The Advantages of Rubrics

Reaction Paper 

By

Licda. Guiselle Weelkly W.

PART ONE

Teachers are interested in evaluating their students'  performance which are based on the sum of a full range of criteria rather than single numerical score,  that is what we know as a scoring guide or rubric.

Rubrics can be:

1.  A way of enhancing the quality of direct instruction.
2. A working guide for students and teachers which can be handed out before the assignment begin so that they( students) can know exactly what is expected from them.
3. An authentic assessment  tool used  to evaluate students'  works.

Why use rubrics?

Many experts believe that rubrics improve students's  end products and increase learning as well.  Two major reasons for using rubrics are:

• They are guides students can use to build on current knowledge.
• They should be part of a planning time,  not as an additional time commitment to teacher's  preparation.

Some activities rubrics can be used for are:

1. Reviewing.

2.Reconceptualizing.

3.Revising the same concept but from a different angle in order to improve the understanding of the student's lesson.

Advantages of using rubrics:

* Teachers can increase the quality of their direct instruction by providing focus, emphasis,  and attention to particular details as a model for students.

* Students have explicit guidelines regarding teacher's  expextations.

*Students can use it as a tool to develop their abilities.

*Teachers can reuse rubrics for various activities.

PART  TWO

Anybody involved in teaching will gladly embrace the opportunity they have in learning how to develop rubrics for their assessments.

To get started is important to take in account the following:

• Determine the concepts to be taught.
• Choose the criteria to be evaluated.
• Develop a grid.
• Share the rubrics with students before they being writing.
• Evaluate the end product.
• Place it on a bulletin board or distribute it by hand out.
• It should be visible at all times.

PART  THREE

Analytic  vs   Holistic Rubrics

There is a clear difference between both:

• Holistic Rubric assess students work as a whole.
• Analytic Rubric identify and assess components of a finished product.

Rubric Reminders:

1.  Neither the analytic nor the holistic rubric is better than the other one.

2. Consider your students and grader(s) when deciding each type to use.

3. For modeling,  present to your students examples in order to help them  with their performance.

PART FOUR

How to Weigh Rubrics?

First of all, the  weighted rubric is an analytic rubric in whic certain concepts are judged more heavily than others.  It clearly communicates to the students and their parents the important parts that they should focus on in an activity.  It also focuses attention on specific aspects of a project permiting the students to be aware of what is being taught,  while provinding meaningful context to support their entire experience.