Designing and Using Rubrics PRESENTED BY MS SIDDRA PERVAIZ MS RABIA YOUSAF

Rubrics:  Scoring tools that list criteria for a piece of work or program;  Give clear, concise written sets of expectations;  Articulate gradations of quality for each criterion;  Clearly show students how their work is being evaluated;  Communicate detailed explanations of what constitutes excellence;  Serve as a means for clarifying expectations for assignments and experiences;

 give more feedback than just a letter grade;  can be powerful motivational tools;  have a tendency to promote excellence.

WHY USE RUBRICS?  The purpose of using rubrics is to provide a more systematic way of describing/evaluating phenomena that are more qualitative than quantitative in nature.  Examples would be writing ability, relationship development, critical thinking, moral reasoning, etc.

HOW TO BEGIN  We have to start with the course or program objectives.  Course objectives grow out of departmental mission and objectives.  Program objectives grow out of the program’s mission statement.

OBJECTIVES  What do you want students to know, feel, believe, or be able to do when they complete the course or the program?  Once we know these end states, we then know how to begin building the rubric.

Types of Rubric:  Analytic  An analytic rubric articulates levels of performance for each criterion so the teacher can assess student performance on each criterion.

 Holistic Rubrics  In contrast to an analytic rubric, a holistic rubric does not list separate levels of performance for each criterion. Instead, a holistic rubric assigns a level of performance by assessing performance across multiple criteria as a whole.

Developing a Rubric in Four Parts  Task Description What is the student supposed to do?  Examples: write an essay, perform a concerto, make an oral presentation.  At the top of a sheet of paper, place the full description of the assignment.  Begin a grid that is headed by a descriptive title and blocks out dimensions of the assignment.

 Scale How well or poorly has the student done on the task?  Sophisticated, competent, partly competent, not yet competent.  Exemplary, proficient, marginal, unacceptable.  Advanced, Intermediate, Novice.  Distinguished, proficient, intermediate, novice.  Accomplished, developing, beginning. (Huba and Freed, 2000) Note: Consider whether a scale needs more than three levels. Some research indicates that information about student learning obtained from a three-level scale is comparable to that obtained from a five-level scale. More levels typically means more time spent on assessment.

 Dimensions  Dimensions break down a task into components and identify the importance of these components.  Dimensions are descriptive, not evaluative (e.g., “organization” not “good organization”).  Dimensions help students see that the work they are doing is multidimensional and draws on multiple abilities.

Description of the Dimensions  Rubrics should contain at least a description of the highest level of performance.  With experience and in response to the complexity of the performance, descriptions of all levels can be written.  Students need not fit cleanly into a single category. On oral presentation skills, a student might speak in a clear voice but lack eye contact.  Descriptions for each level help students see that the work they are doing does have varying levels of achievement. There is a difference between poor and excellent work.

To Remember:  Rubrics are written on paper, not stone.  Start with a basic rubric and improve it with each use.  Discover new dimensions for the rubric while grading current student work.

How do students know whether they are learning?  What does 75/100 mean for students? For which students? In respect to what? An easy or difficult text? A class of strong or weak students?  Rubrics answer student questions about learning by:  Making criteria for improvement visible.  Revealing a process of learning (e.g. detailing skills and knowledge [current, new, past]).  Showing standards for a professional field or discipline, the qualities of an educated person, and expectations of future employers.

Designing rubrics:  Know the specific skills or knowledge you want to measure.  Describe the highest level of performance, then vary your descriptions of accuracy, completion, consistency, quality, and other factors to signify performance levels.  Be specific in your descriptions. The more general or vague the description, the more subjective your rating decision will be and the less it will communicate to the students.

 Vague/General descriptors include:  excellent  good  weak  some  most  creative

 An easy way is to set up tables in Word (the number of columns will depend upon how many levels of proficiency [gradations of quality] you want to show). List criteria down the left side and the various levels across the top (or vice versa). Fill in each cell with your description of that level of performance. Points can be listed in the cell or at the top. (See examples) (Creative, ready-made rubrics are widely available, but for best results, design your own. Some can be adapted to several assignments.)

 Someone else should be able to use your rubric and score your assignments.  You may not want to assign grades, just determine if students have achieved your objective---gives feedback on your teaching and/or their learning and effort.  You don’t know how well a rubric will work until you try it.

Proficiency levels may be labeled in a variety of ways--examples:  No evidence, minimal evidence, partial evidence, complete evidence  Emerging, developing,achieving  Below average, average, excellent  Unacceptable, acceptable, competent, proficient  Serious flaws, minor flaws, competent response, exemplary response  A, B, C, D, F  Yes and no may be appropriate for some elements

 Creating rubrics is the hard part--using them is relatively easy.  Short scales make it difficult to identify small differences among students;

A few helpful websites:  Education World ® : Curriculum: Creating Rubrics: Tools You Can Use Education World ® : Curriculum: Creating Rubrics: Tools You Can Use  Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Assessment Rubrics Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Assessment Rubrics  Rubrics (education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rubrics (education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  Rubric, Rubrics, What is a rubric?,Sample Rubrics, Holistic Rubrics, Free, Downloadable, Rubric Links, Rubrician,Templates, - Rubrician.Com Rubric, Rubrics, What is a rubric?,Sample Rubrics, Holistic Rubrics, Free, Downloadable, Rubric Links, Rubrician,Templates, - Rubrician.Com

 Rubrics and Education - Using Rubrics in Education Rubrics and Education - Using Rubrics in Education   Scoring Rubrics Part II: How? ERIC Digest. Scoring Rubrics Part II: How? ERIC Digest.  Rubric for Reading Response Journals Rubric for Reading Response Journals  Rubric, Rubrics, Teacher Rubric Makers Rubric, Rubrics, Teacher Rubric Makers

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