Assessing Standards Assessing Standards Through RubricsThrough Rubrics

Milton Hershey SchoolMilton Hershey School

Houseparent Professional DevelopmentHouseparent Professional Development

2002-03 Session #12002-03 Session #1

Denise G. Meister, Ph.D.Denise G. Meister, Ph.D.

Penn State HarrisburgPenn State Harrisburg

Milton Hershey SchoolMilton Hershey School

Houseparent Professional DevelopmentHouseparent Professional Development

2002-03 Session #12002-03 Session #1

Denise G. Meister, Ph.D.Denise G. Meister, Ph.D.

Penn State HarrisburgPenn State Harrisburg

Standards Standards are back!are back!

Purposes of StandardsPurposes of Standards

#1 Set a goal for #1 Set a goal for students that students that they can they can visualize visualize accomplishing accomplishing through their own through their own actions.actions.

#2 Provide informed #2 Provide informed feedback to feedback to students about students about particular work that particular work that they can then they can then revise to bring up to revise to bring up to standard.standard.

# 3 Set an agenda for # 3 Set an agenda for the professional the professional community of adults community of adults for which they can for which they can take responsibility take responsibility as a united group.as a united group.

# 4 Set goals for the # 4 Set goals for the community that will: community that will: (a) provide a clear (a) provide a clear sense of what sense of what everyone needs to everyone needs to do for the students do for the students and (b) assemble and (b) assemble the resources to do the resources to do so.so.

# 5 Establish a clear # 5 Establish a clear system of system of accountability that accountability that is the publicly is the publicly recognized basis at recognized basis at every level of the every level of the system.system.

BenchmarksBenchmarks

• Interval markings to make sure that all Interval markings to make sure that all children are headed toward reaching the children are headed toward reaching the Desired Result.Desired Result.

• Formative (ongoing) investigations of Formative (ongoing) investigations of each child’s performance.each child’s performance.

Goal SettingGoal Setting

4 levels of performance to be used as 4 levels of performance to be used as benchmarks.benchmarks.

Level 3 or 4 counts as the “exit” levelLevel 3 or 4 counts as the “exit” level

(level to be achieved to fulfill the (level to be achieved to fulfill the standard)standard)

RubricsRubrics

Clear and Consistent Way to Clear and Consistent Way to Determine if Students Are Meeting Determine if Students Are Meeting

the Standardsthe Standards

Clear and Consistent Way to Clear and Consistent Way to Determine if Students Are Meeting Determine if Students Are Meeting

the Standardsthe Standards

What are rubrics?What are rubrics?

They describe levels of performance or They describe levels of performance or understanding for a particular topic.understanding for a particular topic.

They contain a list of explicit criteria for They contain a list of explicit criteria for assessing performance or product.assessing performance or product.

They are a list of the specific standards to They are a list of the specific standards to which children will be held accountable.which children will be held accountable.

Why Use a Rubric?Why Use a Rubric?

Allows everyone to know what is Allows everyone to know what is expected.expected.

Eliminates bias and subjectivityEliminates bias and subjectivity

Minimizes the arbitrariness of judgments Minimizes the arbitrariness of judgments yetyet hold the learners to high standards of hold the learners to high standards of achievement.achievement.

What kinds of rubrics exist?What kinds of rubrics exist?

AnalyticalAnalytical

Breaks down the Breaks down the performance into the performance into the different levels of different levels of behavior expected, behavior expected, assigning each a assigning each a point value and which point value and which are totaled for a are totaled for a quantitative measure. quantitative measure.

HolisticHolistic

– Rater wants to Rater wants to estimate the overall estimate the overall quality of the quality of the performance and performance and assign a numerical assign a numerical value to that quality.value to that quality.

– Need good models for Need good models for students to seestudents to see

How are rubrics written?How are rubrics written?

ChecklistsChecklists

– A list of behaviors, A list of behaviors, traits, characteristics traits, characteristics that can be scored as that can be scored as present or absent.present or absent.

– Good for complex Good for complex behaviors which can behaviors which can be divided into a series be divided into a series of clearly defined, of clearly defined, specific actions.specific actions.

Rating ScalesRating Scales

– A scale based on a A scale based on a continuum from poor continuum from poor to exemplary. The to exemplary. The attributes for each attributes for each level are described.level are described.

How are rubrics created?How are rubrics created?

Review the standards that are meant to Review the standards that are meant to be met.be met.

Review the criteria that will be used to Review the criteria that will be used to judge the child’s product or performance judge the child’s product or performance and make sure these criteria fit the and make sure these criteria fit the standard.standard.

Make a frame by deciding on the major Make a frame by deciding on the major categories and sub-categories the rubric categories and sub-categories the rubric will address.will address.

Describe the 4 levels of performance that Describe the 4 levels of performance that match each criterion. Choose words or match each criterion. Choose words or phrases that capture the actual phrases that capture the actual differences among the levels of differences among the levels of performance.performance.

More GuidelinesMore Guidelines

Keep it short and Keep it short and simple simple

Each rubric item Each rubric item should focus on a should focus on a different skill.different skill.

Evaluate only Evaluate only measurable criteriameasurable criteria

Ideally the entire Ideally the entire rubric should fit on rubric should fit on one sheet of paper.one sheet of paper.

2 key questions to ask when 2 key questions to ask when designing rating scale rubrics:designing rating scale rubrics:

1. What are the most important 1. What are the most important characteristics which show a high characteristics which show a high degree of the trait?degree of the trait?

2. What are the errors most justifiable for 2. What are the errors most justifiable for achieving a lower scale?achieving a lower scale?

Other PointersOther Pointers Assess process as well as product. Assess process as well as product.

Check number of points given. Check number of points given.

Be sure the line between acceptable and unacceptable is Be sure the line between acceptable and unacceptable is clear.clear.

Be sure there are not too many criteria.Be sure there are not too many criteria.

Weight one area if it is more important than others. Weight one area if it is more important than others.

Test the rubric with children to see that it is Test the rubric with children to see that it is understandable.understandable.

Revise the rubric as needed.Revise the rubric as needed.

Dishwashing RubricDishwashing RubricExemplary Proficient Emerging Novice

Dishes arecompletelyclean withno food onthem.There arenosmudgesand youcan clearlysee yourface inthem.

Dishes arecompletelyclean withno foodstuck onthem.

Dishes aremostlyclean withno morethan 5pieces offood stuckon them.

Disheslook as ifthey havenot beenwashedbecausethere aremore than5 pieces…

Time to Apply the KnowledgeTime to Apply the Knowledge

In your group devise a rubric for a clean In your group devise a rubric for a clean room. Use a four point rubric.room. Use a four point rubric.

Include at least 3 criteria that will be Include at least 3 criteria that will be judged along these four points:judged along these four points:

– 4 points: exemplary4 points: exemplary

– 3 points: proficient3 points: proficient

– 2 points: emerging2 points: emerging

– 1 point: novice1 point: novice

Template: A Clean RoomTemplate: A Clean Room

Exemplary Proficient Emerging Novice

Criterion #1

describesidentifiablecharacter-istics

describesidentifiablecharacter-istics

describesidentifiablecharacter-istics

describesidentifiablecharacter-istics

Criterion #2

reflectingthe highestlevel of

reflectingmasteryof

reflectingdevelop-ment and

reflectingabeginning

Criterion #3

perfor-mance

perfor-mance

movementtowardmastery

level ofperfor-mance

ConsensusConsensus

• Examine other groups’ rubrics.Examine other groups’ rubrics.

• List where your group agreed with the List where your group agreed with the characteristics/level.characteristics/level.

• List where your group disagreed with the List where your group disagreed with the characteristics/level.characteristics/level.

• Discuss if your group wants to change Discuss if your group wants to change characteristics or make argument against characteristics or make argument against the change.the change.

P.S.P.S.

• Give rubric to students for their input.Give rubric to students for their input.

– UnclearUnclear

– Ill-definedIll-defined

– UnfairUnfair

• After using rubric, revise, revise, and After using rubric, revise, revise, and reviserevise