Effective Use of Rubrics Effective Use of Rubrics to Assess Student to Assess Student LearningLearning

Rocío Fusillo & Mirtha InsfránRocío Fusillo & Mirtha InsfránParatesolParatesolJune 2009June 2009

Oral Evaluations!!!Oral Evaluations!!!

What words come into mind?What words come into mind?

We must change from a We must change from a model that PICKS model that PICKS

winners…winners…To one that CREATES To one that CREATES

winners…winners…

Harold HodgkinsonHarold Hodgkinson

What is a Rubric?What is a Rubric?

““A scoring tool that lists A scoring tool that lists the criteria or 'what the criteria or 'what counts’ for a piece of counts’ for a piece of

work.“work.“

Heidi GoodrichHeidi Goodrich

The Cookie…The Cookie…

Which one is the best Which one is the best one???one???

Let’s try againLet’s try again

Follow the instructions…Follow the instructions…

A good chocolate chip A good chocolate chip cookie should…cookie should…

Have enough chips…Have enough chips…

Be chewy and moist…Be chewy and moist…

Have a nice tan color…Have a nice tan color…

Have a buttery taste…Have a buttery taste…

A chocolate chip cookie A chocolate chip cookie that I would want to eat.that I would want to eat.

44 33 22 11

Number of Number of chipschips

Chips in every bite

75 % chips 50% chips Less than 50% chips

TextureTexture Consistentlychewy

Chewy, crispy edges

Crunchy Dog Biscuit

ColorColor Golden brown

Brown, with pale center

All brown, or all pale

Burned, too pale

RichnessRichness Buttery, High fat

Medium fat Low fat Non fat

Assess each cookie…Assess each cookie…

Overall scoreOverall scoreDeliciousDeliciousTastyTastyEdibleEdibleNot yet edibleNot yet edible

By criteriaBy criteriaNumber of chipsNumber of chipsTextureTextureTasteTasteRichnessRichness

RubricsRubrics

Powerful Powerful communicationcommunication tool toolWhen shared among constituents it When shared among constituents it

communicates in concrete and communicates in concrete and observable terms what we observable terms what we valuevalue most.most.

Provides a means to Provides a means to clarifyclarify our our vision of excellence and conveys it to vision of excellence and conveys it to our studentsour students

Provides a Provides a rationalerationale for assigning for assigning grades to subjectively scored grades to subjectively scored assessments.assessments.

Is it worth it?Is it worth it?

Teachers are very busy Teachers are very busy people. Is learning and people. Is learning and

using a new assessment using a new assessment tool worth it? tool worth it?

Rubrics help teachers teach in that they help Rubrics help teachers teach in that they help clarify what teachers want students to learn. clarify what teachers want students to learn.

Using rubrics help teachers think about the Using rubrics help teachers think about the learning outcome, essential questions, and learning outcome, essential questions, and then target specific steps or performance then target specific steps or performance tasks.tasks.

Rubrics help motivate students. Educational Rubrics help motivate students. Educational research has revealed that students are research has revealed that students are motivated by “real life” learning scenarios. motivated by “real life” learning scenarios.

Rubrics demystify grades by defining teacher Rubrics demystify grades by defining teacher expectations. Most students want to “work for expectations. Most students want to “work for the A” and will work for it if they know what’s the A” and will work for it if they know what’s expected.expected.

Because by their nature performance tasks Because by their nature performance tasks encourage more than just memorizing facts encourage more than just memorizing facts “for the test”, real learning takes place.“for the test”, real learning takes place.

Using rubrics helps to identify strengths and Using rubrics helps to identify strengths and weaknesses in certain areas. weaknesses in certain areas.

In addition, with rubrics we In addition, with rubrics we can…can…Assess student Assess student

work in all work in all curriculum curriculum

areasareas

Assess student Assess student work at all work at all grade levelsgrade levels

Assess Assess individual or individual or

group projectsgroup projects

Provide students Provide students with a tool for with a tool for

“self “self assessment”assessment”

Provide students Provide students with a tool with a tool for “peer for “peer

assessment”assessment”

Let students know Let students know what they must do what they must do to find success in to find success in the assignmentthe assignment

Address Address multiple multiple

intelligence intelligence issuesissues

Use technology!Use technology!Make adjustments Make adjustments for students with for students with

learning learning differencesdifferences

Creating RubricsCreating Rubrics

Let’s start with the simple terminology

It is a matrix (or table) with columns and rows

Evaluative criteria (row headings)

•Documentation of Events

•Accuracy

•Requirements

•Legibility

Performance Descriptors

(column headings)

Describes the qualitative and/or quantitative

differences upon which student responses will

be evaluated.

Main Components of Main Components of RubricsRubricsDimensions, Criteria, Traits, AttributesDimensions, Criteria, Traits, Attributes

Elements that characterize good Elements that characterize good performance of a taskperformance of a task

Definitions and DescriptorsDefinitions and DescriptorsTo specify and clarify the meaning of each To specify and clarify the meaning of each

dimensiondimensionScale of ValuesScale of Values

Numerical or Qualitative or CombinationNumerical or Qualitative or CombinationOptional Optional

WeightsWeightsExamples or ModelsExamples or Models

Advantages of using Advantages of using rubricsrubrics

For the ProfessorFor the ProfessorAllow evaluation and Allow evaluation and assessment to be more assessment to be more objective and consistent objective and consistent

Help focus to clarify his/her Help focus to clarify his/her criteria in specific terms criteria in specific terms

Provide useful feedback Provide useful feedback regarding the effectiveness regarding the effectiveness of the instruction of the instruction

Provide benchmarks Provide benchmarks against which to measure against which to measure and document progressand document progress

For StudentsFor StudentsHelp them define "quality“Help them define "quality“

Promote student awareness Promote student awareness about the criteria to use in about the criteria to use in assessing peer performanceassessing peer performance

Help students judge and Help students judge and revise their own work before revise their own work before handing in their assignments. handing in their assignments.

Clearly show the student how Clearly show the student how their work will be evaluated their work will be evaluated and what is expectedand what is expected

Let’s try it! Developing a Let’s try it! Developing a RubricRubricChoose a learning goal or Choose a learning goal or

assignment. assignment. Identify at least three (3) critical Identify at least three (3) critical

dimensions or elements of the dimensions or elements of the tasktask

Design a scale of at least 3 levelsDesign a scale of at least 3 levelsFor each dimension describe For each dimension describe

behaviors that represent each behaviors that represent each level of qualitylevel of quality

Tip Time…Tip Time…

Remember…Remember…

Criteria clearly aligned with the Criteria clearly aligned with the requirements of the task and the stated requirements of the task and the stated goals and objectives. goals and objectives. 

Criteria should be expressed in terms of Criteria should be expressed in terms of observable behaviors or product observable behaviors or product characteristics. characteristics.

Scoring rubrics should be written in specific Scoring rubrics should be written in specific and clear language that the students and clear language that the students understand.  understand. 

The number of points that are used in The number of points that are used in the scoring rubric should make sense.  the scoring rubric should make sense. 

The separation between score levels The separation between score levels should be clear.  should be clear.  

The statement of the criteria should The statement of the criteria should be fair and free from bias.  be fair and free from bias. 

There are no final versions!!!There are no final versions!!!

Caution…Caution…

Don’t let the rubric stand alone:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS provide specific

“Comments” on your rubric and/or on the student product itself.

Sharing the rubric with Sharing the rubric with students is vital—and only students is vital—and only fair—if we expect them to fair—if we expect them to

do their best possible do their best possible work. work.

This is This is VITAL!!!VITAL!!!

Thank you!!Thank you!!

Works Consulted…Works Consulted…

Effective Use of Rubrics. Power Point by Marta Colon de Toro.

Tips for Effective Rubric Design. Power Point by

Rubrics. Another Tool for Improving Students Performance. Power Point by Debbie Mattson

Northwetern Regional Educational Laboratory. 6+1 Traits Handbook

Mr. Cray Staggs, thanks for the videos!