Constructing Good Courses : Designing Rubrics

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Constructing Good Courses Designing Rubrics

• Jodi Welsch
• CTEAG Sessions 2008

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Questions

• What is a rubric?
• When should I use a rubric?
• How can I develop a rubric?
• How can a rubric help me, as an instructor?
• How can a rubric help my students?

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What is a Rubric?

• A set of explicit expectations or criteria
• Description of varying levels of performance
• Systematic method of scoring student work
• Increases reliability and validity of course
  assessments

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Holistic Rubric
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Analytic Rubric
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Five Reasons to Use Rubrics

• Rubrics tell students they must do a careful job.
  Information on the expected quality of the task
  performed is given to students.
• Rubrics set standards. Students know in advance
  what they have to do to achieve a certain level.
• Rubrics clarify expectations. When levels are
  described in clear language, everyone knows what
  is required. The quality of student work will
  improve.
• Rubrics help students take responsibility for
  their own learning. Students use rubrics to help
  study information the teacher values.
• Rubrics have value to other stakeholders. Anyone
  (including colleagues, parents and community
  members) seeing a rubric and a student score
  based on that rubric knows what content was
  mastered by that student.

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When to use a Rubric?

• Performance assessment
• Product or performance that requires student to
  demonstrate learning
• Examples
• Written compositions
• Oral presentations
• Projects
• Problem-solving activities

• Visual products
• Performances

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Developing a Rubric

• Task
• Criteria
• Levels of Performance
• Share
• Evaluate

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Task

• Does the task truly match the outcome(s) you're
  trying to measure?
• Does the task require the students to use
  critical thinking skills?
• Consider Blooms Taxonomy
• Is the task a worthwhile use of instructional
  time?

• Does the assessment use engaging tasks from the
  "real world?
• Are the tasks fair and free from bias?
• Will the task be credible?
• Is the task feasible?
• Is the task clearly defined?

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Task Description

• To ensure clarity, task descriptions for students
  should include
• outcome(s)
• clear instructions
• assessment conditions
• resource materials
• format of response (e.g., oral report, written
  report)
• scoring criteria

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• Task Description
• This assignment will require you to demonstrate
  your ability to write clear, concise explanation
  of concepts, using correct grammar, syntax,
  spelling and word usage.
• You will select an article related to our current
  class topic from a peer-reviewed journal. After
  reading the article, you will write a report that
  summarizes the major concepts of the article.
• This summary should be at least 3 pages long and
  should be submitted to Blackboard by Friday.
  Using the rubric, it will be scored based on your
  explanation of the concepts and the quality of
  your written work.

• Goal
• Students will communicate information and ideas
  effectively.
• Learning Objective
• Students will demonstrate the ability to write
  clear, concise explanation of concepts, using
  correct grammar, syntax, spelling and word usage.
• Activity
• Write a summary report on an article.

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Criteria

• Identify the expected elements within this task
• Identify possible levels of performance
• 3-5 are typical
• Craft descriptions
• Exemplary work
• Lower levels

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• Task Description
• This assignment will require you to demonstrate
  your ability to write clear, concise explanation
  of concepts, using correct grammar, syntax,
  spelling and word usage. You will select an
  article related to our current class topic from
  a peer-reviewed journal. After reading the
  article, you will write a report that summarizes
  the major concepts of the article. This summary
  should be at least 3 pages long and should be
  submitted to Blackboard by Friday. Using the
  rubric, it will be scored based on your
  explanation of the concepts and the quality of
  your written work.
• What are the criteria that will be examined in
  this assignment?
• Will the rubric be holistic or analytic?
• How many levels of performance?
• What would different levels of performance look
  like?
• Exemplary work?

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Created using RubiStar ( http//rubistar.4teachers
.org )
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Sharing Rubrics

• A rubric can be a powerful communication tool. 
• Self
• Students
• Colleagues
• Task descriptions and rubrics should be shared
  with students before assessment

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Evaluating Rubrics

• Use for student self assessment
• Revisions
• How did the rubric reflect
• Course goals?
• Dimensions of student performance?
• Clear expectations?
• Could the rubric be used easily by others?
• Was the rubric effective in measuring learning
  goals?

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Answers

• What is a rubric?
• When should I use a rubric?
• How can I develop a rubric?
• How can a rubric help me, as an instructor?
• How can a rubric help my students?

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Web Resources

• Rubistar
• http//rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
• Teach-nology
• http//www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubric
  s/
• Scholastic http//www.sites4teachers.com/links/red
  irect.php?urlhttp//teacher.scholastic.com/tools/
  rubric.htm
• Kathy Schrocks Guide for Educators
  http//school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/
  assess.html
• ASU Assessment Web
• http//universityevaluation.asu.edu/fmi/iwp/cgi
  ?-dbLCE_tools-loadframes

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Resources

• Andrade, H., Du, Y. (2005). Student
  perspectives on rubric-referenced assessment.
  Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation,
  10, 3.
• Andrade, H. (2000). Using rubrics to promote
  thinking and learning. Educational Leadership,
  57,5. 13-18.
• Arter, J., McTighe, J. (2001). Scoring
  rubrics in the classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA
  Corwin Press.
• Montgomery, K. (2001). Authentic tasks and
  rubrics Going beyond traditional assessments in
  college teaching. College Teaching, 50, 1. 34-39.
• Stevens, D. Levi, A. (2005). Introduction to
  rubrics. Sterling, VA Stylus Publishing.