Using Rubrics
I looked on line some time ago for examples of rubrics. I found that it gave the students good feedback if the rubric is well-done. Using the rubric does not leave a question in the student's mind about the score because each area, weak or strong, is assessed well in the rubric.
DIANA ,
Right - students can better understand the expectations for the project/assignment and work to meet the learning objectives. Nice.
Diana,
In theory I could not agree with you more. But I do get students who will argue with my assessment, saying that they did indeed meet the rubric criteria, and I am not seeing it. Again, the subjectivity plays out here. How do you address students who disagree with your analysis?
Dale,
How do the students "prove" that they have met the criteria? If they can and you don't see it. . .maybe the criteria needs to be adjusted for clarity. Just a thought.
Hi All:
I spend time talking with my students regarding the rubric beforehand to encourage them to "shoot in that direction". Oftentimes, this helps to clear up what the rubric means and what it is expecting the students to do. I have found that students appreciate this and often refer back to it when asking questions about their grades. Of course, there will always be subjectivity and if anyone knows the answer that will satisfy students who claim you are being too subjective, I would love to hear it!! (0:
Carla,
The students should definitely see and review the rubric before they begin the project, assignment, etc. It is important that we are all on the "same page." Thanks for your input.
I also provide the rubrics ahead of time so that all my students are aware of what I will be looking for when grading their assignments. More times than not, it has worked in my favor. Teaching online, I have set aside time in my live chats to discuss the rubric and assignment. Using rubrics takes any guess work out of the equation as all students are aware of what is expected.
Maria,
Definitely. I'm a "front loader" so when my class begins everything they need for the entire course is there and ready for them to use. I frequently remind them to review rubrics before they start any assignment. Thanks!
Diana,I agree with you that some rubric give awesome feedback. One rubric my school uses gives credit to the students for submitting the assignment. Some instructors do not like this. Great discussion.
Kim
Kim and Diana,
Thanks again for adding to the conversation. Meaningful feedback is the key. Thanks!
I agree that if the students are aware of what I am expecting from them on their assignments then there is usually no objections to the grades that they have received. I am very fair when grading and for me the rubrics have worked in my favor as well. I believe that the students appreciate the rubric that is provided for them because they are able to use it as a guide.
Chantee ,
Right. When we all understand where we're coming from and where we are going, we move toward the objectives more quickly. Thanks!
I found it depends on the institution. Students in programs that use rubrics really come to expect this form of feedback. They have difficulty understanding traditional descriptive feedback.
Students that are new to rubrics often prefer detailed feedback.
In a few class I had to post the categories and what they met. many times the Rubic doesn't give enough information to visual learner. So I would sent out a email to everyone and that I'm not just looking for a few sentence and you pass.
Five categories to consider:
Impact – the success of performance, given the purposes, goals, and desired results
Work quality/Craftsmanship – the overall polish, organization, and rigor of the work
Methods – the quality of the procedures and manner of presentation, prior to and during performance
Content – the correctness of the ideas, skills, or materials used
Sophistication of the performance – the relative complexity or maturity of the knowledge used.
Juan,
Good point. I have also seen instructors use graphics within the rubric and have also used self-made videos to explain the rubrics and criteria. Thanks for your input.
Angela,
Yes, that true. Some instructors are provided rubrics and some create their own. No matter what, it's best if the instructor has some say in the rubric and the assignments provided. Thanks!
If you are teaching the same class on a regular basis. you can use your students as a type of barometer from an input stand point to fine tune your rybric. In general the students can guide you with what they feel are the more important parts of the course and you can blend that with the course requirements if you are allowed some flexibility with setting the students expectitions. Some time with a precreated course material you do not always get what is always best for the students from a what they really need to learn to be successful in the real world.
Richard
