As a result, students learn only what they are tested on. Some of students’ responses clearly show that they have no command of the material; their knowledge is fragmented, not supported by deep understanding of concepts.
In addition, the choice of works of art for essays is also very problematic. For the comparison essay students are given one example from Paleolithic or Egyptian art and one example from Gothic period. Comparative analysis of works of art is an excellent tool in art history courses to show main developments from one style to the next, but when works of art of are thousands of years apart, the comparison turns into a separate analysis of works of art in isolation, not in comparison.