Blended Learning - 3 Smart ways to use Google Rubrics - Ian Stonnell

A few months ago I wrote a post about the rubric function in Google Assignments and how you can create them. If you are still unfamiliar with what a rubric is you can read that post (and watch the some exemplar videos) here. 

I am pleased to say that since that post was published staff at Denbigh have gone on to create many rubrics to help assess the progress of students and give feedback. These rubrics have had the added benefit of reducing workload in the marking process. 

In this blog we will look at three effective ways that rubrics have been used across the school. If you have any other unique ways you are using rubrics please get in touch to let me know.

1) The rubric that 'soft marks'
I'll be honest, this is essentially the 'tick and flick' equivalent of marking on Google Classroom (yet slightly better as I'll explain).  At it's heart it is a simple rubric that does the equivalent of RAGing a piece of work and has been applied by many departments. Take a look at this example below that assesses 'quality of work' it is so generic it could be applied to almost any subject.

Click the image to see a Google Sheet of this rubric (CLT staff only)

The advantage of a this rubric is that it is quick to set up and generates simple numeric data that is automatically stored in the markbook for every online lesson or homework task that a student completes. The rubric also helps teachers roughly assess, or 'soft mark', work that may not necessarily have a numeric value or be a key point of assessment that requires detailed marking. This type of marking also gives teachers a general understanding of student engagement and attitudes and can keep students motivated and on their toes. The disadvantage is that the feedback this rubric generates to students is not overly helpful in supporting progress, it just lets them know how happy you are with their work.

On a side note here is a great blog in defence of 'tick and flick' by David Didau.

2) The rubric that mimics assessment criteria
These rubrics are far more complex as they attempt to reflect the assessment or marking criteria of a particular exam question or a set of KPIs for a particular subject. They may also only apply to a specific task/exam question in a subject area. Take a look at this example from English which provides a rubric for their 24 mark question in the GCSE language paper - it looks like a lot of work went into it!

Click the image to see a Google Sheet of this rubric (CLT staff only)

However, despite the initial effort that is required to create a rubric like this the reward is great. First of all, the time it takes to mark an essay is reduced to a few clicks which automatically generates a score. Secondly, the rubric creates a highly valid bank of data that smartly identifies weaknesses which can in turn help formulate valid targets for a student and also help inform future teaching. The only drawback to this kind of rubric is the danger that a student may not be able to access the language of complex mark scheme or exam criteria if the rubric reflects it too closely. As such when they receive a mark and look at a rubric it may be difficult for students to decipher what it means and therefore not benefit from it. This highlights the importance of either thinking about the language we use when we create this kind of rubric or spending lesson time to help students understand the that criteria - something that is not always necessary or useful.

3) The rubric that provides scaffolding and develops metacognition
The weakness of the previous rubric leads on to this final rubric possibility; a rubric that is designed to scaffold a task and develop metacognition. With this kind of rubric there may be a complete abandonment of any complex and convoluted language related to exam criteria and in its place a pupil friendly instructional language which guides students to succeed in a task process or skill. 

In History and RE they have been developing rubrics just like this to help students answer longer essay questions and, rather than using the examination marking criteria, they have produced instructional rubrics that provide the scaffolds for different stages of the writing process. Take this example below where the rubric follows a paragraph by paragraph approach detailing what is expected from each stage which ultimately build towards a more complete answer.

Click the image to see a Google Sheet of this rubric (CLT staff only)

The advantage of this rubric is that it helps students develop metacognition skills for a specific task (the process of writing this essay becomes ingrained the more they engage with the rubric) and although it may not neatly match up with an examination marking criteria, by students following the process they will develop consistency and competency in the task to the point that the rubric will barely be needed - as will happen in an exam. Of course personalized feedback can still be created to support progress further (as with any rubric) however, in this example it is the rubric that will underpin the skill.

A well thought out rubric can support progress and build confidence.

I hope you have found this blog useful. If you want further support developing rubrics please have a discussion with your team leader or let me know and I'll be happy to help. Thanks to all the teachers who have contributed to this blog and keep up the great work! 

Ian Stonnell @DenbighCPD

VLOG#3 - Using Rubrics to improve marking and feedback - Ian Stonnell

Let's be honest, marking has always been a drag for teachers. Going through books, deciphering the handwriting, giving meaningful comments... it could all take an age. The impact of this incredible effort has also always been a debatable one. I know, from personal experience as an RE teacher, that once I've completed a piece of marking the impact it has on many students is negligible, especially considering the amount of time between them doing the work and then me getting it back to them.

Is there a better way? 

Well yes. Marking using Google Classroom.

In GCSE RE we have put a great deal of effort into the use of  assignments on Google Classroom - we have used them both in the classroom and remotely. Now, with the introduction of the rubric tool, a revolution is taking place. It is now possible to mark work and give feedback so quickly and efficiently that our marking has becoming a powerful tool with meaningful impact. Have a watch of this video to see how we have designed and used a rubric to improve our marking and feedback.

What do you think of that? Is it something that could work in your context? Consider that using this system means marking can be done anywhere, anytime without the need to go near (or carry) a pile of exercise books, and that the feedback is quick, legible and easy to act upon. There's got to be a way you can use it!

Below is another video with a brief guide on how to make a rubric.

Obviously traditional marking will have it's place (for now). We still want students to complete written work and we will still need to mark this work - and in some subjects requirements are different. Nevertheless, the direction of travel, particularly in light of Covid-19, is that digital learning is the future, and that includes digital examinations. Get ahead of the game and start to experiment with rubrics.

Ian Stonnell @DenbighCPD