Aga's GBC Edusite
Outcome-based assessment is authentic and grounded in the real world. Learning needs to be connected to the lives of students through relevant tasks which focus on students' ability to use their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. Based on authentic learning outcomes, through real-life learning tasks, outcome-based assessments are designed to assess student performance through a product, such as a completed project or work that demonstrates levels of task achievement.
Using rubrics is one way that teachers can evaluate or assess student performance or proficiency in any given task as it relates to a final product or learning outcome. Thus, rubrics can provide valuable information about the degree to which a student has achieved a defined learning outcome based on specific criteria that defined the framework for evaluation.
Assessment includes many different tools and processes, e.g:
· be directly connected to curriculum expectations and to instructional strategies
· include various forms, such as observations, anecdotal notes, rating scales, performance tasks, student self-assessment, teacher questioning, presentations and learning logs
· be designed to collect data about what students know and are able to do, what they need to learn, and what they have achieved and about the effectiveness of the learning experience
· demonstrate a range of student abilities, skills and knowledge
· involve sharing the intended outcomes and assessment criteria with students prior to an assessment activity
· assess before, during and after instruction
· provide frequent and descriptive feedback to students
· ensure that students can describe their progress and achievement.
At its most basic a rubric is a scoring tool that divides an assignment into its component parts and objectives, and provides a detailed description of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable levels of performance for each part. Rubrics can be used to grade any assignment or task: research papers, book reviews, participation in discussions, laboratory work, portfolios, oral presentations, group work, and more.
Rubrics help evaluate student performance on any given task or set of tasks that ultimately leads to a final product, or learning outcome. Rubrics use specific criteria as a basis for evaluating or assessing student performances as indicated in narrative descriptions that are separated into levels of possible performance related to a given task. Starting with the highest level and progressing to the lowest, these levels of performance are used to assess the defined set of tasks as they relate to a final product or behavior. Each level describes degrees of proficiency and each level is assigned a value that rates the degree of proficiency or student performance. Rating scales are used; they can be numerical, qualitative, or a combination of numerical and qualitative.
Rating scales can be either holistic or analytical.
Whether holistic scales or analytical scales are used, the important factors in developing effective rubrics is the use of clear criteria that will be used to rate a student's work and that the performance being evaluated is directly observable. More importantly, students should be informed as to what criteria they are being held accountable.
Do the rubric descriptors:
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Fully
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Partly
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Rarely, if ever
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a. state criteria in specific terms using action verbs
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b. address expected learner outcomes
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c. describe what students are to know and do
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d. address the same criteria, in the same order and number at each level
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e. describe measurable qualities of a performance or product (not quantities)
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f. use age-appropriate, helpful, understandable and succinct language
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g. use parallel language at each level
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h. clearly distinguish one performance or product level from the others?
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To what extent does the performance assessment:
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Fully
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Partially
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Not at all
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a. establish clear criteria for assessing student learning related to specified learner outcomes—these criteria form the basis for evaluating and communicating student learning—involving students in developing criteria is encouraged
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b. assess student performance on high priority and relevant outcomes—what is important for a student to know and be able to do is based on student learning needs and interests together with the priorities of the community, school and jurisdiction
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c. establish a meaningful, real-life context (based on issues, problems, themes and/or student interests)
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d. require the application of a range of thinking skills or processes
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e. contain age- and grade-appropriate activities that are sufficiently challenging
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f. provide students with a meaningful/real-life role
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g. call for products or performances directed to a specific audience
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h. allow for more than one right answer
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i. elicit responses that reveal levels of performance rather than simply correct or incorrect answers
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j. provide for students of varying ability levels to successfully complete tasks
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k. provide for purposeful integration of subject areas
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l. provide clear directions for students
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m. engage students so their interest and enthusiasm will be sustained
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n. merit the time and energy required to complete it
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o. provide an evaluation rubric matched with the criteria
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p. provide students with the criteria and opportunities to reflect on, self-evaluate andimprove their performance?
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