Scoring or Grading?

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The term "scoring" in this context refers to the application of rubric scores to measure student performance on individual outcomes. Grading, conversely, implies working to calculate a single overall numeric point value or percentage to measure performance on an assessment. I prefer the word "scoring".

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Design Your Assessment Specifics

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Referencing Step 7 when you planned your assessments, now begin to craft the details of your individual assessments​. Read this article about how assessments can motivate and support student learning. 

 

To assess learning outcomes from a unit, design an assessment that measures one or several (i.e. between 1-4) outcomes.

 

​To assess the course Proficiency Goal, you can design standalone assessments, or assessments that measure both the Proficiency Goal as well as learning outcomes. 

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This is a critical step! If your assessments are not valid (they do not measure what they are supposed to measure), the data you will use at the end of the class to determine readiness will be flawed.

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Use the Authentic Assessment Builder and the Assessment Instructions Template to help you create real-world assessments, when applicable. Here's an example.

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Scoring, Recording, and Feedback

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Assign the assessment, giving students enough time to study, ask questions, practice, and get feedback.

 

When students submit their assessments, score their performance. Assign a rubric score to each assessed learning outcome and, if applicable, the Proficiency Goal.

 

In each student's Competency Tracker Form, or your school's LMS gradebook, record the rubric scores.

 

Provide students immediate, meaningful, and individualized corrective feedback concerning performance on the assessed outcome(s). Request or require students to meet with you if they have any scores of 1 or 2 (underdeveloped). Students should have another opportunity, after an appropriate amount of time (as determined in your reassessment plan from Step 3) to study and practice more, to demonstrate competency on any outcomes they failed. Since the burden is now on the student to study for and practice any deficient outcomes, provide the student practical strategies and resources on how they can become competent. For example, do students know how to study? Are they just reading instead of actively engaging with course materials? Do they believe that understanding concepts in their mind is the same as being able to use (speak or write) with the language?

 

Tip: do not allow students to keep any re-take assessments; this will allow you to re-use them in the future.

 

Create an individual plan of action and recommend strategies for improvement. Highlight their strong scores and strengths, too.

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