A STRUCTURED DIALOGUE on STUDENT ASSESSMENT: THE RUBRIC AS A TOOL PROMOTING STUDENT LEARNING

For most instructors, assessing student work from a position of expertise is second nature, but is it possible to remember what it is like to not have that expertise? In this context, the gap between instructor expectations and student levels of mastery may seem insurmountable, particularly given the complex nature of geoscience expertise. While it may appear to be straightforward to gauge student learning of knowledge, it is often difficult to do the same for students’ skill development and habits of mind or dispositions in the geosciences. Rubrics, when constructed around clear objectives in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions domains, allow for the clear communication to students of the expectations placed upon them by instructors. Rubrics allow instructors to accurately chart student learning progress and evaluate the effectiveness of their own instruction. Rubrics also support meaningful written and oral feedback between students and instructors, effectively creating a dialogue that leaves both parties satisfied at the conclusion of instructional experiences. This presentation will report on the development and application of rubrics in several undergraduate geoscience courses, concentrating on their application in a field geology course, across a continuum of assignment types. Cross-referenced with student evaluation of instruction for the same learning experiences, student growth can be documented. Examples of rubrics employed in other geoscience courses will also be provided. In addition, the utility of rubric-based assessment of student progress to degree program evaluation will also be discussed, through data generated by a program-wide assessment protocol.