EDSC 182
Week 7
Simple Performance Tasks
& Rubrics
Agenda
•
•
•
•
•
•
Opening and Announcements
Guiding questions
Features of performance tasks
Brainstorm features of “good” rubrics
Key decisions in rubric design: Lecture
In subject-area groups, design your own
rubrics for a common performance task
• Return unit planning matrices
• Feedback on Unit Matrix Plans
Guiding Questions
• When is it appropriate to use a
performance task instead of a paper-andpencil task?
• What RSVP issues do you need to keep in
mind when designing formative
performance tasks?
• What are the features of effective rubrics?
1
Assessment Design:
A Process Model
Identify the domain to be assessed
• Standards, objectives
• What has been taught
• Creating a table of specifications
Determine task types
Performance Task
Paper & Pencil Task
WHY use a performance task?
• Depends on your PURPOSE
• What are you trying to measure?
• What kinds of objectives (learning
outcomes) do you want students to
demonstrate?
Features of performance tasks
(Nitko Ch. 11)
• Hands-on application of knowledge and skill –
complexity
• Students: Create, Produce, Demonstrate
(Process or Product)
• Classroom performance activities are NOT
necessarily performance assessments
• Standards & evaluative criteria are clearly
specified
• Is authentic - Has “real-world” transferability
2
Types of performance tasks
(Nitko)
• Structured on demand tasks
(controlled)
• Naturally occurring or “Typical”
Performance Tasks
• Long term projects
• Portfolios
• Demonstrations
Assessment Design:
A Process Model (RSVP Issues)
Performance Task
• Task Design
– Linking tasks to
learning
• Scoring
– Use rubrics or other
guides linked to
objectives/ criteria
Paper & Pencil Task
• Item Types
– How to assess more
than “the facts”?
(e.g. Bloom)
• Scoring
– Clear points for each
item
– Take points off
Features of “Good” Rubrics
• Brainstorm features of “good rubrics”
based on your reading for this week, as
well as prior discussions in class.
3
Key Decisions in Rubric Design
• PURPOSE drives all decisions
about rubrics
– What kind of feedback do you want to
provide?
– For whom?
– How will it be used by students and
other audiences?
Key Decisions in Rubric Design
“What is wanted is user-friendly information
about how I am doing and how, specifically,
I might improve what I am doing.”
Grant Wiggins, 1993
Rubric Types
•
•
•
•
•
Holistic Rubrics
Analytical Rubrics
Multidimensional Rubrics
Developmental Scales
Checklists
• What’s the difference?
– Features and purpose of each
– Potential limitations?
4
Rubric Types
• Holistic
– See p. 246, p.334, and p.353
– Assess multiple criteria
– Single composite score
– Best used for large scale assessment
– Potential limitations?
Rubric Types
• Analytical
– See p. 312+, p.355
– Multiple criteria/traits scored
independently
– Several scores (or composite)
– Feedback is criterion specific
– Track progress across criteria/traits
Rubric Types
• Multidimensional
– See course rubrics
– Multiple criteria scored independently
– Composite score
– Can weight different criteria
– Conversion to letter grades
– See pg. 349 for blank format
5
A Bit of Humor
• Look at the rubric on p. 351.
• Does it meet your criteria for a “good”
rubric?
Rubric Types
• Developmental Scales
–
–
–
–
See p. 354
Used mostly in primary grades or special ed
Requires lots of performance data
Philosophically different approach than rubrics
• Checklists
– See p. 249
– Judge presence or absence of skill NOT
qualitative differences in performance
Short Sketch or a Novel?
• How much elaboration is necessary to
define each rubric level?
– Clear, concise language (see Popham)
– Be consistent in describing what students
can do at each level for a given criterion.
– Avoid changing only adjectives across
levels (the “Rubistar problem”)
• http://rubistar.4teachers.org
– Avoid quantifying, when what you’re
interested in is quality
6
Rubrics and Grades
• Can they be compatible? What’s your
rationale?
• Converting rubric scores to letter grades
• Labels, levels and performance
descriptors
– Avoiding deficit language and devastating
labels
Even or Odd?
• How many levels to define? 3, 4, 5, or 6?
– Consider what you are assessing and your
students’ levels
– Too many levels (> 4) may result in “hair
splitting” language
– Odd number can result in regression toward
the middle while scoring
– Start with 3 and modify to 4 based on student
work
Looks like a “3” to me!
• How to use student work to determine
levels of performance?
– Examine student work BEFORE writing any
rubric
– Sort student work into strong, okay, and weak
stacks based on your evaluative criteria
– Develop rubric language around the
characteristics of samples
– Never use the best paper as your highest
level!
7
How good is good enough?
• Develop performance standards based on
high expectations for students
• Consult with colleagues
• Consider how rubric levels convert to
grades
Teach the Rubric
• Students can help determine criteria!
• Once developed, introduce the rubric with
the assignment
• Analyze “exemplars” of good and not so
good performance
• Support students to use the rubric to
examine their own and peers’ drafts
Rubric Feedback
• Write feedback on the rubric
• Highlight strengths and areas for
improvement/revision
• Refer to the actual performance
(with codes or written comments)
• Discuss whole class strengths and
challenges with students -- reteach!
8
Create a rubric for a simple/typical
formative performance task
• In small content-area groups (3-4 max):
– Identify a typical formative performance task in
your content area (NOT a large project or
research paper)
– Identify the skill and/or content standards that
you want students to demonstrate in that task
– Develop 3-4 criteria for assessing the task
– Develop language for at least 3 scoring levels
across those criteria (should be generic, not
specific to a particular lesson/unit)
Feedback on Unit Matrix Plans
REVISIONS
DUE APRIL 2
Average Rubric Score =
Strengths
•
•
•
CIA (and some S) alignment
Clear objectives and Essential Questions
Assessment embedded in instruction (formative)
To work on
•
•
•
•
Justify why assessments are R, S, V, and P
Use readings and specific examples to support
claims
Detail how feedback is provided to students
Explain how results of embedded assessments
inform SPECIFIC next steps for teaching
Next Time…
• Formative Assessment Tool DUE!
– Bring a hard copy and email an e-copy.
• Rubrics & Self/Peer Assessment
• Babb case, pp.331-339
• Project Zero, pp. 381-385
• Sample self-assessment tools, pp.391393
• Bring back your group task
description and rubrics to class
9