Week 5: Summing up + Rubrics

Every week is bringing new experiences in building our Web skills. This week was particularly loaded with novelties and extremely productive for me, personally, in learning about more Web tools, like WebQuests and Rubrics, as well as Project-based Learning.

As I have discussed PBL and WebQuests in my previous posts, now I’ll briefly summarize what I have learned about Rubrics.

The most common assessment and evaluation tools used for collaborative learning are web-based Rubrics. A rubric simply lists a set of criteria which define and describe the important components of the work being planned or evaluated.

A good rubric will perform several functions:
• a guide for planning
• a gauge for measuring progress and maintaining focus on project goals
• an instrument for assessing the effectiveness of a project.

What is the function of assessment in PBL?

- Assessment helps teachers develop more complex relationships with their students...
- Assessment helps students answer the questions "Am I getting it?" and "How am I doing?"...
- Assessment can help make content connections clear...
- Assessment engages students directly in the evaluation of their own work...
- Assessment helps teachers plan their next steps...
- Assessment helps students plan their projects...

Reference: http:// http://www.globalschoolnet.org/Web/pbl/plan/assess.htm/.

Rubrics are great for evaluating complex performances. I would like to share the following link demonstrating a Rubric for Evaluating WebQusts: http:// http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestrubric.html/.

Generally speaking, despite a huge volume of information, I found this week’s assignments most challenging, but very helpful. The harder the tasks are, the more pleasurable is the sense of achievement after accomplishing this or that task.

Looking forward to more exciting novelties.

All the best
Bella