As with most "real world" tasks, classroom embedded performance tasks do not have a single correct answer. In short, there are a variety of ways of successfully completing performance tasks. Consequently, student responses to performance assessments cannot be "machine scored." Instead, human judgement, guided by criteria, is needed. (This approach is similar to the way in which performances in gymnastics or figure skating are judged.) The vehicle used to guide human judgement is a rubric.
The term rubric has its origins in the Latin, rubrica terra, referring to the use of red earth to mark or signify something of importance. Today, we maintain the spirit of this original meaning since the term now refers to a general rule or guide for judging the important features of performance. More specifically, a scoring rubric consists of a fixed scale and a list of the characteristics for describing performance for each of the score points on the scale. Since rubrics describe levels of performance, they provide important information to teachers, parents and others interested in what students know and are able to do.
In addition to describing performance, rubrics promote learning by offering clear performance targets to students on agreed-upon standards. Once a classroom embedded performance task has been constructed, it is then presented to students along with the rubrics that will be used to score the task. Consequently, if a task is designed to measure three standards, the teacher would construct three sets of rubrics. We have in this document rubrics for Portland’s Learner Expectations and Complex Thinking Standards. These rubrics should be considered blueprints for writing more specific rubrics. That is, these rubrics commonly have to be rewritten for a specific classroom embedded authentic tasks.
Whether the teacher writes the rubrics or students are involved in the writing, ultimately, students know the specific standards on which they will be assessed and the levels of performance that are expected. When students have completed the classroom embedded performance task, they would be scored on the specific standards that have been designed into the task using the rubrics that have been written and shared with students.
are sets of criteria that describelevels of performance or understanding
4 Demonstrates exemplary performance or understanding; shows creativity.
3 Demonstrates solid performance or understanding.
2 Performance/understanding is emerging or developing; makes errors; has a grasp that is not thorough.
1 Might attempt but has serious errors or misconceptions.