Rubric Workshop Los Angeles Valley College Fall 2008

What is a Rubric?  A scoring tool that lays out the specific expectations for an assignment

Why Use Rubrics?  Rubrics help to precisely define faculty expectations.  Rubrics provide timely feedback.  Rubrics prepare students to use detailed feedback.  Rubrics encourage critical thinking.  Rubrics facilitate communication with others.  Rubrics help us to refine our teaching skills.

Why Use Rubrics?  Focus instruction on the most important outcomes.  Provide diagnostic formative feedback so students can improve.  Communicate explicit expectations which substantiate the grading process.  Convert the assignment to a valid assessment tool.  Articulate how scoring is determined, enable students to better meet expectations.  Produce more consistent and reliable grading that can be compared over time, between sections and even amongst diverse courses.

Holistic vs. Analytic Rubrics  Holistic – one global, holistic score  Analytic – separate, holistic scoring of specified characteristics  Analytic is generally more useful

Parts of a Rubric  Task Description (Outcome)  Scales (Levels of Performance or Competency)  Dimensions (Primary Traits of Evaluation/Criteria)  Performance Descriptors (Qualifying Statements)

Basic Rubric Task Description SCALE LEVEL 1 SCALE LEVEL 2 SCALE LEVEL 3 Dimension 1Performance Level Performance Level Performance Level Dimension 2Performance Level Performance Level Performance Level Dimension 3Performance Level Performance Level Performance Level Dimension 4Performance Level Performance Level Performance Level

Task Description The task description involves some sort of performance by the student. What do you expect students to do with the knowledge they receive in your class?

Example Task Description 1 Writing Write a multi-paragraph, in-class essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion that responds to a reading question.

Example Task Description 2 Photography Create a portfolio of black and white 35 mm photographic prints from original negatives based on course assignments.

Example Task Description 3 Real Estate Prepare a real estate purchase contract representing the buyer in a residential transaction.

Scale The scale describes how well or poorly any given task has been performed. General guidelines: Scale descriptors should be tactful but clear Three levels of performance is usually sufficient at least in the beginning Five levels of performance should be the absolute maximum

Scale Examples Exemplary, Acceptable, Unacceptable Proficient, Developing, Emerging Outstanding, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory High, Average, Low Excellent, Average, Weak

Dimensions describe the criteria that will be used to evaluate the work that students submit as evidence of their learning. can also convey the relative importance of each of the criteria. provide students with information on how their work will be evaluated and the relative importance of the skills they need to demonstrate.

Dimension Descriptors Example Writing Introduction Body Conclusion Language

Levels of Performance  This area provides a description of what constitutes each level of performance in the rubric.  The performance descriptors offer specific feedback on the dimensions of the task.

Outcome: Students will write a multi-paragraph, in-class essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion in response to a reading question. CriteriaExemplaryAcceptableUnacceptable Introduction Contains a well- developed thesis statement that outlines the development of the essay Contains a thesis statement; may lack a controlling idea or organizing pattern Thesis statement may be vague or missing Body Body paragraphs provide clear details that develop the thesis; transitions are used throughout Body paragraphs contain details; use of transitions may be sporadic. Details may be missing, vague, or irrelevant; few transitions are used Conclusion Extends the thesis in some way Restates the thesis but may not offer concluding question or extension. No conclusion evident; student stops writing without coming to a conclusion Language Language is consistently clear with few, if any errors; contains variety in sentence patterns and control of verb tenses. Language is comprehensible; errors do not distract reader; may lack sentence variety; control of verb tenses may be inconsistent May contain frequent or serious errors that distract reader; sentence patterns may not vary; control of verb tenses may be weak.

Your participation each week in course discussions on the material presented is a graded assignment. Points assigned will be based on the following criteria (20 points possible): Good job!Doing fine.What happened? Knowledge of Subject Matter Demonstrates clear understanding of course material, including use of appropriate vocabulary. Uses course materials to support important points. Demonstrates some understanding of course material, including use of some vocabulary. Use of course material may be minimal or not well done. Demonstrates little or no understanding of course material and uses little or none of the appropriate vocabulary. Use of course material may be not present or poorly done. Communication of Ideas Expresses opinions and ideas in a clear manner with an obvious connection to the topic and to the ongoing conversation. Provides examples and supporting material. Expresses opinions and ideas in a manner that is sufficient, but not completely clear. The connection to the topic or conversation may be unclear, examples may not be provided for clarification, or there may be issues with grammar and spelling. Expresses opinions and ideas in an unclear manner. The connection to the topic or conversation is unclear, conclusions are not supported, and there may be issues with grammar and spelling. Participation in the Conversation Contributes to an ongoing conversation by reading and commenting on other posts, asking questions and responding to questions/ comments made by other students. Contributes somewhat to ongoing conversation, but makes limited attempt to interact with other participants. May repeat what others have said rather than making an original contribution. Makes little contribution to conversation. Does not respond to other posts or ask new questions or asks questions then does not return to comment on the reply. Timeliness and Effort First post is made by Wednesday of the discussion week; posts at least 3 more times. First post is made by Friday of the discussion week; posts at least 2 more times. First post is not made until the weekend of the discussion week; posts fewer than 3 times total. Online Discussion Rubric

Math Problem Solving Rubric  Understanding the Problem 2 Complete understanding of the problem 1 Part of the problem misunderstood or misinterpreted 0 Complete misunderstanding of the problem  Planning a Solution 2 Plan could have led to a correct solution if implemented properly 1 Partially correct plan based on part of the problem being interpreted correctly 0 No attempt, or totally inappropriate plan  Getting an Answer 2 Correct answer and correct label for the answer 1 Copying error; computational error; partial answer for a problem with multiple answers 0 No answer, or wrong answer based on an inappropriate plan

Suggestions for Using Rubrics  Hand out the rubric with the assignment.  Return the rubric with the grading on it.  Have students develop the rubric for a project.  Have students use the rubric for self-assessment or peer assessment.

Resources  Links to examples of rubrics: a/links/rubrics.shtml a/links/rubrics.shtml  Authentic Assessment Toolbox: rl.edu/toolbox/rubrics.htm rl.edu/toolbox/rubrics.htm