Authentic Assessments and Rubrics
Module Two

Carol Amberg - Course Designer
November - Module 2

Please e-mail me responses to the following:

Reflect here on anything connected with your assignment from October. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Describe the task on which you focused.
2. What method did you find for broadening its audience?
3. How difficult was it to identify criteria for exemplary performance?
4. Here's what I did and how it went:
5. Any additional comments?

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_--_--95-100---_-

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----80-89----

<80 - REWRITE

CRITERIA	Exceeds Expectations	Meets Expectations	Approaches Expectations	Does not meet expectations
FOCUS	MEETS ALL EXPECTATIONS AND GOES BEYOND IN CREATIVITY OR FLAIR	-thesis statement controls clarity of purpose and focus -stays on task -is thought - provoking or insightful	thesis statement is clear essay stays mostly on task	thesis statement needs revision AND/OR writing strays from task
ORGANIZATION	MEETS ALL EXPECTATIONS AND GOES BEYOND IN CREATIVITY OR FLAIR	-has logically developed beginning, middle and end -is organized to fit the purpose	attempt is made at some development pattern some problems with organization	no discernable development pattern organization problems confuse rather than clarify
DETAILS	MEETS ALL EXPECTATIONS AND GOES BEYOND IN CREATIVITY OR FLAIR	-contains carefully chosen details, examples or explanations -draws reader in visually and verbally	*contains some details, examples, explanations	*too few details, examples, explanations
STYLE/VOICE	MEETS ALL EXPECTATIONS AND GOES BEYOND IN CREATIVITY OR FLAIR	-matches tone/voice to audience and purpose -contains language that is clear and concise -includes sentences that are varied in structure and length	writing voice is discernable language mostly clear and direct *sentence structure may need revision	no discernible writing voice language use confusing *sentence structure needs major revision
MECHANICS	MEETS ALL EXPECTATIONS AND GOES BEYOND IN CREATIVITY OR FLAIR	-exhibits accepted conventions of grammar and usage overal -has correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation	some problems in grammar and usage problems in spelling, capitalization and punctuation	problems in grammar and usage, hinder understanding problems in spelling, capitalization, punctuation hinder reader

Name_______________________________________
Date________________
Writing_________________(adapted from Suzanne MacArthur)

1. Study the sample rubric.
2. Use it as a model for writing a rubric for a task you will assign in January. Try to focus the assessment on four or five aspects necessary for exemplary performance of the task ("Criteria" column on the left.)
3. Then write quality descriptors for a performance of the task which will meet expectations.
4. Sometimes the hard part is then deciding what characteristics describe a performance of the task which approaches expectations.
*Notice that required elements such as "completes all steps in the task" may stay the same for all of the columns except does not meet.
5. For the does not meet expectations descriptors, be sure to list things that would require a revision and resubmission.
6. If you wish to make an exceeds expectations column, one way is illustrated in the model rubric. Reserving the top few grade points for those who demonstrate diligence or flair allows many to meet the standard and a few to shine.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS:

Adapt the rubric, given as a model, to your own content and purpose for a task that you will assign sometime in January. You'll get a chance to fine tune your rubric next month.

Good luck and remember: One of the most powerful things about rubric writing is getting down in words exactly what we want our students to do, and how well.

Additional Resources
provided by: Tara A. Demers - "4" Project

Brookhart, S. M. (1999). The art and science of classroom assessment: The missing part of pedagogy (pp. 48-53). Washington, D.C.: George Washington University.

Brooks, J. G., & Brooks, M. G. (1993). Assessing student learning in the context of teaching. In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms (pp. 85-100). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Jensen, K. (1995). Effective rubric design. The Science Teacher, 62, 34-37.

LeBuffe, J. R. (1993). Performance assessment. The Science Teacher, 60, 46-48.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D., & McTighe, J. (1993). Assessing student outcomes: Performance assessment using the dimensions of learning model. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Stiggins, R. J. (1994). Performance assessment: An old friend rediscovered. Student-centered classroom assessment (pp. 159-204). New York: Macmillan College Publishing Company.

Wiggins, G. P. (1998). Scoring rubrics. Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve student performance (pp. 153-185). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Wiggins, G. P. (1993). Authenticity, context, and validity. Assessing students performance: Exploring academic achievement in the secondary school (pp. 206-255). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Authentic Assessments and Rubrics Module Two

Authentic Assessments and Rubrics
Module Two