Understanding Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences
Module Five

Jack Drury - Instructor
E-mail: jack@realworldlearning.info
Tel: 518-891-5915
Cell: 518-524-0732
Fax: 518-891-6989
Sandy Hildreth - Course Designer

Understanding Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences - Module 5
"Designing & Using a Visual Rubric"

REFLECTION:

Last month I asked you to:

A. Pick a topic that you were to teach within the month that you would be willing to let students to produce a product that would represent their learning about the topic.

B. Let the students pick a product (perhaps from a list of two or three) to produce.

C. Think about what you could create that would help you assess both the “form” criteria and the “content” criteria. You didn’t actually have to create the tool.

D. Provide a written response (500 words) to me that responded to the following questions:

1. How did it work? Did the students enjoy it? Did they demonstrate their understanding of what you wanted them to know?
2. Did you create an assessment tool? If so how did it work? If not what kind of assessment tool(s) would help both you and the students?
3. Do you think you would want to do this again? Why?


READING:

It is a big step to go from teaching something and giving a test to see if it was learned, to providing learner centered activities that help children acquire knowledge and skills and then allowing them to design their own product that will demonstrate what they have learned. It takes more time - in the classroom, in the planning process, and in evaluating. It also takes a certain amount of risk on the part of the teacher - it doesn't feel "safe" to let students create their own assessment products. The results, however, can be unexpectedly rewarding for both teacher and learner.

Assessing multiple product options might seem to be a daunting task. Art teachers have always dealt with this challenge - it is almost always our goal to have each of our students produce unique products that communicate what they have learned. The concept of rubrics has made it immensely easier to assess Art projects. This month's activity will involve the use of a "visual rubric" to both illustrate levels of performance for the learners, and as a tool for teachers to assess products. Please feel free to ask questions, at any time.

ACTIVITY:

By definition, a rubric defines a number of different levels of performance for completing a specific task. You've probably seen some generic ones for things like writing activities: the top level might be "well written, no spelling or grammar errors, responded to all the requirements very effectively"; the next level might be: "reasonably well written, no major spelling or grammar errors, responded to most of the requirements", and so on. Hopefully you have used rubrics in your classroom, but even if you haven't, it should still be possible to complete the activity.

Most rubrics are created in written form. They include detailed descriptions of the various performance levels, as in the partial example above, and are basically designed for teacher use although a lot of teachers have successfully shared them with students so that they know what is expected of them. Teachers often distribute written rubrics so that students can use them to judge their own progress. A good website that has examples of a variety of types of rubrics is http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

This month's activity will involve designing and using a "visual rubric". Imagine, instead of handing out a written rubric for a writing activity, or orally explaining the various levels of performance, that a poster could be displayed that visually illustrated what was expected. A "Writing" poster might have 4 pieces of paper attached to it. One might be neatly typed or printed (depending upon grade level), with a proper heading and date, and the required content written in neat paragraph form. The second might be a hand-written paper, not quite as neat as the first one, perhaps one or two "cross-outs" or spelling errors, or an incomplete heading. This is the level that you would find basically acceptable for the average student. The third level would be visibly messier - more errors, missing a heading, and noticeably shorter, but still considered passing. The fourth level, which is generally considered unacceptable, should be very noticeably inferior - torn or wrinkled paper, sloppy writing, lots of "cross-outs", no heading, major errors, improper format, etc. An example of the kind of paper you might return to a student and say "you better do this one over!" Beneath each visual example there might also be a listing of expectations for each one. Perhaps just a single word: Outstanding, Acceptable, Poor, Needs Improvement; or "Gold Medal", "Silver Medal", "Bronze Medal", "Broken Medal - Needs Repair". Rather than a teacher designed "visual rubric", one could be made by using examples of student work (whiting out their names or somehow disguising who wrote them).

The simple example that is included at the beginning of this activity was meant to illustrate the levels of performance for a product such as creating a poster about an artist, or a famous person, or endangered species, etc. Requirements include a heading, an image, and 5 facts about the topic. The "visual rubric" demonstrates how a well done poster might appear: it has a neatly lettered, centered heading, a good illustration mounted on a colored paper, 5 neatly written facts, all arranged nicely on the paper, and the addition of a red border. The remaining examples show the "average", "below average" and "unacceptable" levels. It should be noted, however, that students would have been encouraged to be creative, use a variety of materials, and try different arrangements. To be used effectively the poster activity would still need to be explained orally, and with written requirements provided as well.

TASK:

Produce a "visual rubric" for a current project and see if it actually helps the learners better understand what is expected of them. Perhaps some of you will find a way to have the students design the various levels for the poster. If there's no good opportunity to create and use a "visual rubric" for a current project, make one for a previous activity and at least ask students if they think it would have helped them understand requirements better. Your "visual rubric" would be a great item to save as part of your Final Course Product. You can review the Final Course Product description below.

If you actively and regularly use rubrics, you might be interested in this Teach-nology site, http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/general/ , that actually allows you to create rubrics online, then print them out for your own use.

So what exactly am I asking of you?

1. To design and use a "visual rubric" in your classroom.
2. Briefly describe your “visual rubric”.
3. What is your opinion about the possible effectiveness of using a "visual rubric"?
4. How did your students react to a "visual rubric"?
5. Do you feel a "visual rubric" would be more useful for the teacher or the learners? Why?


FINAL COURSE PRODUCT:

You can review at any times the options listed in Module 1. If you have ideas or questions, please email the course designer