Score the Washington Educational Technology Assessments Educational Technology

The educational technology assessments require students to create a product and demonstrate skills. Should we use a rubric to evaluate the work? Let’s think about this question using a sample rubric: A Rubric for Whining

A rubric is a tool for scoring student work. It is used when qualities of the work can be placed along a scale.

A scale is placed along one axis, showing the levels of performance for the assessment task

Categories are written on the other axis

Descriptors are used to describe what student performance looks like for each level of the scale and category of performance

What score would the whine earn in the category of Purpose?

Would you sum the points represented by the levels? Average them? Only take the lowest number?

How would you determine the overall score for the whine?

Although rubrics are commonly used in education these days, they need to be applied thoughtfully. This is especially true when trying to “crunch” numbers into a score. Rubrics should communicate quality. They should also distinguish between beginner vs. expert performance.

A checklist can be used to indicate two things:  The presence or absence of a skill.  The demonstration of a skill performed at a specific level.

We can rewrite the rubric as a checklist. The categories stay the same, but there are only two options for the levels: present or absent.

The descriptors, representing at standard performance, are placed in the checklist.

A cut score (the number of points required to meet standard) is established, along with any scoring rules.

Scoring the educational technology assessments begins with a checklist. This example is from elementary social studies – educational technology

Some scoring tools have rules

Standards and language from the evidences of learning are on the left.

Attributes are listed in the middle of the tool

If the work meets the standard (based on the descriptor), it earns a point. Points are totaled.

Scoring the educational technology assessments ends with a rubric Points from the checklist are equated to a level of performance

This type of scoring tool has several benefits  It makes scoring student work a quick task.  Student work is consistently scored.  Feedback on quality of performance can still be communicated.

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction OSPI-Developed Grades K-12 Educational Technology Assessments Anchor Papers A Component of the Washington State Assessment System & Social Studies Anchor sets provide clear examples of student work for all performance levels

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction OSPI-Developed Grades K-12 Educational Technology Assessments Practice Set A Component of the Washington State Assessment System & Social Studies Practice sets provide examples of student work for teachers to use as practice for applying the scoring tool

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction OSPI-Developed Grades K-12 Educational Technology Assessments Practice Set Annotations A Component of the Washington State Assessment System & Social Studies Annotations explain how the scoring tool was applied

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