Rubrics: Measuring Student Success

Rubrics: Measuring Student Success Taking the guess-work out of assessment and conveying effective feedback! Zala Fashant Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics “A rubric articulates in writing the various criteria and standards that a faculty member uses to evaluate student work. It translates informed professional judgment into numerical ratings on a scale.”Walvoord (2004) Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics Rubrics is a way by which you can calibrate and quantify your students’ assignment results. In your mind, you know what you would consider an A, a B, a C, etc. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics Rubrics use descriptions to demonstrate what you expect in each of the skill sets you are assessing by using a sliding scale. Center for Teaching & Learning

Competencies What are they? Why have them? How do they help faculty to teach? How do they help students learn? Center for Teaching & Learning

Competencies in Course Design When designing your course, competencies are the first things you consider. What do you want students to know and do as they leave your course that they couldn’t when they walked in? Center for Teaching & Learning

Pop Quiz Now that I developed my course competencies... what should I do next? A. Write the assessments B. Design the activities C. Give the course a name Center for Teaching & Learning

Pop Quiz Now that I developed my course competencies... what should I do next? A. Write the assessments – yes! B. Design the activities - nope C. Give the course a name – anytime Center for Teaching & Learning

Assessments Why do I write the assessments next? Don’t I do that at the end? • Do it while your competencies are fresh in your mind. • Your activities will take you from where the students enter to where you want them when they leave! Center for Teaching & Learning

How Do You Assess Written Work and Skill Performance? Center for Teaching & Learning

Assessment In writing and performance evaluation it is better to keep the assessment as objective as possible. In other words, take the guess-work out! Tell the students what you expect of them as you discuss the assignment. Center for Teaching & Learning

Assessment Telling your students the standards by which you are going to measure their achievement is done by using… Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics There are two main designs: • Holistic Rubrics: consider all criterion together for one mark. • Analytic Rubrics: consider each criterion individually which can be kept separate or added together. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics Here’s an example from an assignment you might use in biology… Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics The assignment is to draw a grasshopper and label the body parts. You want to assess the drawing itself, the correct names of the body parts, the overall professional standards of the assignment. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics - Drawing 3 The drawing is close to scale. Shading shows some texture on body. Parts look life-like. Use of color is close to actual insect. 4 The drawing is nearly perfect to scale. Shading shows texture on body. Parts look life-like. Use of color matches actual insect. 2 The drawing considers scale. Some texture is added on body. Parts are recognizable and clear. Some use of color adds to the quality of the drawing. 1 The drawing uses little scale. There is minimal or no texture on the body. Parts are somewhat clear and recognizable. Little or no color is used. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics – Naming of Parts 3 90% of parts are named correctly. 4 Parts are named correctly. 2 80% of parts are named correctly 1 Less than 80% of parts are named correctly. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics – Professional standards 3 Pride is work nearly meets high standard. Labels are near professional standards. Condition of assignment nearly perfect and mounted to industry standards 4 Pride in work meets high standard. Labels meet professional standards. Condition of assignment is perfect and mounted to industry standards. 2 Pride in work is adequate. Labels meet minimum standards. Condition of assignment shows smudges, marks, or wrinkles and is mounted near industry standards. 1 Pride in work needs improvement. Labels do not meet minimum standards. Condition of assignment shows mistreatment and mounting does not articulate industry standards. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics – How & When to Use Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics - Advantages • Great way for students to self-evaluate the assignments they turn in. • Display the instructors expectations prior to the work being done. • Keep the evaluation about objective and measurable skills and concepts – not personal. Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics - Advantages • Set a professional tone for students. • Provide support for the grade the student has earned. • Others? Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics - Advantages • Timely/detailed feedback to students • Encourage critical thinking • Facilitate communication • Refine teaching skills • Levels the playing field with diverse students • Stevens (2005) Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics - Drawbacks • Take a while to create • May need to be revised as you modify assignments. • Slower grading at first. • Others? Center for Teaching & Learning

In Conclusion By creating your rubrics to match the level of your expectations for your competencies, you may find that you have more students reaching the highest standards. Center for Teaching & Learning

In Conclusion Your K-12 Colleagues have used rubrics for years. Students are used to them and most of them really like what they communicate. Center for Teaching & Learning

Text and Online Resources http://www.ctl.mnscu.edu/events/webseminars/rubircselectronicresourcelist.pdf Center for Teaching & Learning

Contact Information Zala Fashant Center for Teaching and Learning zala.fashant@so.mnscu.edu 651-649-5745 Center for Teaching & Learning

Rubrics: Measuring Student Success