Yikes! Engaging students in writing rubrics and learning outcomes

Kathy Williams

Pearson - BLC VII 2010

Please complete the short form

Select a reporter to look at the responses and be ready to share summary of results for your table.

Is there a pattern of responses by course type?

Place slips in the envelope.

Ho w often do y o ur stu d ents d eve l op sc ori n g ru b r ic s ? ( m ark R in c or r esp o n d i n g bo x )

Ho w often do y o ur stu d ents d eve l op l e arn in g o u t c om e s ? ( ma r k O i n cor r es p o n di n g bo x )

In … Often Occas i o n ally R ar e ly Are y o u n uts? Ne v er

Int rod u ct ory co u rse s ? R O

L ab o r a t o ry c our s es? R O

Upp er Div i si o n c our s es? R O

“Ind e p e n d ent r e s e ar c h ” c o urse s ? R O

(One “R” and One “O” per course type)

What we hope for …

What’s the point?

What we hope for …

• Increase engagement• Empower students to be

responsible for their learning (metacognition)

UD Elective - “Coevolution”Course Design

• Overarching Course Goals/Objectives

• Objectives for each “module” or chapter, (e.g., Mimicry and Coevolution)

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

UD Elective - “Coevolution”Course Design

Text Chapters

Text Chapter + 2 Journal Articles       (Tues)              (Thurs)

InstructorStudents (in permanent groups)

2005 2007 2008 2009 2010

Organization 10% 24% 15%

Introduction 10% 16% 15%

Main content 40% 40% 50% 40% 45%

Conclusions 20% 20% 30% 30% 25%

40% 40%

Students’ scales …

Rubric for Presentation (~ 15% of ttl pts)

I can live with all of these options!

My scale

Learning Objectives - of StudentsOrganization

Clearly state relevant issues or topicsPresent arguments and evidence in a logical sequence

Introduction

Select papers that are appropriate for the topic (coevolution)Give sufficient “set up” to put papers into context with chapter and topic of

coevolution

Main content of the presentation Restate questions, problems, or issues addressed by authorsDescribe methods that were presented, relevant to arguments made about

coevolutionProvide evidence and/or discuss arguments for or against coevolution in each

case, and explain whether it supported claimsExplain critical terms (those that were not easy to look up) Encourage class to challenge and discuss ideasEngage class in activities to help them better understand the topic

Conclusions regarding evolution & coevolution

Present conclusions and clearly discuss them. Discuss ideas, issues, and problems in the papers - in terms of text chapter

Also …

• Students provide learning objectives for    their papers to rest of class.

• Students set expectations for other students!

The ChallengeThe Challenge

How many of you let your students write SLOs or rubrics?

Scaling up -       to large and/or introductory

level courses

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.