RUBRICS Presented by: Dan, Chanel & Nancy

What is a rubric? For TEACHERS:a tool for assessment, for providing instructions to students, and for outlining the grading structure of an assignment For STUDENTS:a list or outline of the teacher’s expectations for an assignment, in most cases a grading scale is included

In what context is it most appropriate to use rubrics? * Rubrics can be used for projects (big or small), assignments and class work. * Rubrics can be used also as a quick checklist for teachers or students. * Traditionally identified with writing assignments; especially in humanities subjects. However, rubrics can be can employed just as easily for a lab report in a science class as on an English essay.

How do students benefit from the use of rubrics? POSITIVE IMPACTS ON LEARNING POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS IN IMPLEMENTATION For Students:  Feedback loop becomes shorter and more specific. Use of rubrics allows students to see where they struggled on an assignment when it is returned along with the assignment by their teacher.  Helps students organize their information and start on assignment by providing structure to a large project that may seem overwhelming otherwise.  Students understand teacher expectations in advance, no surprises in grading. When a “good” rubric is used they serve as a guide for revision, by providing insight into what makes writing work. Source: Spandel, For Students:  Students may just do the bare minimal by following the rubric exactly and expect to receive an “A”.  ”Unfortunately, many rubrics are still not instructionally useful because of inconsistencies in the descriptions of performance criteria across their scale levels. For scoring rubrics to fulfill their educational ideal, they must first be designed or modified to reflect greater consistency in their performance criteria descriptors.” Source: Tierney, Robin & Marielle Simon (2004).  Some argue that rubrics produce “robotic” teachers and students.

For Teachers:  Aids consistency in grading, all students are graded based on requirements listed in rubric.  Teacher provides specific instructions on a rubric, which can be posted to class website or similar resource that students can reference while completing their assignment. This way the teacher does not have to continually answer questions about what is required during class time.  Plays a role in self-evaluation for teachers because they have data to analyze the student work. Especially valuable as reference point, when looking back at a course as a whole. For Teachers:  Development of rubrics can be complex and time-consuming for teachers. Using the correct language to express performance expectations can be difficult  Defining the correct set of criteria to define performance can be complex.  Can be used as a “crutch” to get scoring done quickly instead of grading each assignment on its’ own merits.

How do rubrics connect to 21st century skills? In the 21st century a common characteristic that successful individuals share is the ability to be self starters. The use of rubrics can aid students in the development of similar traits. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills refers to this same development in their list of Life and Career Skills:  Initiative & Self-Direction  Creativity & Innovation  Leadership & Responsibilities  Productivity & Accountability  Flexibility & Adaptability

EXAMPLES 1. SUBJECT: SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE LEVEL: 6th MAP MAKING PROJECT 2. SUBJECT: DRAMA GRADE LEVEL: 8th MONOLOGUE PRESENTATION 3. SUBJECT: SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE LEVEL: 6th EUROPEAN COUNTRY PROJECT 4. SUBJECT: MATH GRADE LEVEL: 6th Percents, Fractions, and Decimals Choice Assessment

Concluding thoughts…  While employing rubrics it is important to consider a key teaching question: What do grades mean in your classroom?  We believe that the use of rubrics has an overall positive impact on student learning. This is especially true if the instructor works hard to create effective rubrics which provide guidance to students and basis for understanding the assignment and/or grading scale.  Students who are able to effectively manage their time and set achievable goals will be more successful in school. As a result, they will have the opportunity to move beyond basic concepts and begin directing their own learning. The use rubrics can be critical in establishing time management skills and helping to guide students step by step through an assignment. Especially at the middle school level where these habits are more important and can really create the foundation for a strong academic future.

Questions How do you feel about the rubrics debate? Do rubrics create robotic students? Do the clear positive impacts outweigh the potential negative outcomes, or is it vice versa? What could be done to turn those negatives into positives? In other words, how can we create better rubrics? To Those IN the Classroom: What experiences have you had with rubrics? Are they positive or negative? What type(s) of assignments do you employ them on? Has this changed over time? How can you modify rubrics to suit your EC students? Or should they be modified? To Those with Children in the Classroom: Parents, do you see your children using rubrics in their classes today? If so, what subjects? Are they detailed? Realistic? At what age did they begin to find them helpful?

Resources Rubric Links: Rubistar: rubistar.4teachers.org Teachnology: Rubrics4Teachers: IRubric (for Ipad): Source-: The Power of Rubrics: Advantages and disadvantages of rubrics- ondetailid=5128&PHPSESSID=b2fa70324ba350fc Source: Partnership for 21st century skills- Tierney, Robin & Marielle Simon (2004). What's still wrong with rubrics: focusing on the consistency of performance criteria across scale levels. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 9(2). Retrieved March 11, 2012 from This paper has been viewed 57,951 times since 1/28/ Spandel, Vicki, “In Defense of Rubrics.” The English Journal. Vol. 96, No. 1, September Turley, E., & Gallagher, C. (2008). On the “Uses” of Rubrics: Reframing the Great Rubric Debate. The English Journal, 97 (4),