Authentic Assessment

1. Authentic Assessment Using Rubrics to Evaluate Project-Based Learning Curriculum content created and presented by Dr. Alexandra Leavell Associate Professor of Teacher Education University of North Texas

2. Module Objectives • Define the steps necessary to make an effective rubric. • Create a rubric for use with a project-based technology assignment.

3. Essential Questions • How will the use of PBL and authentic assessments help me meet the needs of learners with different abilities? • How will using rubrics help me meet curricular goals? • How do rubrics help my students become better learners? • How will rubrics improve my teaching?

4. Creating an Effective Rubric • Step OneDefine and visualize the end product Our example will be: A student-generated web page showing results of students’ research.

5. How do I make an Effective Rubric? • Step Two & ThreeDefine the elements of the project and the dimensions you want to evaluate • For our example, one element might be Addressing the research question, the dimensions might include • Including essential information • Using facts and citations to support argument • Ensuring learnability/usability for the audience • Your turn: What other elements/dimensions would you include for our project?

6. How do I make an Effective Rubric? Elements for our project: • Relevance to the research question • Quality of the content • Organization • Use of technology • Collaborative teamwork • Effectiveness of the oral presentation

7. How do I make an Effective Rubric? Dimensions for our project on first element:Relevance to the research question • Essential information • Facts and citations to support views • Audience considerations Click on this slide to access the web site suggested in video.

8. How do I make an Effective Rubric? Elements for our project: • Relevance to the research question • Quality of the content • Organization • Use of technology • Collaborative teamwork • Effectiveness of the oral presentation

9. How do I make an Effective Rubric? • Step FourDetermine the range of performance possible. • Beginner/novice • Developing • Accomplished • Exemplary/Distinguished • Your Turn! Create a table with the dimensions for our project down the side and the range across the top. For a template, go to the featured link.

10. Your table shouldlook like this…

11. How do I make an Effective Rubric? • Step FiveWrite benchmark descriptions for each dimension. Think about what the finest possible performance in that dimension would look like and describe it as clearly as possible. That goes under Exemplary.

12. Benchmark Description Example for Exemplary

13. How do I Make an Effective Rubric? • Step Five (cont’d) • Now, what would a slightly less effective example look like? That goes under accomplished. • Your Turn! Come up with a benchmark for “Relevance to the research question” for the Accomplished category

14. Benchmark Description Example for Accomplished

15. Finish Step Five • Step Five (cont’d) • Finish the benchmark descriptions for the rubric in all categories. • Review.

16. Finish Step Five • Step Five (cont’d) • View the finished rubric by clicking on this slide. • See other rubrics by visiting the accompanying web site’s Resource page.

17. How do I Make an Effective Rubric • Step Six: Assigning Values • How will you get a final grade from the rubric?

18. How do I Make an Effective Rubric • Step Six (cont’d) • Decide how to quantify the categories. Let’s say the assignment is worth 48 points total. • With six elements, that’s a possible 8 points per element.

19. Rubric with Point Values Your rubric might have these numerical values:

20. Sample Rubrics Visit the accompanying web site for a list of sample rubrics available on the web.

21. Weighted Rubrics • If you want some elements to count more toward the grade than others, you can weight the rubric. • Go to Resources for a description of the process of creating weighted rubrics.

22. Qualities of an Effective Rubric • Yields consistent results with different scorers. • Provides all learners the opportunity to succeed at some level. • Is easy to use and understand. • Defines standards and helps students achieve those standards by providing criteria by which they can evaluate work. • Addresses relevant content and performance objectives.

23. FAQs • Isn’t the rubric still subject to human judgment? Yes, but true accountability in any form cannot be free of human judgment. 2. How does a rubric stack up in terms of reliability and validity? 3. Creating rubrics seems like a lot of work. Are there resources online to help me? 4. How often should I use rubrics? 5. How do I get a grade from the rubric?

24. Tips for getting the most from your rubrics 1. Learn from your mistakes. • Give the rubrics to students in advance. • Do process checks along the way. • Be flexible as they work, reworking the benchmarks as needed. • Remember! It’s a learning tool as well as an assessment tool.

25. Tips for getting the most from your rubrics • Have students work with you to define elements and dimensions. • See Resources for examples of student-designed rubric. • Use peer evaluation and conferencing (not for a grade). • Use online resources for guidance.

26. Your Turn Work by yourself or with a partner to create a rubric for a Project Based Learning assignment of your own!