Involving students in rubric development can be very motivating - the students are involved, and invested in the process and end result.
This is particularly useful in project work, where each student spends a lot of time producing a body of work - and they want to make sure that the time/effort and outcomes are measures accordingly. Each students has concern about the impact and weight of their contribution to the whole.
I present the project to the teams with the overview, learning objectives and expected outcomes; ask for feedback and rubric assessments for each incremental assignment, project and at the end, a team and inidividual assessment.
Jeannie,
Great. Glad you think it may help build the feeling of community in your classroom. It's worth a try. Thanks!
To be perfectly honest, I had never thought of involving students with the creation of a rubric. However, it makes perfect sense to me. Student involvement in education is a very positive aspect, it helps students understand their education and feel a part of their education. Just like a manager would solicit feedback from his/her employees, an Instructor can solicit feedback from his/her students. The feeling of being a part of something from its creation will also hel the student understand the development of the criteria.
Christen,
Getting feedback from students on the rubrics is helpful as well. Their feedback can be very helpful as we continue to refine our rubrics. Thanks for sharing.
I have never had the opportunity to include students in the development of my rubrics. However, I have asked students for feedback on the rubrics during a course.
Christen Embry
Patrick,
Good point. It's a good way to get them all involved and it will also help them understand the expectations. Thanks for your input.
I could involve students in creating a rubrics when it is a group presentation that they have to design for a final project. I allow the group members to evaluate each person in the group and their individual performances outside of the classroom. With the students creating or assisting in creating the rubric it would allow them to accurately assess their team members.
Erin,
Good point. I typically give students rubrics and assess a few times with rubrics to help them understand the process and see some examples and then involve them. But, I too have them develop it (inception), assess themselves and their peers (implementation) and then we review the rubric. Thanks!
I think that you could involve students at all levels - inception, implementation, and review. That would make the most sense to me.
Scott,
Asking for students' feedback is important. We can learn from them just as they are learning from them. There is also buy in on their part when they feel a part of the process. Thanks!
I think that students should be involved in the process in the evaluative stages. In other words, after I have given an assignment, I will often ask the students for feedback on not only what I told them, but also on what they were assessed on. I often asked if the percentages were fair and whether there was something I missed in the evaluation of their project. That way, each set of students can help me create robust and helpful rubrics.
Vicki,
Good point. Having students involved in the development of assignments is a good thing too, but it can lead directly then into the development of the rubric to assess the assignment. That would go hand in hand. Thanks for your input.
I do think it is possible to involve students in developing the rubric. It is definetly beneficial for the students as the course content states, "Bringing students into the assessment process can enhance student motivation, interest, and performance"(CEE, 2014). However, personally I think it really depends on the assignment and/or project. In terms of myself, I would rather have students involved in the development of the assignments. I've taught project orientated classes most of my teaching career and I find that students really enjoying creating the components of an assignment that they would enjoy working on. From that point, I think it would possible to involve students in the development of the rubric as a learning experience.
Kristina,
Good points. Involving the students may give them a different outlook on assessment. We have to remember that assessment is not something we do to our students, but with our students. ;-) Thanks again.
I would involve the students after the lecture/s have been given and the assignment has been introduced. Ask the students what level of detail they feel would be an example of different levels of answers. Give different types of examples and have them decide if they would give it a "1,2,or 3" - and why. Of course, as the facilitator, you would have to lead the discussion and keep the students on track - just as if you were presenting case based instruction. I think it would be a lot of fun to design a rubric this way. It would turn out mainly how you had it pre-designed - but you could add or delete criteria based on their feedback.
RICARDO,
Yes, I typically provide rubrics for a few assignments so they see how they are developed and connect to the objectives and then I involve them in the development of a rubric for the final project. Just a thought!
Dr. Crews:
According to the readings, "[i]nvolving students in the development of rubrics is particularly useful when they are involved in project-based learning." This is especially advantageous in a group project as a way to hold members accountable and overcome the 'free rider' problem in my view. As students develop rubrics to assess their learning and their peers' learning, they also learn to connect the course outcomes to the project objectives." This focuses group activity and promotes cohesion. Ricardo
Carol,
Sometimes we create rubrics from scratch and sometimes we "create" by editing a rubric to meet the assignment's objectives. Many times it's good to have students use a few rubrics you have provided for smaller assignments and then engage them in helping create the rubric for the "big" project. It's good that you and your students are seeing how the rubric may need to be edited and they see the importance of connecting the objectives to the rubric/criteria as well. Thanks for your scenario. It brings up very good points.
I hope I'm understanding your question correctly. When you say "creating" are you asking about one from scratch? Perhaps involving students at that point would require more thought, planning and time. But to involve them in adapting, modifying, and implementing a rubric would seem essential.
I would like my students and I to create one from scratch for a debate project that we do in class. The debate project isn't done until the end of the quarter, so we would have some time to start a bit smaller...using other rubrics to adapt to our use.
Usually, I have the rubrics already modified (I shy away from making my own because I think they are hard to do by oneself. It needs some collaboration to catch errors in content and categories. The descriptions of my categories may have gaps. So I usually adapt one. My students get the rubric at the onset of the activity or project. We discuss the rubric and the project begins. In the past I've been disappointed that the students didn't refer to the rubric before turning in their assignment. So, I started having "peer checks"....students work together and use the rubric to "grade" their partner using the rubric only. This also helps me to check reliability. But as important...they begin to see the rubric as a tool.
Now, this quarter. Our debate took a turn. The students determined a topic that didn't fit our rubric. So this week....the rubric has gone into adaptation.
Your question...when? Whenever possible. Sometimes that's at the beginning....sometimes it's not. But I think they should be brought in when possible. If I select a rubric...modify it.....I never let it go "live" without discussing it with my current class. Classes change...rubrics have to as well.
Carolyne,
Good point. This is excellent. They have to have used a rubric before they can begin to develop one. This is exactly what I do. I use several rubrics with them first and then involve them on the "big project" rubric so they have buy in. Thanks!
