TWO DECADES OF ASSESSING HISTORY EDUCATION: CONTENT, KNOWLEDGE, AND TRENDS IN ENADE EXAMS (2005–2025)

Abstract

Systemic or external assessments have been a constant feature of the Brazilian educational system in recent decades. Regarding the external assessment of higher education, Law No. 10.861 of April 14, 2004, established the National Higher Education Assessment System (Sinaes), which evaluates institutions, degree programs, and student performance (via Enade). Prior to Sinaes and Enade, other higher education assessment instruments were used, such as PAIUB and the "Provão." Comprising both multiple-choice and open-ended questions, the Enade exam is divided into two parts: General Education and the Specific Area Component. The content for each component is defined by an ordinance from the Anísio Teixeira National Institute of Educational Studies and Research (INEP) and is grounded in the National Curriculum Guidelines for degree programs. Since its inception, Enade has undergone modifications from one cycle to the next in an effort to align with the demands of each field of study. Based on these guidelines, area summary reports, and exams administered between 2005 and 2025, this study analyzed the specific components for History, focusing on the approach to teacher training and the content areas of "Theory and Methodology of History Teaching" and "History of Africa and Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous History and Culture."