RAPID RESPONSE RUBRIC (3R): A NOVEL TOOL FOR INSTRUCTOR-GENERATED FEEDBACK

In a large-enrollment classroom, instructor time is at a premium. When the student-instructor ratio is low, instructors can create a one-on-one or tutor-like relationship with each student and provide individualized, directed feedback to each learner. However, in a large-enrollment classroom of 100-500 students, typical of undergraduate introductory courses, an instructor does not have time to communicate individualized feedback directly to each student.

Constructed-response (CR) items provide an opportunity for individualized feedback to students in the form of written comments from the instructor, but are often avoided due to the time investment for grading. A rubric for these items serves as a scaffold for direct feedback, while cutting down the time required of instructors. The goal of this research is to develop and investigate how a rapid response rubric (3R) impacts student reasoning with core concepts in large-enrollment courses. The 3R will (1) focus on core biological and geological concepts, (2) provide encoded feedback to the student that they will decode using the full 3R, and (3) support the use of CR items such as the Bishop & Anderson Open Response Instrument (ORI) or ACORNS prompts for assessing evolution content knowledge.

Currently, the rubric is under revision. Pilot data analysis is ongoing from a Spring 2016 introductory biology course and will be presented. Data from student interviews will also be coded and presented. Students appeared overwhelmed using the rubric for the first time, but did show improvement from pre-post assessment on evolution content. Feedback at this early stage is welcome from instructors and others in the GER community.