1. Building Rubrics that Align with Standards & Documenting Candidates’ Effects on Student Learning
Cynthia Conn, Ph.D., Associate Director, Office of Academic Assessment; Instructor, College of Education
Paul Alley, Project Director, College of Education
Kathy Hildebrand, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Assessment & Continuous Improvement, College of Education
Introductions of participants/presenters
To get us started, I would first like to ask you all a few questions.
How are you currently evaluating student work? What do you think about? What are you looking for?
How do you feel in terms of the way you are communicating assignment expectations?
First, how many of you are currently using rubrics?
If some, why did you decide to develop and use a rubric to score an assignment?
What have been some of the benefits?
What have been some of the challenges?

2. Workshop Objectives
Define what a rubric is and multiple uses of rubrics
Apply step-by-step procedures for developing a rubric
Research existing SPA or discipline developed rubrics
Align rubrics with SPA or discipline standards

3. Rubrics
Definition: “At its most basic, a rubric is a scoring tool that lays out the specific expectations for an assignment. Rubrics divide an assignment into its component parts and provide a detailed description of what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable levels of performance for each of those parts.” (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 3)
Just to clarify, a rubric is a scoring tool that describes the specific expectations for an assignment. Rubrics divide an assignment into its component parts and provide a detailed description of what’s acceptable or unacceptable performance for each of those parts.

4. Rubrics Benefits Improve students’ end products & increase learning
Assists with clearly communicating assignment expectations to students and teaching assistants
Improve consistency of grading
Speed up grading
Once a quality rubric is created it can be adapted to new situations or assignments
There are some definite bonuses from using rubrics.
Benefits:
Improve students’ end products & increase learning
Once a quality rubric is created it can be adapted to new situations or assignments: For example, if you have a rubric for critical reading, the criteria could be the same whether your students are reading Austin or Alcott
Assists with clearly communicating assignment expectations: faculty members have commented that they receive less challenges to grades when they use and distribute rubrics.

5. Rubric-Outcomes Alignment
Step 0: Develop Rubric-Outcomes Alignment Table
Purpose: Document alignment between standards and assessments in order to produce necessary program and unit level reports
(Educational Technology Example)
Distribute/point to Paul’s hand out
Give big picture --- two components
Alignment Table necessary for generating reports
Rubric for use in evaluating student work and collection of data
Distribute copy of blank template; distribute copy of Paul’s handout

6. Developing Rubrics
Step 1: What are the essential learning objectives of your assignment?
Usually these are found in your assignment description and/or listed in the objectives of your course.
In the case of a summative or signature assignment, there should be “Core” objectives/outcomes that are aligned to the SPA or discipline standards you hope to measure by selecting this assignment
(Word Doc Example) (TaskStream Rubric Wizard)
Take a few minutes now to look at the signature or summative assignment you brought --- is it clear which course objectives/SPA outcomes/discipline standards are aligned to the assignment?
Using the worksheet or the Rubric Wizard in TaskStream, list the main assignment objectives (i.e., student learning objectives) NOT the assignment specification like, number of pages, etc.
For the outcomes related to SPA or discipline standards, also list the corresponding code of that outcome in parentheses following the outcome.
Assign partners, share work from Step 1

7. Developing Rubrics
Step 2: Choose the criteria to be evaluated. Name the evidence to be produced.
Describe the best work you could expect*
Describe the worst acceptable work you might expect*
Develop intermediate-level descriptions*
* Hint: These criteria can be developed based on past student work on similar projects, observation of presentations, interviews with students, tutors, TAs, in cooperation with instructors of similar courses, adaptation of other rubrics, or SPA provided definitions.

8. Developing Rubrics Step 2 (cont.):
Choosing number of levels for summative/signature assignments:
Levels should correspond with the categories put forth by NCATE: Approaches, Meets or Exceeds
If there is not direct alignment, then you will need to note how the data should be interpreted in terms of these three levels for both your SPA report and for purposes of summarizing data for unit level reports
(Example Reviewer Forms: National Recognition Report & Review Worksheet)

9. Developing Rubrics Step 2 (cont.) :
An alternative is for student’s to help generate the rubric criteria.
Why? To improve the student’s motivation, interest, and performance in the project through increased participation and control.
A second alternative is to adapt an existing rubric to the specified assignment
Resources: Specialized Professional Association web sites RubiStar: TaskStream Rubric Wizard, Sample Rubrics University Rubric Banks (see slides 12 & 13)
Student Generated Rubrics are an alternative to the more traditional steps we just mentioned. These are rubrics where the students help to build the criteria on which their assignments are scored. This can be an important process because it can improve the student’s motivation, interest, and performance in the project because they feel an increased sense of participation and control.
To build student generated rubrics is fairly simple. You would follow the steps that we just talked about, but instead of determining the criteria yourself, you would request feedback from students. By explaining what a rubric is and its purpose, especially in relation to assessing assignments, the students then would brainstorm criteria they feel would be suitable.
Take a few minutes now to go look to see if there are any rubrics available that have been developed by your SPA or discipline related professional association.
Did you find any? From what perspective were they written?

10. Example
Original Rubric, Participation Rubric for Unit Development created by Dr. Barbara Frandsen at St. Edward's University,
St_ Edward's University.htm (
Adapted Participation Rubric created for group project in ETC 545: Internet for Educators
Group_Participation_Rubric.htm (
Skip this slide for NCATE presentation

11. Developing Rubrics
Step 3: Pilot the Rubric. Apply the rubric to a sample of student work; ask a colleague for feedback; and ask NCATE coordinating staff members (i.e., Kathy Hildebrand or Cynthia Conn) to review.
Step 4: to TaskStream Project Director, Paul Alley via TaskStream (if possible):
Rubric(s) and associated assignment instructions for all summative/signature assignments
Completed Rubric-Outcomes Alignment Table
Step Pilot ---
Process for NCATE summative/signature assignments:
Develop rubric in TaskStream
via TaskStream to Paul Alley
separate note via TaskStream assignment instruction information
Paul will be creating Portfolio for each program that contains copies of all final rubrics and associate assignment instructions

12. Developing Rubrics
Step 5: Distribute the rubric to students before they begin the assignment.
Step 6: Evaluate the end product. Compare individual students' work with the rubric to determine level of achievement.
Step 7: Revise and review the rubric based on the results of use. Note: The “Core” elements related to SPA or discipline standards should remain consistent.
Initial Rubric: InitialCurriculumWebScoringRubric.pdf (
Revised Rubric: ETC545CurriculumWebProjectRubric.htm (
Skip examples

13. Online Rubric Banks
University of Wisconsin, School of Education: Professional Development: Rubric Bank
A listing and links to Seven-categories (many of the categories with rubrics each) of rubrics. Some of the rubrics are not specifically designed for higher education.
Collaboration Rubrics
University of Dallas: Dallas Area Network for Teaching and Education: Rubric Bank
Shrock’s Rubric Bank

14. Online Rubric Banks
Northern Arizona University, Liberal Studies Writing and Oral Communication Rubrics
Northern Arizona University, English 105 Essay Rubrics
105.htm

15. Developing A Rubric: Online Resources
Create Your Own Rubrics Online
Online Teacher Rubric Resources
This page has excellent links to many different rubric generators.
Electronic Rubric Tools
RubiStar
“An online tool to help the teacher who wants to use rubrics but does not have the time to develop them from scratch. Start with the tutorial (it includes information on changing categories, their headings and content). Register (free) with them so that you can save & edit what you create.” (Heidi Goodrich Andrade, Ohio University)
Rubric Builder (Free trial download for 30 days)
Rubrics Generator (free)
Rubricator ($49.95)
Rubric Construction Set (free)

16. Sources
Maki, P. L. (2004) Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution. Stylus Publishing, LLC. Virginia.
Allen, M. J. (2004) Assessing academic programs in higher education. Anker Publishing Co. Inc. Massachusetts.
Stevens, D. D. & Levi, A. J. (2005) Introduction to rubrics: An assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback and promote student learning. Stylus Publishing LLC. Sterling, Virginia.
Creating rubrics: Inspire your students and foster critical thinking. ( ) Pearson Education, Inc.