Hi Nicole—Rubrics helps reduce subjectivity but I maintain it does not eliminate it entirely. My school has a rubric criterion for effective communication with these categories: “demonstrates outstanding…’, “demonstrates sound..â€, “demonstrates adequate..†, “demonstrates inadequate..â€, “demonstrates unacceptable..â€.
Determining what is outstanding, sound, etc. is still subjective.
I strive to be a consistent grader. A rubric helps create a standard means to assess a student’s work. Though I maintain it does not totally eliminate subjectivity.
It helps the students as well. I stress to my students how critical it is for them to understand how they are going to be assessed. This is not only important at school but also at work.
Tony and Nicole,
Thanks for continuing the conversation about rubrics. With those criteria, it can be subjective, but it can be more objective if the terms are defined at the top of the rubric. Defining what outstanding, sound, etc. mean helps make it more objective. If the criteria don't help eliminate the subjectivity, they need to be changed. Hope this is helpful.
Tony,
Keep working on the criteria in the rubric and ask students for feedback on the rubric as well. This will be helpful. Thanks!
It makes the requirements clear for th estudent to understand.
Jeremy,
What does it do rubrics do for the instructor? Please add to the conversation.
Thanks!
Greetings!
I use rubrics all the time when giving student feedback. Rubrics allow instructors to evaluate students in an objective and transparent manner. Students can then use this feedback to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This should help students to improve.
Best, Eric Freeman
A rubric's role is beneficial for the student and instructor.
For the student it defines what is required of the assignment and how the assignment will be graded. Essentially if the student meets all the requirements of the rubric they know their grade will be high.
For the instructor it provides a mechanism to consistently grade assignments. If two students have submitted assignments with spelling and grammar errors and the rubric indicates that the use of correct spelling and grammar is worth 5 points, each student should be deducted 5 points for their spelling and grammar errors.
Eric,
Right on! Rubrics can help the students and the instructors. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Nice job.
Anne,
Consistency in the grading process is important. Anything we can do to help the students understand the expectations and the instructors, the better. Thanks!
The rubric is designed to encourage the purposeful interaction between students and instructors without being too forceful. This allows students to assess critical information and understand what is required for the course. Sometimes rubrics are detailed and specific and others enhance student perspective in a more generalized format. A more specific rubric sets guidelines for a more narrowed format and is designed for a more detailed response. A generalized rubric is designed to enhance student participation--giving students the freedom to express the topic in a more generalized manner. Over all the rubric is designed to set parameters and guidelines for the course.
A rubric is a document that outlines the process of how the course will be conducted. It lists the things that are permissible and the things that are not permissible. In essence, a rubric is an unofficial contract between the instructor and the school on one side and the student on the other side.
Dr. Tena,
I am nor familiar with Rubrics. In fact, I think I have never used them.
I understand a rubric is a tool for assessment the learning process, student´s work or just student´s participation in threaded discussions, for example, in a complete and consistent way.
I woud love advice to manage rubrics.
Regards,
Javier
Roland,
Excellent. This provides a great description of the need for rubrics.
Donald,
A rubric doesn't necessarily explain the process of a course, but the expectations of an assignment/project. When you note it's a contract, I think you are talking about a syllabus, correct?
Please post again for clarification.
F. Javier,
OMG - You have to try rubrics. They provide guidelines for the students so they understand the expectations and the assist instructors in assessing their students. Thanks!
Nancy,
We seem to have similar experiences when it comes to rubrics! I was leery of them earlier in my teaching career (I can honestly say I was never given a rubric in college), but now I rely on them.
Students appreciate knowing exactly what is expected of them.
I copy the rubrics and hand them back, check marked, with copious comments, with papers (I teach writing), and students can easily see where their strengths and weaknesses are.
Margarette
I believe the role of a rubric is to help establish a set of expectations for both the students and the teacher. Students can learn what constitutes differing levels of achievement and success in their work, as well as learn to apply what they have learned in order to achieve future success. Teachers can provide accountability for their point additions and deductions, which will establish both consistency and transparency in an academic setting.
A rubric allows me to have something substantive to say to each student. Often, when I'm in the midst of grading a number of assignments, it becomes labor intensive to say the same things over and over.
A rubric allows me to make the same relevant comments to each student quickly.
It also helps keep me on track toward grading everyone equally. It provides the student with a visual justification for their grade as well.
Margarette and Nancy,
It's nice to know others have the same experiences and go through what we do. The comments on the rubrics are very helpful as well as the criteria. Nice job.
