Uses of Rubrics- Marzano style

CURRENT – what we are doing NOW

Elementary - Projects, writings, presentations, NYS Rubric

Middle School – essays, projects, DBQs, binder checks, weighted rubrics, performance, presentations, Unit tests, NYS Rubric

High School – projects, syllabus, DBQs, thematic essay writing, presentations, NYS Rubric

RESEARCH

Research in the book assumes that the point or percentage method is inadequate to the task of tracking achievement on multiple topics.

Marzano suggests a change is necessary in the way teachers keep records, design and score tests, and then summarize the scores at the end of a grading period.

Topics for any rubric fall under 2 basic types.

1)  Information-based – concepts, principles, generalizations and details.

2)  Process-or skill-based – a specific process or skill.

With this approach to scoring assessments, teacher still considers students’ accuracy in answering each item on the test, however…

items are not scored independently

teachers consider responses to all items that pertain to a given topic as a set of information with which to make judgment about student understanding and skill on that topic. (Fig. 4.14(p.56).

Advantages

Easy to identify student strengths and weaknesses

Specialize and make modifications to academic interventions using data in the rubric

Increases instructional and student accountability

Allows for clear/direct communication between students, teachers, and parents

Greater grade-level consistency in what is being taught and the methods of grading

Clear expectations for students, teachers, and school administration.

Offers choices in presentation of material – promotes student-centered learning (generic rubric).

Allows student to self-monitor/assess.

-  Allows for peer review/assessment…CRITICAL FRIENDS SUCK!

Disadvantages

-  More Work…labor intensive

-  Students are subject to teacher’s goals, bias’s, method.

-  Time consuming….rubric must be taught prior to implementation.

-  Grading is time consuming

See: PowerPoint of Generic template for rubric design –

http://www.quality.cr.k12.ia.us/L2_07/ Marzano _ Rubric _Presentation.ppt - Project-Based Rubric (sent by Mary)…Generic

Score Levels / Content / Conventions / Organization / Presentation
4 / §  Is well thought out and supports the solution to the challenge or question
§  Reflects application of critical thinking
§  Has clear goal that is related to the topic
§  Is pulled from a variety of sources
§  Is accurate / §  No spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors
§  High-level use of vocabulary and word choice / §  Information is clearly focused in an organized and thoughtful manner.
§  Information is constructed in a logical pattern to support the solution. / §  Multimedia is used to clarify and illustrate the main points.
§  Format enhances the content.
§  Presentation captures audience attention.
§  Presentation is organized and well laid out.
3 / §  Is well thought out and supports the solution
§  Has application of critical thinking that is apparent
§  Has clear goal that is related to the topic
§  Is pulled from several sources
§  Is accurate / §  Few (1 to 3) spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors
§  Good use of vocabulary and word choice
§  / §  Information supports the solution to the challenge or question. / §  Multimedia is used to illustrate the main points.
§  Format is appropriate for the content.
§  Presentation captures audience attention.
§  Presentation is well organized.
2 / §  Supports the solution
§  Has application of critical thinking that is apparent
§  Has no clear goal
§  Is pulled from a limited number of sources
§  Has some factual errors or inconsistencies / §  Minimal (3 to 5) spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors
§  Low-level use of vocabulary and word choice / §  Project has a focus but might stray from it at times.
§  Information appears to have a pattern, but the pattern is not consistently carried out in the project.
§  Information loosely supports the solution. / §  Multimedia loosely illustrates the main points.
§  Format does not suit the content.
§  Presentation does not capture audience attention.
§  Presentation is loosely organized.
1 / §  Provides inconsistent information for solution
§  Has no apparent application of critical thinking
§  Has no clear goal
§  I pulled from few sources
§  Has significant factual errors, misconceptions, or misinterpretations / §  More than 5 spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors
§  Poor use of vocabulary and word choice / §  Content is unfocused and haphazard.
§  Information does not support the solution to the challenge or question.
§  Information has no apparent pattern. / §  Presentation appears sloppy and/or unfinished.
§  Multimedia is overused or underused.
§  Format does not enhance content.
§  Presentation has no clear organization.
As you decide which rubric to use...
· Decide whether the rubric addresses the most important aspects of student performance.
· Decide whether or not the rubric addresses the instructional outcome(s) to be measured.
· Decide whether the rubric includes anything extraneous. If so, change the rubric or use a different one.
· Don't pay too much attention to the rubric's stated grade level. It may be usable at other grades with little or
no modification.
· See if a rubric from a different subject area can be adapted to fit your needs. Reading rubrics can often be
used to assess listening, writing rubrics may be adapted to assess speaking, and fine arts rubrics can
sometimes be applied to several different art forms.
· Make sure the rubric is clear.
· Use this criteria to evaluate the rubric.
· Try the rubric out on some actual samples of student work.
· See if you and your colleagues can usually arrive at consensus about what scores to assign a piece of
student work.
· Feel free to combine or modify rubrics to make them work better.
Assessing Student Outcomes , by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jay McTigue contains three chapters of
generic rubrics that can be applied to many subject areas. The rubrics are organized by the particular thinking skill
measured, using the Dimensions of Learning model. The rubrics address such areas as:
· comparison
· classification
· induction
· deduction
· identifying and describing errors in information or processes
· developing a well-articulated argument for a specific claim
· abstracting
· analyzing perspectives
· decision making
· investigation
· problem solving
· experimental inquiry and invention
There are additional rubrics that deal with information processing, effective communication, collaboration and
cooperation, and habits of mind, as well as rubrics designed specifically to help students evaluate their own work.

Topics-based gradebook – see p48 in Transforming Classroom Grading. Marzano. 2000.