Creating and Using Rubrics in the Classroom

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Creating and Using Rubrics in the Classroom

• Big Team
• January 10, 2006

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What are rubrics?

• Rubrics are guides for assigning scores to
  alternative assessment products.
• Rubrics describe levels of development in a
  specific area of performance, understanding, or
  behavior.
• Rubrics provide students with expectations about
  what will be assessed, standards that need to be
  met, and information about where students are in
  relation to where they need to be.

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Why use rubrics?

• When a rubric is well defined, learners know
  exactly what is expected of them and how they may
  achieve excellence.
• Rubrics encourage clear assessment targets and
  clear expectations.
• Rubrics provide a clear teaching directive.
• Because rubrics set forth precise criteria,
  teachers are better able to assess skills that
  may fall outside the scope of traditional
  testing.
• When shared before an assignment, rubrics can be
  powerful motivational tools.
• Student rubrics used for self-assessment
  encourage learners to participate in the grading
  process.

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Rubrics answer these questions

• By what criteria will the work be judged?
• What is the difference between good work and
  weaker work?
• How can we make sure our judgments are valid and
  reliable?
• How can both teachers and students focus their
  preparation on excellence?

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Components of a good rubric

• Performance Elements the major, critical
  attributes of the assignment
• Scale the possible points to be used, high to
  low (example 4-point scale or 6-point scale)
• Criteria the conditions of a performance that
  must be met for it to be considered successful.
• Standard a description of how well the criteria
  must be met for the performance to be considered
  "good".
• Descriptors statements that describe each level
  of the performance.
• Indicators specific, concrete examples or
  telltale signs of what to look for at each level
  of the performance.
• (adapted from
  www.rubrics.com)

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An example

• Chocolate Chip Cookie rubric
• For more resources and links to rubric makers, go
  to my website
• http//www.hoover.k12.al.us/sms/SupportServices/TB
  ensinger/index.htm