Rubrics are easy to use and explain to the students. They create uniformity when grading for all the students. Also, the rubrics creates a clear perception on grading for the students.
maryln,
The criteria are the key elements. I agree with you that the rubrics should be available to students early. I'm a "front loader" and everything the students need (except tests) I load into the LMS a week before classes start. I give them a week to "look around" and become familiar with the course before we begin. Thanks!
An advantage of rubrics is that they provide the criteria and requirements for an assessment in the course. This way everyone is one the same page. The students know what is expected of them and the rubrics should be posted on or before the first day of the course.
Sharon,
Consistency has been a "theme" of the posts I have been reading and replying to today. Thanks for listing several advantages to the rubrics.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of analytical rubrics from the perspective of an instructor and an administrator is that it provides consistency. Students who feel they have been graded poorly because the faculty member 'didn't like them' have their argument quickly diffused when the instructor points back to the rubric to show the weakness of the submission. This somewhat alleviates the all too time consuming grade appeals. Another advantage is that is helps to facilitate grading. Since an instructor has identified specifically what learning objectives they are looking the student to demonstrate competency in, it is faster to review and hone in on those competencies.
Dale,
Sounds like you are using rubrics in a fashion that work for you and your students. You are providing specific information to your students to help them improve. Thanks for your input.
Dale,
Hmmm...interesting question. But, rubrics should take much subjectivity out of assessment.
Thanks!
Dale and Daniel,
Thanks for continuing the conversation. I love the last question in this post. We have to remember that our feedback should help students improve. Thanks!
Daniel,
I think you are spot on with your comments. One thing that we sometime forget about is the additional feedback to support the rubric. Im have seen cases where an instructor in the online class will post the rubric in the gradebook with points deducted, yet will not explain why those points were deducted. What good is the rubric if there is no additional feedback?
Donna,
I think you bring up a great point. I think rubrics can be subjective as well. Is it not possible that you and I could read the same paper, look at the same rubric, yet have a totally different view of the paper?
I like the use of analytic rubrics as it allows me to provide more detailed feedback. I can pinpoint specific areas in which the student can see what went well and what can be improved on for that specific area of the paper. Holistic does not allow that type of pinpoint accurcy.
Craig,
Yes, when the students understand the expectations, they are more likely to achieve the learning outcomes. Rubrics help both students and instructors.
Thanks.
I've found that the biggest advantage of using rubrics is that it gives my students context for the feedback I give them on their assignments. By giving individual feedback for each criterion, I am telling the student what they did well and what they need to improve upon within that category or for that objective. While I was giving similar feedback on assignments prior to using rubrics, the student didn't have the rubric to provide a framework for my comments. Students didn't always understand the comments in the way that I intended. They would "fix" errors or perhaps rewrite essays, but they would focus on the wrong aspects of the assignments. Rubrics definitely cut down on that happening.
DIANA ,
I have heard of large online universities using rubrics, but many times they are created by the instructional designers who are not familiar necessarily with the course content to the assignments/projects that may be a part of the course. This many times creates a disconnect between what is being taught and the asessement of the assignments/projects.
Hi Dr. Tena,
In your opinion, does higher ed classes, such as the University of Phoenix and other similar (awesome) institutions use rubrics?
Diana
Tina,
Right - it's the criteria that are the key. Rubrics take assessement to a higher level and hopefully take the students' learning to a higher level as well. Thanks!
DIANA ,
Yes, then the students understand the expectations. When they do that, they rise to a higher level and succeed and have less questions about why they got the grade that they earned. Thanks!
DIANA ,
Right on! The key is that rubrics help everyone - students and instructors. Take time to create good rubrics to help you all.
Rubrics seem to be good for usage when instructors need to measure both performance (what the student has learned) and another factor like formatting.
Rubrics help assess not just the response to the question, but also go deeper into the student understanding of the material. Rubrics can also measure behavior, because they can be used to see if the student has followed directions!
Tina Cressman
I like to use rubrics because it provides the student with an outline of what improvements he or she can make. The student will be able to acknowledge strengths and weaknesses he or she can work on.
