Rubrics and information
literacy in primary
schools
Jan Schmidt-Loeliger
Information Services Manager
Horsham West Primary School
What is a rubric?
• Rubrics provide direction for action
• Rubrics establish a mode of conduct or procedure
Haiku rubric
Great!
Critical components
Contains descriptive words and phrases that describe nature
Communicates thoughts and/or feelings
Follows the three-line, 17 syllable format (5-7-5)
Style
Strong verbs
Precise words
Words that evoke image ad express sensory detail
Writing devices such as alliteration, metaphor, simile, onamatopoeia
and personification
Originality
Mechanics
Ending punctuation
Capitalization
Comma rules
Quotation marks
O.K.
Needs help
Why use rubrics?
Rubrics –
• Help to determine student progress
• Improve student learning
• Provide information for the teacher to plan
appropriate teaching & learning experiences
Why use rubrics?
Rubrics –
• Identify what students are expected to accomplish by the
end of the unit
- knowledge
- skills – actions - outcomes
- processes
- attitudes
- values
Why use rubrics?
Rubrics –
• Can be used in different contexts, e.g. individual, group
or whole class contexts
• Cater for a range of learning styles
Range of learning styles
Intelligence
Activity
Verbal – linguistic
Discussions, reading
Logical - mathematical
Using evidence, comparisons, deductions and
reasoning
Spatial
Concept maps
Bodily – kinesthetic
-
Musical
-
Interpersonal
Co-operative learning, sharing
Intrapersonal
Student choice, self-evaluation, independent study,
reflecting
Naturalist
Rubrics and assessment
Assessment is an ongoing process.
Rubrics –
•
•
•
•
•
Provide a manageable recording method
Provide criteria and performance standards
Allow for different rates of progress
Involve students in the assessment process
Make assessment integral to the unit
Rubrics and assessment
A performance assessment consists of two parts
- a task
- a set of scoring criteria or rubric
Assessment
Assessment involves some subjective judgements about
the quality of a student’s work.
A uniform set of precisely defined criteria or scoring
guidelines or rubrics, provides a way to make fair and
sound judgements of student work.
Two teachers who use the same rubric ought to arrive at
the same score, increasing the reliability and consistency
of the assessment.
Good rubrics will -
• Assist teachers to define excellence
• Assist teachers to plan how they can help students
achieve excellence
• Communicate to students what constitutes excellence
• Provide guidelines for students to evaluate their own
work
Good rubrics will -
• Communicate goals and results to parents and others
• Help teachers be accurate, unbiased and consistent in
scoring
• Document the procedures used in making judgements
about students’ work
Elements of a scoring rubric
• One or more dimensions that serve as a basis for
judging student responses
• Definitions and examples to clarify the meaning of each
dimension
• A scale on which to rate each dimension
• Standards of excellence for specified performance levels
accomplished by models or examples at each level
Scoring scales
• May be numerical or qualitative or a combination
The Violin
Man
1
2
3
Content
3 or less slides
4 relevant slides
5 or more relevant
slides
Information
Vague or irrelevant
information
Relevant, concise
information. Most
required aspects
covered.
Covers all required
aspects
Graphics
Absent or irrelevant
graphics
Relevant graphics
Relevant, labelled
graphics
Resources
No websites cited
Websites incorrectly cited Websites correctly
cited
Creativity
Presentation fails to
deliver message
Simple presentation gets message across
Presentation gets
message across in
a multimedia format
Scoring scales
• Qualitative rubrics may have scales with labels
- not yet, developing, achieving
- emerging, developing, achieving
- novice, apprentice, proficient, distinguished
- no evidence, minimal evidence, partial
evidence, complete evidence
- average, very good, excellent
- not good, good, excellent, outstanding
- great, OK, needs help
Dialogue rubric
Great
Critical components
Uses verbs and adjectives vividly to express tone
and emotion
Changes paragraphs each time a new person talks
Uses quotation marks around spoken words
Style
Strong verbs
Precise words
Words that evoke image and express sensory detail
Originality
Mechanics
Ending punctuation
Capitalisation
Comma rules
OK
Needs
help
Evaluating rubrics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Does the rubric relate to the outcome(s) being
measured?
Does it cover important dimensions of student
performance?
Do the criteria reflect current concepts of excellence in
the field?
Are the dimensions or scales clearly defined?
Is there a clear basis for assigning scores at each
scale point?
Can the rubric be applied consistently by different
scorers?
Problems and pitfalls in scoring
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Leniency error – scorer tends to be either too hard/too easy on
everyone
Trait error – scorer tends to be too hard/too easy on a given
criterion
Appearance – scorer thinks more about how the work looks than
its quality
Length – length is not necessarily better
Fatigue
Repetition factor – this paper looks like the last 50
Order effects – an average work may seem wonderful after 10
poor ones
Personality clash – if you don’t like the topic/the student's
viewpoint it’s more difficult
Sympathy score
Judgement discomfort – remember you are rating the work not the
student
Developing a rubric
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Decide on the dimensions of the task to be measured.
Examine examples of student work to check you’ve not
overlooked any dimensions.
Refine and consolidate dimensions as needed.
Write a definition of each dimension.
Develop a continuum/scale for describing the range of
performance or task at each dimension.
The reality of our schools
• 2-3% of students have some form of disability – sensory,
intellectual, physical
• 10-12% of students have learning difficulties
• 5-6% of students have a severe behavioural disorder
• 3-4% of students are emotionally fragile
• 3-4% of students are medically fragile
Educators need
• to ask “What does this child NOT have in order to act
appropriately?”
• to change, not the student. Teachers need to ensure
consistency
clarity
firmness
empathy
affection
Girls learn best when
•
•
•
•
•
They are happy
Feel loved and accepted in their peer group
They can talk and discuss ideas
Are told where they are doing well
Receive feedback
Boys learn best when
•
•
•
•
•
They are valued
They are in a relationship with the instructor
There’s a lot of mess and activities in between
There is a a beginning and an end in sight
They have a good chance of winning
Bibliography and further reading
• Assessment for learning. [Internet]. Curriculum Corporation, Carlton
South, Vic. http://.cms.curriculum.edu.au/assessment [Accessed
6/8/04; 24/8/04]
• Hetzel, J and McIntire, D (1998). Expressive writing. Creative
teaching Press, Cypress, CA
• (2003). Rubistar. Create rubrics for your project-based-learning
activities. [Internet]. High Plains Regional Technology in Education
Consortium. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php [Accessed
6/8/04; 24/8/04]
• (2001). Rubrics. [Internet]. The Technology Applications Center for
Eductor Development.
www.tcet.unt.edu/START/instruct/general/rubrics.htm [Accessed
6/8/04; 24/8/04]
• Wilson, J & Wing Jan, L. (2003). Focus on inquiry. Curriculum
Corporation, Carlton South, Vic.