Rubrics as Assessment Tools

Applications in Academia

Rubrics as Assessment Tools

• Rubric: a set of rating criteria that are used to categorize and assess both tangibles (products) and intangibles (behavior) that vary along a defined continuum.

What do Rubrics Do?

Generally rubrics specify the level of performance expected for several levels of quality. These levels of quality may be written as. . .

contd.

• Ratings (e.g., “Excellent”, “Good”, “Needs

Improvement”),

or

• Numerical scores (e.g., 4, 3, 2, 1). . .

Contd.

which are then added up to form a total score or final grade (e.g., A, B, C, etc).

What Can Rubrics be Used For?

Rubrics can be used to assess the quality of virtually anything that can be measured:

1. Written works:

Essays

Reports (technical, financial, research)

Portfolios

contd.

2. Manufactured products:Hardware and softwareCapital equipmentConsumables

3. Performance criteria:Productivity (per capita output)Quality control

contd.

4. Behaviors

Teamwork

Problem Solving

Conflict Resolution

Rubrics Have a Variety of Strengths

• They help define the expectations that are to be measured.

• They help identify students’ EI strengths and areas that need to be developed.

Strengths, contd.

• Rubrics are criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced - they ask “Did student X meet the criteria for an “A” paper?” rather than “How did a student’s general performance stack up against those of his peers?”

Strengths, contd.

• Rubrics can provide a fairer, more comprehensive assessment compared to traditional “right” or “wrong” evaluations such as exams.

• Students can use rubrics to assess their own work, or their peers can rate their work.

Strengths, contd.

• Rubrics assess practical, transferable skills compared to the traditional grading systems.

Some of the these skills are core skills – they can become a part of “who the student is”.

Rubric Examples, Academia

• Writing and Mathematics Outcomes,Johnson County Community College

• Gordon Paper Criteria (modified by Prokopp)

Rubrics at the Program Level

Case Study: Inver Hills Community College.

The LS/PS program

A rubric-based program that assesses students’ achievements in 10 Essential Skills.

Inver Hills, contd.

• Voluntary program for students and faculty.

• Encompasses 75 different courses and includes over 1000 students.

• Was designed to incorporate traditional liberal arts instruction with skill-based assessment.

Inver Hills, contd.

• Ten Essential skills allow students to perform successfully in:

The business environment

The community

The academic environment

Inver Hills, contd.

• The 10 essential Skills:

See overhead

Inver Hills, contd.

Essential skills develop and measure:

• Critical thinking

• Social skills (collaboration)• Evaluation skills (finding and evaluating new information)

• Presentation skills

How the LS/PS Program Works.

• Each Essential Skill (ES) has 5 subcategories, each measuring a specific part of the ES (example: Appreciation).

• Each Essential Skill is placed in a Skill Grid, which shows 5 different Levels of Mastery for each subcategory.

LS/PS program, contd.

• Instructor chooses assignments based upon the Essential Skills that are relevant to the course.

• Instructor selects the target Level of Mastery, indicating the instructor’s performance expectations.

• Students are given specific Essential Skill rubrics, which rate their performance on a level of 1 – 4.

LS/PS program, contd.

• Instructor enters points earned for each skill into a database that averages and graphs the student’s progress in a Skill Profile.

Result: The Skill Profile replaces the traditional letter grade transcript.

How the 10 Essential Skills Were Identified

Independent studies:

• The SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) report prepared by the American Society for Training and Development.

• The Commission on Skills of the American Workforce

Development of LS/PS Program

• 1996: Group of IHCC faculty discuss adapting Minnesota Skills Profile, developed for use @ IHCC.

• 1997: LS/PS adopted as tool to measure student learning. Faculty develop specific components of 10 Essential Skills & rubrics

Development, contd.

• 1998: Pilot program begins with 200 students.

• 2000: 35 faculty, teaching 75 skills-based courses, with 1000 students. Faculty report success at several national conferences.2000: IHCC selected by the League of Innovation as one of 16 colleges to participate in the 21st Century Learning Outcomes Project.

Why Create the LS/PS Program?

• Demand from the public, accrediting agencies, educational institutions and employers re: achievement accountability.

• Essential skills are practical, relevant, and transferrable.