Learning Outcomes, Authentic
Assessments and Rubrics
Erin Hagar
ehagar@jhu.edu
Workshop Objectives
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Describe the importance of aligning program goals,
course goals, and learning outcomes with assessment
strategies
Write measurable learning outcomes for their
courses
Design an authentic assessment technique that
measures a desired learning outcome
Create a rubric that articulates the evaluation criteria
and standards of performance for that assessment
Facilitator Commitments
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Minimum jargon
Open to questions at any point
Grounded in theory, but
Focused on practical applications
Keeping the Big Picture in Mind
Program
Goals
Course Goals
Unit
Objectives/
Outcomes
Activities
Assessments
AAP Biotechnology Program Goals
“The curriculum is designed so that graduates can
 participate fully in research;
 lead lab teams,
 help to make development and planning decisions,
 apply research modalities to larger schemes set in large
research projects.
 bridge the worlds between [non-scientists’] roles and the
scientists in their organization, allowing for effective
communications and decision making. ”
http://www.jhu.edu/advanced/biotechnology/curr
iculum.html
Course Goals
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Large or general intentions of a course of instruction
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Ex: “To introduce a group of academic staff new or
comparatively new to teaching to the basic principles of
teaching and learning, and to give them some opportunity
to practice the application of these principles.”
Source: Good Practices in Teaching and Learning, University College Dublin,
http://www.ucd.ie/teaching/good/cou3.htm
Unit Outcomes/Objectives
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Statements that describe, in behavioral terms, the skill or
knowledge a student should demonstrate as a result of
the instruction
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Outcome: “Participants will be able to create a rubric for a
subjective assessment.”
Objectives:
 Articulate criteria for the assignment
 Define standards for each criteria
 Describe levels of performance for each criteria
Activity: Articulate
Outcomes/Objectives for an
Upcoming Unit
The Assessment Cycle
Assessment
Mechanisms
Learning Outcomes
Instructional
Activities
Principles of Effective Assessment
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Valid: The assessment measures what you
want measured
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Reliable: The same assessment given after
similar instruction produces similar results
over time
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Aligned with learning outcomes
“Traditional” Vs. “Authentic” Assessment
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Select Response
Contrived
Knowledge Recall
Teacher-structured
Indirect evidence of
student thinking
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Perform a task
Real-life
Knowledge Application
Student-structured
Direct evidence of
student thinking
Source:
http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/index.htm
What Might Authentic Assessments in
Biotech Courses Look Like?
Authentic Assessment Activity: I
Think about the learning outcomes you identified
earlier in the workshop, and begin to formulate an
authentic assessment that reflects desired
outcome(s).
What are you assessing?
What skills/behaviors should be evidenced in the
final product?
What kind of guiding instructions will you provide?
Authentic Assessment Activity: II
In pairs, share your ideas for this assessment, and
provide feedback to your partner:
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How well does activity reflect desired learning
outcomes?
Does it meet some of the criteria of “authentic”
assessment? (real-world, student-structured, etc.)
If you were a student given this assignment, what
questions would you have about it?
“Traditional” Vs. “Authentic” Assessment
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

Select Response
Contrived
Knowledge Recall
Teacher-structured
Indirect evidence of
student thinking





Perform a task
Real-life
Knowledge Application
Student-structured
Direct evidence of
student thinking
Source:
http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/index.htm
BREAK TIME
Part III: Evaluating Subjective
Assignments with Rubrics
What is a Rubric?
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An assessment tool used to evaluate student
products that…
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are complex and subjective.
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have various components.
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have no easily discernable right or wrong
answers, but rather, can be described as “good”
vs. “poor” products.
A Silly Example:
The Chocolate Chip Cookie
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If you were the judge in a bake-off, what
criteria would you look for in a chocolate chip
cookie? (ex: texture)
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Within those general criteria, what would
constitute a “delicious” cookie? (ex: texture—
slightly chewy)
Specifically, a Rubric is ...
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a printed set of scoring guidelines that
communicate the criteria being evaluated and
the various standards of performance
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Let’s look at some now...
A Rubric Answers the
Questions…
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By what criteria will the work be judged?
What is the difference between good and weaker
work?
How can we make sure our judgments or scores are
valid and reliable?
How can students prepare for excellence?
The Advantages of Rubrics
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Force the teacher to clarify his/her standards and criteria in
specific terms.
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Allow assessment to be more objective and consistent.
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Clearly show the student how their work will be evaluated
and what is expected (must be given to student in advance.)
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Promote student awareness of the criteria to use in assessing
peer performance
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Provide benchmarks to measure and document progress (i.e.
an assignment you give periodically throughout the semester)
Things to Consider When Using
Rubrics
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What are the major elements of this assignment?
What exactly are you looking for?
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Within these elements, what constitutes “excellence”
and “unacceptable,” and everything in between?
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Can you describe “excellent”, “average” or “poor”
etc. using the most concrete terms possible?
Steps to Create a Rubric
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Step 1: Decide what the product is (in our case, a the
authentic assessment you’ve begun to design).
Step 2: Determine the elements or features of the product
you will assess
(4-5 elements).
Steps to Create a Rubric
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Step 3: Decide what you will call the levels of performance:
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4-Exemplary, Excellent, Superior, Master, (Delicious.)
3-Accomplished, Skilled, Competent, Good
2- Fair, Needs Improvement, Developing;
1-Poor, Novice, Beginning, Unsatisfactory, Unacceptable.
Steps to Create a Rubric
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Step 4. For every criteria you identify, describe what would
be exemplary.
 Use former student products as a guide (more than one).
 Be as concrete as possible.
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Step 5. Repeat this process for the lower levels in descending
order, also using student samples to help you.
Steps to Create a Rubric
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Step 6: Give the rubric to the students in advance.
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Step 7: Apply the rubric to the assignment.
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Step 8: Modify the rubric based on feedback from
students and reflection on its effectiveness.
Activity: Begin to design a
rubric for the authentic
assessment you’re planning
Closing thoughts
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Our courses are ultimately a reflection of the
program’s goals
Those program goals usually reflect advanced levels
of thinking, focusing on synthesizing and applying
knowledge appropriately
Authentic assessments provide an opportunity for
students to engage in those higher levels of thinking
Rubrics can help us evaluate the products of those
assessments that are complex and subjective