Laura,
Great! Glad you mentioned that the rubric helps both students and the instructor.
What do you think is the role of a rubric?
Rubrics are used to standardize grading of a classroom activity.
Rubrics assist the students in understanding how their assignment will be graded. Rubrics also assist instructors in grading the assignments and providing feedback.
Michael,
You're right on! We have to connect the learning objectives to the rubric and clearly explain the expectations through the rubric. Thanks!
The role of a rubric is to make sure course or project outcomes/objectives provide students with framework of the requirements in the assessment. It should be clear and precise so that the instructor will be able to get a true evaluation of the students assessments.
Samuel,
Right on! Rubrics help both the students and the instructor. What a great tool that does both. ;-)
According reading material provided in this course, rubric provides instructors with the opportunity to assess students' work consistently and more easily as well as to think through the outcomes/objectives of an assignment to ensure that each is being measured completely and consistently. It basically gives instructors a guideline to assess the student's work and it gives the students a guideline in what the instructor will be assessing and looking for in their assignment or discussion posts. It also give the student a checklist to compare their graded assignment with.
Samuel Bufkin
Daniel,
Yes, many times on my rubric there is a "mastery" level and these items go above and beyond simply meeting an objective. Good point.
Dan,
I like your analogy. We do have to carefully fold in the objectives and uphold them. Rubrics help us do that. Thanks!
I see Rubrics as the standard for getting a passing grade for the discussion assignment. It needs to be stressed that an A requires more than just doing the required rubric.
This allows students to know that they can accomplish the assignment and get by - or they will be motivated to do their best in the discussion.
This can easily be rewarded by encouragement from the instructor in the threads - for everyone to see.
Use of a rubric definitely helps me hold my subjectivity in check ("their shoes are a little scuffed up"), and helps me remain objective during the assessment (scuffed shoes have nothing to do with the course objectives) - this is a significant reason why rubrics should be designed with the course and lesson objective in full focus.
Cathy,
Yes, the rubric does play many roles and they all help the instructor and/or students. A tool that can help both is awesome! Thanks for your input.
The rubric plays a number of roles in course design.
1) It helps the instructor think through an assignment -- whether it aligns with course objectives and outcomes, what level of mastery of course content students will be expected to demonstrate, and what are the key aspects of an assignment (which become the rubric criteria categories).
2) When shared with students at the beginning of the course or when an assignment is first given, it communicates to students what the expectations are for their performance. Students should never be assessed on an aspect of an assignment without being told ahead of time.
3) When used properly, rubrics help ensure that grading is fair and consistent.
Mark,
Excellent! Connecting the rubric to the course outcomes is perfect. And, the rubric helps the instructor as well. Thanks!
A good rubric fulfills two important roles. First, the rubric ensures that students are being evaluated according to the course outcomes. Evaluating the rubric alongside course outcomes allows the instructor to test whether the assignments and their evaluations are creating the kinds of learning the course is intended to bring about. Secondly, the rubric communicates expectations to the students. When a rubric is used, students will be able to gauge the qualities that will be considered good/poor work. This information can help focus them to achieve the course outcomes more effectively.
- Mark W.
Sherrilyn,
Glad to see you use them in all of the courses you teach. It helps the students understand the expectations and helps you as well. Nice!
I use a rubric within my classes both online and on-ground.
By using this tool it is my goal to provide consistency within my grading format.
Like others have stated I am sure there are others, but this is why I use a rubric.
Sherrilyn
Gail ,
Yes, the rubric, "sets the stage" and helps the students understand the expectations. It does help them as the are in the midst of completing the project and it helps the instructor be more consistent in their grading. Nice job.
I think the rubric is in place to let the student know how they will be graded over certain criteria submitted and it also allows the instructor to have an evaluation format that is fair to everyone. When students are preparing work for submission they can check the rubric to make sure they have covered the essentials for a good grade.
Keith,
And, the rubric helps set the expectations so the students know what they are working toward. That helps as well.
The role of the rubric is pure feedback. Students hate to get a grade and they don't understand where they lost points on an assignment. A rubric makes things very clear to everyone.
