Assessing Standards Through Rubrics Milton Hershey School Houseparent Professional Development Session #1 Denise G. Meister, Ph.D. Penn State Harrisburg Milton Hershey School Houseparent Professional Development Session #1 Denise G. Meister, Ph.D. Penn State Harrisburg

Standards are back!

Purposes of Standards #1 Set a goal for students that they can visualize accomplishing through their own actions.

#2 Provide informed feedback to students about particular work that they can then revise to bring up to standard.

# 3 Set an agenda for the professional community of adults for which they can take responsibility as a united group.

# 4 Set goals for the community that will: (a) provide a clear sense of what everyone needs to do for the students and (b) assemble the resources to do so.

# 5 Establish a clear system of accountability that is the publicly recognized basis at every level of the system.

Benchmarks Interval markings to make sure that all children are headed toward reaching the Desired Result.Interval markings to make sure that all children are headed toward reaching the Desired Result. Formative (ongoing) investigations of each child’s performance.Formative (ongoing) investigations of each child’s performance.

Goal Setting 4 levels of performance to be used as benchmarks. Level 3 or 4 counts as the “exit” level (level to be achieved to fulfill the standard)

Rubrics Clear and Consistent Way to Determine if Students Are Meeting the Standards

What are rubrics?  They describe levels of performance or understanding for a particular topic.  They contain a list of explicit criteria for assessing performance or product.  They are a list of the specific standards to which children will be held accountable.

Why Use a Rubric?  Allows everyone to know what is expected.  Eliminates bias and subjectivity  Minimizes the arbitrariness of judgments yet hold the learners to high standards of achievement.

What kinds of rubrics exist?  Analytical Breaks down the performance into the different levels of behavior expected, assigning each a point value and which are totaled for a quantitative measure.  Holistic –Rater wants to estimate the overall quality of the performance and assign a numerical value to that quality. –Need good models for students to see

How are rubrics written?  Checklists –A list of behaviors, traits, characteristics that can be scored as present or absent. –Good for complex behaviors which can be divided into a series of clearly defined, specific actions.  Rating Scales –A scale based on a continuum from poor to exemplary. The attributes for each level are described.

How are rubrics created?  Review the standards that are meant to be met.  Review the criteria that will be used to judge the child’s product or performance and make sure these criteria fit the standard.

 Make a frame by deciding on the major categories and sub-categories the rubric will address.  Describe the 4 levels of performance that match each criterion. Choose words or phrases that capture the actual differences among the levels of performance.

More Guidelines  Keep it short and simple  Each rubric item should focus on a different skill.  Evaluate only measurable criteria  Ideally the entire rubric should fit on one sheet of paper.

2 key questions to ask when designing rating scale rubrics: 1. What are the most important characteristics which show a high degree of the trait? 2. What are the errors most justifiable for achieving a lower scale?

Other Pointers  Assess process as well as product.  Check number of points given.  Be sure the line between acceptable and unacceptable is clear.  Be sure there are not too many criteria.  Weight one area if it is more important than others.  Test the rubric with children to see that it is understandable.  Revise the rubric as needed.

Dishwashing Rubric

Time to Apply the Knowledge In your group devise a rubric for a clean room. Use a four point rubric. Include at least 3 criteria that will be judged along these four points: –4 points: exemplary –3 points: proficient –2 points: emerging –1 point: novice

Template: A Clean Room

Consensus Examine other groups’ rubrics.Examine other groups’ rubrics. List where your group agreed with the characteristics/level.List where your group agreed with the characteristics/level. List where your group disagreed with the characteristics/level.List where your group disagreed with the characteristics/level. Discuss if your group wants to change characteristics or make argument against the change.Discuss if your group wants to change characteristics or make argument against the change.

P.S. Give rubric to students for their input.Give rubric to students for their input. –Unclear –Ill-defined –Unfair After using rubric, revise, revise, and reviseAfter using rubric, revise, revise, and revise