Rubrics
I admit that I hate rubrics. I am a very non-linear, intuitive grader and find that the linear nature of rubrics is very difficult for me. It's similar to the difference between cooking from a recipe or from scratch. You end up with the same result through two different methods.
Thanks for your feedback about Rubrics, Cathleen. I on the other hand love rubrics, as this gives me and the student a guideline for accomplishing the project's objectives.
I am to total opposite Cathleen. I find rubrics help the student produce a better product and provide them "fair warning" as to how I will grade. Using rubrics helps me be consistent, focused, and faster.
Dennis,
I agree. It takes some practice to make effective rubrics, but they should help both the students and instructor. If you haven't used RubiStar, try it. You can Google RubiStar and find the electronic rubric maker that you can edit to meet your needs. Thanks!
Now I cannot imagine why anyone would hate a rubric. I think those that hate rubrics simply have not used them in an applied manner. Rubrics work for online and visual learners. They provide structure and organization. I love rubrics.
Douglas,
I agree. If somone hates rubrics, they haven't used a good rubric that was well-planned and connected to the learning outcomes. They help both instructors and students. Thanks!
Perhaps you can use a rubric, with extra formative feedback at the end?
Really - rubrics are great for students, but that is not all!
Although I’d like to think that the same teacher would apply the same grading scale to all projects, we have to admit we are human and sometimes vary in our assessments. I feel that a rubric holds to INSTRUCTORS to a certain level of FAIRNESS. We might find ourselves grading the same assignment on different nights for different students, and without a rubric, might subtract a certain amount of points from one student’s paper vs. another. This is not because of favouritism, but more likely because 3 points might seem like the right amount at that time. Having a rubric ensures that we are holding ourselves and each assignment to the same standard.
On a more efficient note, I find that I hem and haw less about if the paper was a B- or C+ - the rubric can help me make that decision much quicker and more fairly.
Valerie,
You are so right. Rubrics help everyone. The expectations/criteria should be clear and help the students and instructor along the way. Thanks!
While there are benefits of using Rubrics for both the student and the instructor, they must be properly developed. I would say the complexity lies in the creation of the rubrics for the specific assignment as it relates to the course learning objectives. Once they are created, they do make grading easier and in some cases quicker - but again it starts with the process. The key is to develop a system that can measure student learning that works for you the instructor, the student and the University.
Becky
Rebekah,
You are so right. They can't just be "slapped together." Rubrics and the criteria used in rubrics must connect to the learning outcomes and help the students understand the expectations. Nice job.
I can understand the comment about not liking rubrics. Sometimes it seems that instructors simply need to check the boxes, without qualitative assessment of the paper. There is some validity to the statement that perhaps the grading rubric is not good. Yet you must also understand that many programs now use "developers" who design the rubrics. The instructor cannot change those rubrics.
If you view the examples provided in this section of this course, you will note that the number of points is minimal - 2 to 3 points. When you are grading assignments of 100 points, are you using a rubric with 30-50 "checkmarks"? Probably not. The issue becomes an assignment with 100 points with a particular category that has a value of 30 points. Assume excellent is 30, average is 20, below average is 10 and needs improvement is 0. What do you do with a paper that is better than average, but not excellent - can you give 25 points? What if is below average, yet you feel 10 points are too harsh?
Rubrics can be quite restrictive, and if an instructor varies from the rubric it may cause problems with grading in the course or program. Even if you follow the rubric, students will question why they could not receive 22, 24 or even 28 points.
Finally, when there is the criteria such as "provided 2 examples", what if the exmaples are poor? Should that student receive the full 30, 20 or 10 points. And if not, how do you address to minimize grade challenges and student dissatisfaction?
Louise,
Ah...there is a difference between checklists and rubrics. Both can be used depending on the purpose of the assignment, what students must accomplish and the learning outcomes. Thanks for bringing this up.
I see your point. However I think that rubrics provide structure. Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out what grade one assignment deserves over another, grading can be very objective. However with a rubric I can see whether the content of the assignment matches the criteria in the rubric. This makes my grading more sturctured and fair.
Kimberley,
Oh yes, they provide structure. Structure students (and instructors) many times needs. This does provide for consistency. Thanks!
I too was a non-beliver when I first started to use them. But know I can see how valuable they are. They only issue I have is getting the students to actually read what and how each assignment was to be graded.
Ervin,
Ervin,
We learn from experience. Keep learning.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Rubrics are great once developed. It provides consistency in your grading. But I would have to agree that rubrics are long and cumbersome. It takes time to develope them and determine the point allocations.
Thanks, Nina Miville
Nina,
It is important to take the time to effectively develop rubrics. The pay off is great. Continue to put in the time.
Rubrics are helpful to me in certain courses and to a less extent in others courses. Linear courses (for example, computer applications where students perform certain specific tasks in an assignment) lend themselves very well to specific rubrics. Students can see the steps they need to take and the points associated with each step. They find it very helpful and often refer back to it before submitting an assignment to ensure they have addressed each step/task.
Jacob,
The course content and learning outcomes play an important role in the use of a rubric. You bring up good information. Thanks!
