An Instructional Framework Web Page
AEA 267
The Framework Outline: Assessment
Rubric Design Principles Guide
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Legendary Rubric
Ready for
National
Distribution
Great Potential for
Learner and Teacher
to Improve Quality
for Learners'
Products/Performance

Great Potential for
Teachers to be
Consistent in Review
of Learners' Products/
Performances

Rudiments of Rubric
Framework May or
May Not Help Teacher
or Learner in
Improving Quality
Word Choice
Arrow Provides for consistency of interpretations

Arrow Promotes purposeful dialogue between significant parties
Red Bullet teacher to student
Red Bullet student to students
Red Bullet student to parent(s)
Red Bullet teacher to parent(s)



Red Bullet Terms are learner/audience friendly

Red Bullet Terms are in learner's personal, everyday vocabulary

Red Bullet Operational vs. abstract terms
Orange Bullet i.e., "a voice all listening ears can hear" vs. "audible" (1st grade)
Orange Bullet i.e., "reads problem, identifies data given, answers question "What am I trying to find out?" vs. "used effective strategy"

Red Bullet Generated with high level of involvement of learners

Red Bullet Learner can verbalize expectations in their own words


Red Bullet Teacher friendly, part of educators' vocabulary
Orange Bullet i.e., composition scientific method information

Red Bullet Promotes common interpretations from one teacher to another teacher (inter-rater, reliability)

Red Bullet Promotes consistency by reducing the potential of personal bias and increasing reliability of teacher judgment

Red Bullet Learners may not be able to explain criteria and/or performance

Red Bullet Terms open to subjectivity and personal judgment
Orange Bullet i.e., "Most of the time," "Some of the time," "Rarely"

Red Bullet Feedback will be inconsistent between teachers

Red Bullet Will allow sorting for grading purposes, but knowing grade alone may not encourage learner or teacher to work to improve product /performance
Visual Appeal
Arrow Creates a "map" that the learner will at least make an attempt to achieve

Arrow Creates a framework to report both student growth and progress

Red Bullet Uses brain's attraction for patterns/visuals to engage learner
Orange Bullet lines
Orange Bullet white space
Orange Bullet graphics
Orange Bullet spacing
Orange Bullet fonts
Orange Bullet bolding
Orange Bullet shading
Orange Bullet underlining

Red Bullet Placement of elements signifies their importance, helps learner see "BIG" picture

Red Bullet Progression of stages of competency are easy to chart, both growth and progress

Red Bullet Accommodates both visual and linguistic learning styles


Red Bullet Uses only printed word, accommodates linguistic learning style

Red Bullet Teacher is necessary to act as guide to learner; must explain, assist, translate

Red Bullet Serves as a starting point for explaining expectations

Red Bullet Makes clear for teacher the elements and differentiation between quality of student performance/products

Red Bullet Uses printed word exclusively

Red Bullet Elements and stages of competency may be present but time consuming to identify

Note: Holistic rubrics fit into this column (holistic scoring is considering and synthesizing teacher judgment into one overall score)
Student's Role
Arrow Defines an active role for learner to increase motivation

Red Bullet Evidence tool is used to allow student to plan, assess, set and monitor personal goals
Orange Bullet student "comments" space
Orange Bullet "Legend in Your Own Time" column
Orange Bullet "what's your evidence" requirement
Orange Bullet convince a peer, (initial off)
Orange Bullet "If I had to "rate" your work today it would be ___, but I don't, so what's your plan?"


Red Bullet Evidence tool is used to promote periodic, systematic and timely dialogue between learner and teacher
Orange Bullet dated notions
Orange Bullet color coding
Orange Bullet dual titled
Orange Bullet "skinny columns"
(columns to show in between stages of competency)

Red Bullet Learner takes passive role and remains reliant on teacher to identify strengths, areas in need of improvement and goals


Red Bullet Uses numbers and % that under challenge some learners while overwhelming others

Red Bullet Runs the risk that focus becomes quantity rather then quality

Red Bullet Creates advisories of teacher and learner, teacher as an "official" rather than a "coach"
The "Fix" Correctives
Arrow Facilitates the dialogue beyond what's wrong, what's right to how to improve the product/
performance

Red Bullet Descriptors provide learner with action verb that helps direct a quality product/performance

Red Bullet Provides formative feedback to learners while they are in process of developing products/performances
Orange Bullet i.e., "need title page" vs. "no title page" (4th grade research project)
Orange Bullet i.e., "uses quote, metaphor, analogy in introduction to create interest" vs. "clear focus"


Red Bullet Student understand that work is not complete, but must rely on teacher to supply corrective

Orange Bullet i.e., "lack of knowledge of topic"

"unorganized confusing content"

"little or no voice evident"

Red Bullet Most useful to teacher in making informed decision about what needs more instruction, more teaching


Red Bullet "Fix" correctives are not a consideration; purpose is to be able to categorize work into quality summative levels for reporting, useful for end of the year evaluation to multiple stakeholders
The "Why" Purpose
Arrow Explains the benefits for student development strong competency

Red Bullet Relates in learner language what results may be possible if "mastery" is achieved

Orange Bullet i.e., "INTRODUCTION grabs reader's attentions so they will continue to read"
Orange Bullet i.e., "MECHANICS (reader's reading is obstacle free)"

Red Bullet Honor students' motivational need to understand purpose

Red Bullet Can appear on rubric in the task description, within the elements' boxes and/or within the stags of competency descriptors


Red Bullet Assumes teacher knows benefits and student accepts on faith that results of their efforts will be useful to them

Orange Bullet Teacher says, "Trust me, this is a skill that you will need someday."
Orange Bullet Learners may be constantly asking "Why are we doing this?" "When will I need it?" "Do we have to?" "Will it be graded?"

Red Bullet No mention of purpose/benefits

Red Bullet Relies on each user to justify purpose/benefit to learner

Red Bullet Data collected from rating learners' products/performances can be used to judge whether goals have been achieved


Material Use
Use of materials from this web site are provided to assist in the process of improving the quality of education everywhere. Therefore, you may use these materials freely, as is, if you are a full-time teacher or administrator for work within a school district. For all other uses, in part or whole, permission must be granted by the author.


Questions, comments, and other inquiries about Rubric, Teaching Strategies, Thinking Skills, or about the contents found on this page, can be directed to AEA 267 consultants.


Last Modified: Tuesday, June 08, 2004

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