Cross–Disciplinary Rubrics for
Assessing Critical Thinking,
Oral and Written Communication,
and Visual Literacy
Diana Fortier, Assistant Professor of Economics/Business
and Outcomes Ambassador
Dr. Stacey Randall, Outcomes Manager
1
History Question
What does the image below tell you about U.S. propaganda efforts at
the beginning of World War II? How does it connect to President
Roosevelt’s speech?
“The third is freedom from want, which,
translated into world terms, means economic
understandings which will secure to every
nation a healthy peacetime life for its
inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.”
Beginning: Identifies visual and context cues
• Image of a family at a
Thanksgiving or Sunday
Dinner
• Comfort
• American values
Developing: Describes and interprets the use
of the visual and context cues
• WWII propaganda
•Protection
•Personal responsibility
Proficient : Utilizes and applies visual and
context cues
• President Roosevelt’s Four
Freedoms speech to
Congress in January 1941
• Image represents FDR
language
Exemplary: Analyze strengths and
weaknesses of visual and context cues
• Freedom
from want, Freedom
from Fear, Freedom of Religion
and Freedom of Speech
• Fails to reflect social and
economic issues
Leadership
Video of the Martin Luther King
“I have a dream” speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk
Question: How does the visual medium aid in illustrating King’s leadership skills?
Support with examples and evidence.
Leadership
Beginning: Identifies visual and context cues
Visual
• Watching the video allows one to see
• Leader’s emotion
• Reaction of followers to words and actions
Context
• Stands behind the podium facing a large crowd
• On a stage outdoors of the Washington Mall
Developing: Describes and interprets the use
of the visual and context cues
Visual
• Delivery: Changes pace, volume; adds gestures; shifts weight; adds eye contact
• Shows passion
• Emphasizes significance, and importance of his vision
Context
• King standing on stage, behind a podium
• Portrays authority
• Camera scans the audience at key phrases
• “the time is now”: Large crowd
• “emancipation proclamation”: Lincoln Memorial
Proficient : Utilizes and applies visual and
context cues
Visual
• Audio/visual magnifies the impact of Kings’ words
• Repetition of his words:
• “I have a dream,” “Let the freedom ring’.
Context
• The Washington Mall
• Connects to and units followers with common beliefs, American ideals and values
• King communicates an inspirational vision of principles
• Lincoln Memorial
• Equality for all/emancipation proclamation
• Analogies, biblical and historical references
• Gettysburg address/Hymns and Spirituals
Exemplary: Analyze strengths and
weaknesses of visual and context cues
Visual and Context Strengths
• Black and whites slow calm march on Washington
• March of ‘dignity and discipline: King’s philosophy
• nonviolence, ‘soul force’ not physical force
• Freedom/rights for all of God’s children.
• Scans of crowd and Washington Mall
• unites and empowers with his words: American ideals and values
• biblical and constitutional references: inspirational vision of principle
Exemplary Continued
Visual and Context Weaknesses
• Standing behind the podium minimizes speaker’s presence
• Scans of the crowd
• detract from King’s words
• allow for viewer/photography/videographer bias
• do not connect to his words
• Faces behind the speaker detract from speaker
Group Activity
Math
Sample Assignment Question
Graph the equation.
y=x+2
Beginning: Identifies print media incorrectly
Student is able to identify
what a graph is; but either
leaves it blank or draws a
point.
Developing: Partially performs task
Student understands to
draw a line which
represents the equation
but incorrectly plots points
and/or the slope. Student
draws a random line or an
incorrect shape to
represent the equation.
Proficient: Performs task reflecting
understanding, but not with mastery
Student’s work reflects understanding of
task to represent equation and draws
appropriate line and/or the slope, but
makes minor error (i.e. shifting the line
over), showing understanding but not
mastery.
Exemplary: Expertly performs task
Student correctly graphs the line by
employing one of the graphing techniques
(i.e. graphing using a table, using the x and
y-intercepts, or slope intercept form.)
Student successfully interprets meaning of
task and its implications.
Economics Sample Question
Graphical analysis: How will a student
understand and interpret demand and
supply curves on a graph?
Beginning: Identifies print media incorrectly
Students think it is an image of a
runway, and that it has nothing to do
with economic graphs.
Developing: Partially performs task
Student is able to recognize a market
and interpret demand curves as down
sloping, expressing an inverse
relationship between two variables price
and demand and that supply curves are
up sloping expressing a positive
relationship between two variables price
and supply.
Proficient: Performs task reflecting
understanding, but not with mastery
Student is able to graph and label
many variables such as pairs of
demand and supply, curves shift,
different equilibriums, different
quantities and different prices.
Exemplary: Expertly performs task and learns
to apply concept
Student is able to understand the shifts
of the curves, the reason for the shifts
and is able to analyze and explain
individual shift factors of demand and
supply that contribute to the shifts.
Questions/Comments?
Contact: The Outcomes Program (TOP)
e-mail: TOP@waubonsee.edu
630-466-7900 ext. 2867