Assessing student learning is a very important part of instruction. If teachers assess what the students are learning then they can use that information to determine the effectiveness of the instruction. Many teachers use rubrics to assess their students' learning, which I think is an excellent way to do this. I have just recently started using rubrics in my classroom. A rubric lets the students know exactly what they need to do on an assignment. When creating a rubric you need to be very clear on what you expect to be done because this is what the students are going to use to complete the task. Without clear and detailed instructions you may not be able to accurately assess or judge your students' work. Without accurate assessment you may not be able to determine what the students are learning or how effective your instruction is.
In my project I plan on using several different rubrics. I will have to be very clear about what I expect the students to do on each assignment so I can accurately assess what they have learned.
Nothing to report on my project idea at this time. I like several of the ideas that my blog buddies have given me lately, like incorporating video and Excel into my project. I am still working on what else I can add. Thanks for all of your ideas and advice.
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You're right-- rubrics must be incredibly clear to be effective. Sometimes I struggle with rubrics (and grading in general) especially when it comes to weighting. What should I place the most value in in terms of points? For example, when students are working in groups, how much do I value them working as a team? I think it's important, but it is as important as the content? I guess that's something every teacher has to figure out!
ReplyDeleteYes... and it takes a while to really figure out what weighting works best. You will constantly monitor and adjust. Another thing that I think helps students when starting a project is having some sample projects to show from previous years (especially good ones!). Most students will try to at least match the samples, and some will exceed. This just keeps raising the bar year after year.
ReplyDeleteHaving examples of what to do (and maybe not to do) could help students when they are using a rubric. Sometimes though, it depends on the students. They might just try to copy what they see to get an easy grade or something. I think that it is also effective to have the students be a part of the rubric making process. This can take up a lot of time though. However, in the long run they may understand better what you expect from them as a teacher, and could prevent some confusion in the end.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your project development!
Good point about rubrics. I don't know how I graded before using rubrics! What I like about rubrics is that it shows where and how your points are deducted. From your pre-plan, I liked your project idea. Hope all goes successfully!
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