Tena Crews

Rhonda,

I review the rubric to ensure the learning outcomes are assessed and the criteria are clear. One way to do this is to allow students to use the rubric to evaluate their self or their peers and then ask them for feedback. If you are getting complaints/concerns from students about point reductions or the project didn't ask them to do something on the rubric, etc., you know the rubric is "off." Typically if everyone is getting all 100s or very low scores, something may be wrong. Hope this helps.

Donald Buresh CHEP

I am not sure how to measure the effectiveness of a rubric. I would think that a pre-existing measure would already have to be in place. However if an objective meaure is already in place, I have often wondered why another measure would be necessary.

Donald L. Buresh

Tena Crews

Donald,

You want to assess whether the rubric is assessing the learning outcomes. This is essential.

Donna Hoff-Grambau

I would really like some help with this because I don't think that rubrics are always helpful. What does good, better, best quantify, there is still a lot of subjectivity that is open to question.

Tena Crews

Donna,

the course content and assignment/project play a significant role in the use of a rubric. However, rubrics do help create a more objective assessment environment.

Faith Womack

have not used rubrics yet, but see that a lot of time, effort, thought and planning is required for them to be effective. Good to have student feedback as well to ensure they are well written.

Tena Crews

Faith ,

Ah, but they are so worth it. Take the time to create one and see how helpful it is to you and your students.

Thanks!

carol staup

Donna, I doubt that rubrics are always helpful. I've been an English and Writing teacher forever, so I never realized that a rubric couldn't always be used for math until a comment in this course.

But to the question of how we know if they are effective, I can only share those times when I knew mine weren't. One is when the products I'm getting disappoint me and almost tick me off....ok they really do tick me off. I've looked back at the rubric and realize I had to stick to the grading outlined in the rubric but the work didn't meet the expectations ...and perhaps even objectives of the course. I was upset because I knew the grade I HAD to give them was not the grade they deserved. But it was on me...not them.

Another ineffective one is the rubric that has already been addressed in another post. The rubric clearly outlined the course objectives...but it didn't meet the skills and needs of the students. I was expecting them to do things that they didn't have the skill sets to complete the end task. They became frustrated and unmotivated. Have to break it down. Good rubric though, but ineffective for my students.

Tena Crews

Carol and Donna,

When an ineffective rubric is used, the produce will be ineffective as well. We have to keep assessing what we do and edit as needed. Good lesson to learn. Thanks!