. Discriminate among aesthetic principles of different eras and cultures.

Competency 6—Knowledge of instructional techniques, assessment, and resources appropriate to the humanities

  1. Identify effective methods of presenting humanities topics.

  2. Identify effective teaching strategies for diverse student populations in humanities classes.

  3. Identify appropriate evaluation methods for assessing and measuring student progress in humanities classes.

  4. Identify appropriate and effective academic, community, and technological resources for teaching the humanities.