Rubrics

1. Rubrics Dr. Scott McDaniel

2. What is a Rubric? It is a tool used in the qualitative assessment of �open-ended� data, such as� Written or oral narratives Diagrams or models Written or oral enumerations Behavioral demonstrations of a student�s knowledge, applied skill, or ability to perform

3. Rubrics A rubric is a working guide for students and teachers, usually handed out before the assignment begins in order to get students to think about the criteria on which their work will be judged.

4. Pros/Cons Advantages and drawbacks of assessing �open ended� data Advantages: Can yield �rich� information (I.e., individual, creative, complex, fine-tuned) Students have explicit guidelines regarding teacher expectations. Drawbacks: Involves �subjectivity� in interpreting and scoring data (i.e. the judgments of individuals scoring) as contrasted with �objective� tests Problems with reliability (both inter-raters and intra-rater, across time)

5. When Used? Best used with open-ended type questions Will still work well on tests that involve a lot of writing, diagramming or showing of work. Probably not good to use if the answers are just right or wrong (e.g. Basic Mathematical computations)

6. Two Basic Types Rubrics may be used �holistically� or �analytically�� ��Holistic� Rubric5: The entire response is evaluated and scored as a single performance category �Analytical� Rubric5: The response is evaluated with multiple descriptive criteria for multiple performance categories

7. Holistic Example �Holistic�Rubric for Open-Ended Math Problems 11 Criteria for Demonstrated Competence: (6 points) Description of Exemplary Response: Gives a complete response with a clear, coherent, unambiguous, and elegant explanation; includes a clear and simplified diagram; communicates effectively to the identified audience; shows understanding of the problem�s mathematical ideas and processes; identifies all the important elements of the problem; may include examples and counter-examples; presents strong supporting arguments.

8. Holistic Example (2) �Holistic�Rubric for Open-Ended Math Problems� Criteria for Inadequate Response : (2 points) Description of a Response which Begins, but Fails to Complete Problem: Explanation is not understandable; diagram may be unclear; shows no understanding of the problem situation; may make major computational errors. Example: http://www.glade.net/~rfletcher/RubricGeom.htm

9. Analytic Example See: This pdf or here.

10. Why? Many experts believe that rubrics improve students' end products and therefore increase learning. When teachers evaluate papers or projects, they know implicitly what makes a good final product and why. When students receive rubrics beforehand, they understand how they will be evaluated and can prepare accordingly.

11. Why (2) According to Goodrich: They help students and teachers define "quality." When students use rubrics regularly to judge their own work, they begin to accept more responsibility for the end product. It cuts down on the "am I done yet?" questions. Rubrics reduce the time teachers spend grading student work and makes it easier for teachers to explain to students why they got the grade they did and what they can do to improve.

12. Webquests In this course, we will use them in our Webquests.