Using Rubrics to Inform and Assess Student Learning

Vanguard Training for Balanced Assessment

Module GoalsDefine types of rubricsDetermine what constitutes

quality feedback for studentsIdentify criteria and levels of

proficiency and their importanceAnalyze student work using a

rubric and checklist

Enduring Understandings (participants will understand

that…)

High quality rubrics are a vital part of the assessment process

Effective rubrics inform the teacher and student of criteria for judging student work

Well-written rubrics provide quality feedback essential to student growth

Essential QuestionsIn what ways might the use of rubrics

improve the assessment process?How are rubrics used to inform

teachers and students of varying levels of understanding?

To what extent can rubrics provide valuable feedback necessary for improved student learning?

How should the different levels of quality, proficiency, or understanding be described and distinguished from one another?

Strategic Goal:

Recognizing that the long range goal of the VBCPS is the successful preparation and graduation of every student, the near term goals is that by 2015, 95% or more of VBCPS students will graduate having mastered the skills that they need to succeed as 21st century learners, workers and citizens.

Compass to 2015

Strategic Objectives1. All teachers will engage every student in

meaningful, authentic and rigorous work through the use of innovative instructional practices and supportive technologies that will motivate students to be self-directed and inquisitive learners.

2. VBCPS will develop and implement a balanced assessment system that accurately reflects student demonstration and mastery of VBCPS outcomes for student success.

VBCPS Outcomes for Student Success:Our primary focus is on teaching and assessing those skills our students need to thrive as 21st century learners, workers and citizens. All VBCPS students will be:

Academically proficient; Effective communicators and collaborators; Globally aware, independent, responsible

learners and citizens; and Critical and creative thinkers, innovators

and problems solvers.

21st C

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Balanced

Assessment

Comm

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Outreach &

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STUDENTS

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Relationships

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Opening•Review the piece of student work and checklist provided•How does the checklist inform the teacher of the student’s progress?•How does the checklist inform the student of his/her progress?•How does the checklist inform the parent of their child’s progress?•How will the teacher justify the grade to the student and parents?

Paragraph/Essay Writing Rubric

Content (20) _________Paragraphing (10) _________Sentence Structure (10) _________Topic Sentence/Paragraph (10) _________Details/Body Paragraph (10) _________Concluding (10) _________Transitions (10) _________Word Choice (10) _________Spelling (10) _________

Total (100) _________

This is

Not a

Rubric!

Identifying Clear Criteria for Student Understanding

Why do we need clear criteria?

—  Addresses the fact that understanding within open-ended prompts and performance tasks is subjective

—  Allows students to demonstrate varying degrees of understanding

—  Allows for consistency in grading

—  Highlights most revealing and important aspects of the work--not just those easy to see or score

—  Lets students know up front what is required to be successful

—  Derives criteria from established goals (i.e. EU & EQs)

Using Criteria to Develop Rubrics

Rubrics are a way to communicate to students what is considered important and how a product/task will be evaluated as well as their degree of understanding /level of performance.

Types of Rubrics

Analytic - divides a product or performance into essential traits or domains so that each can be judged separately.

Holistic - gives a single score of the entire product or performance based on an overall impression.

A quality rubric has language that is…

◦ specific

◦ measurable

◦ observable

◦ understandable

◦ matched to task and KUD’s

◦ provides directions

◦ positive

Guidelines for Writing RubricsDo not include numbers in your levels of

understanding (3 examples; 2 examples; 1 example; 0 examples)

Ensure that the language that separates the levels of performance/understanding allows for clear understanding of the differences between the levels

Avoid negative languageBe careful translating rubric score into a gradeInvolve students in the processCriteria should be based on KUD’s of the unit-

neatness and creativity should not be included unless they are a KUD

What does this rubric tell you?Analyze the rubricIdentify what the student should

know, understand, and be able to do

What does this rubric tell you the teacher values in this task?

The Benefits of Using RubricsProvides clear goals for the learnerGrade assigned to student work is

defensible to stakeholdersAllows for fair and consistent

gradingProvides opportunities for learners

to self-assessAllows for varying degrees of

understanding to emergeSupports self-directed learning

Revisit Student Sample and RubricReview the piece of student work

and rubric providedHow does the rubric inform the

teacher of the student’s progress?How does the rubric inform the

student of his/her progress?How does the rubric inform the

parent of their child’s progress?How will the teacher justify the grade

to the student and parents?

Designing a RubricReview the performance task

that you brought to the training.Identify one piece of criteria that

your task will measureComplete the Getting Started

With Rubrics activity

Quality Feedback…Informs stakeholders of a

student’s level of proficiencySupports learning because it

reduces the uncertaintyProvides students with the

opportunity to improve performance

Supports goal setting and individual reflection

ReferencesUnderstanding by Design; Grant

Wiggins and Jay McTigheAssessment Strategies for Self-

Directed Learning; Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick

Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom; Judith Arthur and Jay McTighe

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Evaluative Criteria/RubricsTicket-Out-of-the-Room

Name: _____________________

Questions Comments, Suggestions, Ideas, & Questions

In what ways did the content and activities of today’s workshop enhance your understanding of performance assessments?

What questions do you have as a result of today’s workshop?