Paula,
Yes, connecting the learning outcomes, criteria, project components, etc. all together with the rubric is the key. Thanks for your input.
I have had the experience of creating rubrics. Usually, the assignment is a great resource in creating the rubrics. Tying the assignment to the rubrics gives the student clear criteria on what to focus on.
Kara,
Yes, it comes down to the criteria. The criteria must guide the students, but not tell them exactly what to do. It's a great place to focus to help students understand the expectations and how to achieve them. Thanks for your input.
I believe they make them too general. The students really don't know the objectives of the assignment by reading the rubric. They are often confused and don't understand why their work is graded the way it is. It helps to make the rubric more specific to the assignments.
Gloria,
Yes, rubrics should not be rushed. They have to be carefully planned out and it's important to make sure the criteria are on target. Thanks for your input.
Some common mistakes include not taking the time to properly plan the rubric, putting in too many criteria, using a varying scale within a single level of assessment, and not clearly identifying criteria. The rubrics that I currently use are pre-generated and allow for feedback in each section. However, when a section can be awarded up to 30 points, for example, without having each criteria carefully explained, this can become confusing to the students and cause additional work for the instructor to explain the assessment.
Muriel,
Right - the criteria have to be clearly spelled out. It's not as simple as telling someone how to do something. Good point.
Charlene,
It's good to tweak them to make sure they assess the proper learning outcomes and the criteria match your assignment/project. Just because someone gives you a rubric does not mean it's perfect. They should always be reviewed and updated. Thanks!
I believe that the level of communication when typing your response or giving information to the student could an issue. Most often, we as people type the way we speak; however, once reading and re-reading instructions or criteria as a consumer or user, we can improve on conveying information clearly enough for the student to understand our requirements and to also improve in specific areas as well.
Sample rubrics have been provided to me by the school. I have tweaked some of them to be more “user friendly†according to the assignment for the week. Some of the mistakes that can be made creating a rubric include:
•Waiting until the last minute to create the rubric.
•Having too many components in the criteria
•Criteria is not clearly defined
Mark,
The criteria are essential. Without good criteria, the students won't understand the expectations and it will be difficult to assess their work. Thanks!
From the material and from personal experience one of the biggest mistakes is criteria that is unclear and/or putting a range of values for a single criteria.
LE,
Right on. We have to carefully consider the learning outcomes and the criteria when we are developing the rubrics.
Nice job.
The common problems that I have with Rubrics are either not aligning well to the desired learning outcomes of the assignment or not being specific enough about what I want to see in the document. I usually end up fine tuning my rubrics as students find new and creative short cuts that bypass some important element of the assignment.
Ann,
Yes, the criteria are very important. They are the driving force behind helping students understand the expectations and helping them improve.
Thanks!
One of the biggest mistakes an online instructor can make creating a rubric is putting too many criteria in the rubric. Having a varying scale or a range of points instead of a definite point value is another mistake that could be made. Another easy mistake to make would be to not clearly define the criteria. The students also need to be able to see improvments.
Pennie,
Yes, we don't want the rubric to be confusing, but to clearly provide criteria for achieving set goals.
Thanks!
Adding too much criteria or trying to assess too much to the rubric is one of the most common mistakes I have encountered. If you try to measure too much you may not leave room for positive reenforcing feedback.
Dariusz,
Right on. A well-designed rubric can alleviate many student questions and concerns and help the instructor be more consistent in evaluation. Thanks for your input.
Hello Dr. Wilkinson,
I found your comment about rubrics and grade inflation interesting. I find that rubrics help me a great deal to combat grade inflation. Often, students will ask my (sometimes rather vigorously) why the grade received was so low. After reviewing the rubric with these students I am almost always able to show the student exactly why the grade they received was accurate and appropriate. Without a rubric, I can see far more objections to my point deductions and far more pressure on myself to raise student’s grades higher than they deserve.
