‘A conundrum: rubrics for creativity/metacognitive development’

Refer to the article ‘A conundrum: rubrics for creativity/metacognitive development’.  This article is included in this Unit’s reading list. 

1. Analyze and respond to the following statement from the above-mentioned article:

On the use of rubrics to generate artifacts for grading… ‘our concern is that the teacher is restricting students’ problem solving, decision-making, and creativity—traits needed in a democratic society for governance as well as for economic productivity. Are today’s educators systematically discouraging creative thought and actions by our P–12 learners? Matching their work to a teacher-designed template (i.e., a scoring rubric) is different from analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating elements as students pull a product together for an assignment.

2. Examine whether in your use of rubrics (current or future use) you allow for ‘creativity’, ‘flexibility’ and ‘individual initiative’. Support your ideas with examples.

Submit a paper which is 2-3 pages in length, exclusive of the reference page, double-spaced using 12 point, Times New Roman font. The paper must be well written and cite at least 3 outside sources and two from the ones that are provided below in APA format.  Check all content for grammar, spelling and to be sure that you have properly cited all resources (in APA format) used.

References

1. Authentic assessment. (n.d.).  Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL). https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/assessing-student-learning/authentic-assessment/

• ‘Authentic Assessment’ is a description of the assessment ass it is used in Indiana University.

2. Callison, Daniel. (1998). Authentic assessment.  School Library Media Activities Monthly 14(5). http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/edchoice/SLMQ_AuthenticAssessment_InfoPower.pdf

• ‘Authentic Assessment’ is a thorough explanation of this type of assessment as well as of its uses.

3. Chapman, V., & Inman, D. (2009). A conundrum: rubrics or creativity/metacognitive development? Educational Horizons. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ849020.pdf

• ‘A conundrum: rubrics for creativity/metacognitive development’ is an interesting article because it addresses some limitations of rubrics and examines how these can be avoided.

4.  Frey, B., Schmitt, V., & Allen, J. (2012). Defining authentic classroom assessment. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 17(2). 

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1245&context=pare

• ‘Defining authentic classroom assessment’ is an in-depth literature review of authentic assessment with a rich discussion and recommendations.

5. Henning, Melissa. (n.d.). Rubrics to the rescue. Teachers First, Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers.  https://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/rubrics/index.cfm 

• ‘Rubrics to the rescue’ in the Teachers First website offers a very complete guide for the use and purpose of rubrics for teachers.

6. Millis, B. (2016, December). Using metacognition to promote learning. IDEA Paper #63. https://www.ideaedu.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/IDEA%20Papers/IDEA%20Papers/PaperIDEA_63.pdf or https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED573671 

• ‘Using metacognition to promote learning’ explores how teachers can promote metacognition in their classrooms.

7. Rethinking classroom assessment with purpose in mind. (2006). Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education.  https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/wncp/full_doc.pdf

• ‘Rethinking classroom assessment with purpose in mind’ presents important facets of assessment; it will make you reflect on the assessment FOR, AS, and OF learning, and it suggests strategies to be applied in the classroom. In this Unit, you need to read Chapter 3, pp 29-39.

Optional Video

1. EDUTOPIA. (2011, June 23). Keeping assessment relevant and ‘authentic’ [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/HfwGqH9w-64

• In ‘Keeping assessment relevant and ‘authentic’’. Ben Mook, the teacher, shows how he introduces an activity in his class that is authentic and that he uses to assess his students.