1. Chapter 6: Checklists, Rating Scales & Rubrics
Lecture by: Chris Ross

2. Checklists Purposes of Checklists
Made from collection of learning objectives or indicators of development
Give an overview of their sequence and how they relate to one another
Become a framework for:
Assessment and evaluation
Instructional planning
Record keeping
Communicaton

3. Checklists Using Checklists with Younger Children
Developmental checklists => a checklist that emphasizes areas and levels of development in early childhood
Usually organized in categories of development (physical, cognitive and social)
Preschool teachers use these to assess progress with class materials
Sometimes used to start assessing if a child may need additional needs

4. Checklists School-Age Children
Similarly used like those for younger children.
Fewer developmental characteristics are recorded. Academic and cognitive objectives are more important.
Checklists become more differentiated in areas of learning.
Diagnosis of learning strengths and weakness become important

5. How Checklists are Designed
Example, pg Figure 6-1

6. How Checklists are Designed
Checklists as a Guide to Understand Development
Checklist items should indicate how the child is progressing through areas
Those reviewing the checklist should be able to see the sequence of development

7. How Checklists are Designed
Checklist as a Guide to Develop Curriculum
Curriculum follows the experience and opportunities that young children should have
Checklist for the younger child can serve as a guide for sequence learning
Developmental checklists can help plan for a balance of activities

8. How Checklists are Designed
Checklists as a guide to Assess Learning and Development.
A checklist is not enough, teachers need to be able to discuss the information with parents and others
Keeping consistent records help parents understand the progress

9. Evaluating and Assessing with Checklists
Evaluating Checklist Objectives by Observation
Some items you can observe for a check list. (Eg. Language development; watch the child talk to others. Are they using correct language or developing vocabulary)

10. Evaluating and Assessing with Checklists
Evaluating Checklist Objective with Learning Activities
Sometimes you cannot just observe. A child must perform a task or demonstrate understanding. (Eg. Math Skills)

11. Steps in Checklist Design
There are four basic steps in designing a checklist.
Identification of the skills to be included
Separate listing of target behaviors
Sequential organization of the checklist
Record Keeping

12. Steps in Checklist Design
Identification of the Skills to Be Included
A teacher determines the specific objectives or skills to be included
Using established developmental norms/learning objectives the teacher adapts to their needs.

13. Steps in Checklist Design
Separate Listing of Target Behaviors
If behaviors or items are needed in an objective, they should be recorded separately.
Coin example in the book
Can they identify: pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters

14. Steps in Checklist Design
Sequential Organization of Checklist
Checklist should be arranged in order of difficulty or complexity
Example from book (pg 163). Counting. The higher numbers the higher the level.

15. Steps in Checklist Design
Record Keeping
Two of the easiest ways to identify mastered skill behavior: Yes/No; Mastery/Nonmastery
May want to record dates. When was the concept introduced and the date of mastery
Checklists can be used to also record group and individual progress

16. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Checklists
Easy to use
Teachers learn to use quickly
Flexible in use
Easy to record more frequently
Disadvantages
Time-consuming (esp to new users)
Difficult to get started (no baseline)
Not all view as a valid measure
Do not indicate how well of a performance
Not an assessment instrument

17. Rating Scales

18. Types of Rating Scales Numerical Rating Scales
Easy to use. Rater marks a number to show degree to which a characteristic is present
1 Poor
2 Fair
3 Average
4 Above Average
5 Exceptional

19. Types of Rating Scales Graphic Rating Scales
Rater can mark their judgment at a location on a line of frequency.
Never
Seldom
Occasionally
Frequently
Always

20. Uses of Rating Scales
Most familiar tends to be report cards.

21. Advantages & Disadvantages of Rating Scales
Used for behaviors not easily measured by other means
Quick and easy to use
Min training needed
Easy to develop and use
Disadvantages
Highly subjective (rater error and bias are common)
Ambiguous terms can cause issues
Tell little about the causes of behavior

22. Rubrics

23. Rubrics
Types
Holistic => a rubric with competency levels that indicate levels of performance. It assigns a single score to a student’s performance.
Example on pg 176
Analytic => a rubric that provides diagnostic feedback and is more specific than a holistic rubric
Example on pg 177
Developmental => a rubric that is organized using domains of development.
Example on pg 178

24. Rubrics How Rubrics are Designed and Used Selecting the type.
Decide what type is to be used and then design the selected form.
Three tasks to be assessed in that rubric are:
Understanding the problem
Solving the problem
Answering the problem
Each category has different dimensions.

25. Rubrics Developing Scoring Criteria
Newer teachers find a generalized rubric useful to start their own.
Herman, Aschbacher and Winters (1992) four common elements that characterize rubric scoring criteria:
One or more traits/dimensions that serve as the basis for the student’s response.
Definitions and examples to clarify the meaning of each trait or dimension
A scale of vales on which to rate a dimension
Standards of excellence for specified performance levels accompanied by models or examples of each level.

26. Advantages & Disadvantages of Using Rubrics
Provide guidelines for quality performance
Flexible
Adaptable
Used by students and teachers before and after completing tasks
Can be translated into grades
Disadvantages
Can be difficult to design (determining scores)
Focus can be on general or inappropriate criteria
Should not focus on the quantity of a characteristic
Lack validity and reliability

27. Developing Quality…. Checklists Rating Scales Rubrics
List by Linn & Miller (2005), page 180
Rating Scales
List on page 180
Rubrics
McMillan (2007), page 181

28. Developing Quality…. Consistency in Conducting and Scoring Assessments
Review the items and indicators and agree on what each is intended to measure
Instrument should be piloted by individual teacher to determine if any items are unclear or difficult to assess
Scoring instructions should be reviewed before the assessment
Scoring instructions should be made according to the purposes of the assessment