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Marzano, Robert J.; Pickering, Debra; McTighe, JayAssessing Student Outcomes: Performance Assessment Using theDimensions of Learning Model.Mid-Continent Regional Educational Lab., Aurora, CO.ISBN-0-87120-225-51993-00-00143p.Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1250N. Pitt St., Alexandria,, VA 22314 (Stock Number 611-93179,$13.95) . Tel: 703-549-9110; Fax: 703-549-3891; Fax:703-836-7921.Guides Non-Classroom (055) Reports Evaluative (142)MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.*Educational Assesment; Elementary School Students;Elementary Secondary Education; Knowledge Level; *LearningProcesses; Measurement Techniques; Models; ResourceMaterials; Scoring; Secondary School Students; *Standards;Teaching Methods; *Test Construction; Test Content; TestReliability; *Thinking Skills

Dimensions of Learning is an instructional model that isbased on the premise that five types of thinking are essential to thelearning process: (1) positive attitudes and perceptions about learning; (2)

thinking involved in acquiring and integrating new learning; (3) thinking inextending and refining knowledge; (4) thinking in using knowledgemeaningfully; and (5) productive habits of mind. The framework's stronggrounding in research and theory makes it a natural partner for performanceassessment. Assessment is seen as closely linked to teaching and learning,

. and it should therefore be conducted in a way that provides useful feedbackto teachers, students, and parents. The second part of this book providestools for performance assessment based on the Dimensions of Learning model.Examples of performance tasks are given, and rubrics are provided forspecific tasks and situations. As defined for this work, rubrics consist ofdescriptions of four levels of performance for a given standard. Summaryrubrics and rubrics for students to apply to tasks are also included. (SLD)

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Assessing Student OutcomesPerformance Assessment Using the

Dimensions of Learning Model

Robert J. Marzano Debra Pickering Jay mcTighe

AffzuAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Alexandria, Virginia

AGNIEftmmirAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development1250 N. Pitt St., Alexandria, VA 22314.Thlephone: (703) 549-9110. Fax: (703) 549-3891 or 836-7921.

Copyright © 1993 by McREL Institute, 2550 South Parker Road, Aurora, CO 80014.Thlephone: (303) 337-0990. All rights reserved. No part of this publication, except as specified,may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, withoutpermission in writing from McREL Institute.

ASCD publications present a variety of viewpoints. The views expressed or implied in thispublication should not be interpreted as official positions of the Association.

Printed in the United States of America.

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ASCD Stock No.: 611-93179Price: $13.95ISBN: 0-87120-225-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Marzano, Robert J.Assessing student outcomes : performance assessment using the dimensions of learning

model / Robert J. Marzano, Debra Pickering, Jay McTighe.p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.ISBN 0-87120-225-51. Educational tests and measurementsUnited States. 2. Grading and marking

(Students)United States. I. Pickering, Debra.II. McTighe, Jay. III. Title.LB3051.M457 1994371.2 ' 6 ' 0973dc20 93-41882

CIP

4

Assessing Student OutcomesPerformance Assessment Using

the Dimensions of Learning Model

Foreword vIntroduction 1

Part One: A Discussion of Assessment

1 The Changing Face of Educational Assessment 92 Assessment Standards Linked to the Five Dimensions

of Learning 163 How We Assess Performance 264 Keeping Track of Performance 37References 44

Part Two: Tools for Performance Assessment

5 Examples of Performance Tasks 496 Rubrics for Specific Tasks or Situations 657 Summary Rubrics 948 Rubrics for Students 1069 Blank Forms 132

About the Authors 138Acknowledgments 138

Foreword

Assessing Student Outcomes: PerformanceAssessment Using the Dimensions ofLearning Model is both a welcome re-

sponse to the revolution in assessment now un-der way in American education and a welcomeaddition to the Dimensions of Learning materi-als introduced by ASCD in 1992. The Dimensionsof Learning instructional model is based on thepremise that fives types of thinking are essentialto the learning process: (1) positive attitudes andperceptions about learning, (2) thinking involvedin acquiring and integrating knowledge,(3) thinking involved in extending and refiningknowledge, (4) thinking involved in using knowl-edge meaningfully, and (5) productive habits ofmind. The authors have used this instructionalmodel to develop a practical approach to studentassessment that answers many of the recentdemands for reform in this area. For instance,they address the need for educators to specify notonly the content-specific knowledge and skillsstudents should acquire, but also the knowledgeand skills that cut across many content areasand are useful to people in many situations dur-ing their lifetime.

What is most refreshing about this book isthe authors' recognition of the connectionsamong teaching, learning, and assessment.Rather than view assessment as a separate ac-tivity, they closely link it to teaching and learn-ing and suggest that it be conducted in a manner

that provides useful feedback to teachers, stu-dents, parents, and others interested in realstudent achievement. Central to their approachis the use of carefully constructed performancetasks that give students opportunities to demon-strate their understanding of concepts and applyknowledge and skills as they would in the worldoutside of school. Thachers will find the authors'guidelines for developing performance tasks es-pecially valuable.

The rubrics for assessing performance areanother important and unique element of thisapproach to assessment. As defined by theauthors, a rubric consists of descriptions of fourlevels of performance for a given standard, eachof which is assigned a score ranging from a lowof 1 to a high of 4. The authors have includednumerous rubrics for both teachers and studentsthat can be adapted for use in the classroom.

The approach to assessment described in thisbook, supported as it is by an established in-structional model, will undoubtedly help teach-ers develop more effective assessments that arestrongly linked to teaching and learning. And bychanging the way they look at student assess-ment, teachers will be taking a big step towardtransforming their classrooms into places wherewe know that students will experience learningto the fullest and acquire the knowledge andskills necessary to be vital, contributing mem-bers of society.

6

BARBARA TALBERT JACKSONASCD President, 1993-94

Introduction

Dimensions of Learning is an instructionalframework based on the best of whatresearch and theory say about learning.

Its premise is that five types of thinking, whatwe call the five dimensions of learning, are es-sential to successful learning. Initially, Dimen-sions of Learning was designed to help teachersbetter plan curriculum and instruction by usingwhat is known about how students learn. Theframework's strong grounding in research andtheory, however, makes it a natural partner forperformance assessment. Dimensions of Learn-ing and performance assessment share similarassumptions about the nature of learning andthe art and science of teaching. In fact, we believeDimensions of Learning can help educators an-swer one of the most frequently asked questionsconcerning performance assessment: How doyou teach to performance assessment? In thisbook, we describe how to design a performanceassessment system that supports the Dimen-sions of Learning instructional framework.

The next section briefly describes the fivedimensions of learning and how they work to-gether. Readers who would like a more thoroughgrounding in the theory and use of the Dimen-sions of Learning framework may want to exam-ine one or more of the following publications:

The Dimensions of Learning Thacher's Man-ual (Marzano et al. 1992a) describes how to teachusing the Dimensions of Learning framework.

The Dimensions of Learning Trainer's Man-ual (Marzano et al. 1992b) provides a step-by-step guide to training teachers in the use of theframework. It is designed to be used with theTeacher's Manual.

A Different Kind of Classroom: Teachingwith Dimensions of Learning (Marzano 1992)describes the theoretical underpinnings of theDimensions of Learning framework and pro-vides examples of how teachers can use theframework to plan lessons.

The Five Dimensionsof Learning

Before describing how to approach perform-ance assessment using Dimensions of Learning,let's briefly consider the framework itself. Whatare the five dimensions of learning, and what dothey imply about effective instruction?

Dimension 1: Positive Attitudes andPerceptions About Learning

Without positive attitudes and perceptions,students have little chance of learning profi-ciently, if at all. In other words, for learning tooccur, students must have certain attitudes andperceptions. Feeling comfortable in the class-room, for instance, is important to learning. If astudent does not believe the classroom is a safeand orderly place, she will probably learn littlein that classroom. Similarly, if she does not havepositive attitudes about classroom tasks, sheprobably won't put much effort into them and,again, her learning will suffer. A primary focusof effective instruction, then, is establishing pos-itive attitudes and perceptions about learning.

1

ASSESSING STUDENT OUTCOMES

Dimension 2: Acquiring and IntegratingKnowledge

Helping students acquire new knowledge,integrate it with what they already know, andretain it is an important aspect of learning.When content is new, a teacher's instructionalplanning must focus on strategies that will helpstudents relate new knowledge to prior knowl-edge, organize the new knowledge in meaningfulways, and make it part of their long-term mem-ory. For example, a teacher might help studentsrelate the new information they are learning towhat they already know by helping them createan analogy for the new information. He mightsuggest that they construct an outline or agraphic representation of the new information.And he might help students more effectivelystore information in long-term memory by guid-ing them through the creation of images repre-senting the important aspects of the newinformation.

The Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Man-ual outlines numerous instructional strategiesteachers can use to help students acquire andintegrate knowledge more effectivelY.

Dimension 3: Extending and RefmingKnowledge

Acquiring and integrating knowledge is notthe end of the learning process. Learners extendand refine their knowledge, adding new distinc-tions and making further connections. They ana-lyze what they have learned in more depth andwith more rigor. While extending and refiningtheir knowledge, learners commonly engage inthe following activities:

ComparingClassifyingMaking inductionsMaking deductionsAnalyzing errorsCreating and analyzing supportAnalyzing perspectivesAbstracting

Teachers need to consider two importantplanning questions when addressing Dimension3:

What information is important for studentsto extend and refine?

What strategies and activities will be usedto help students extend and refine their knowl-edge?

The kinds of extending and refining activitieschosen should fit naturally with the curriculumcontent, so as to fully integrate the teaching ofcognitive skills and the teaching of content.Again, the Dimensions of Learning Thacher'sManual provides numerous examples, at boththe elementary and secondary level, of strategiesand activities that help students master each ofthe eight extending and refining skills.

Dimension 4: Using KnowledgeMeaningfully

Cognitive psychologists tell us that the mosteffective learning occurs when students are ableto use knowledge to perform meaningful tasks.For instance, you might initially learn aboutgood used cars by talking to a friend or readingan article about them. You really learn aboutthem, though, when you have to decide which carto buy on your limited budget. In effect, the"meaningful task" of making a decision providesan arena for you to learn about cars at a muchdeeper and richer level than you would if youweren't involved in the task. Planning instruc-tion so that students have the opportunity to useknowledge meaningfully is one of the most im-portant decisions a teacher can make. In theDimensions of Learning model, there are fivetypes of tasks that encourage the meaningful useof knowledge:

Decision makingInvestigationExperimental inquiryProblem solvingInvention

2 8

INTRODUCTION

A teacher should look at the content for sig-nificant issues or problems that naturally standout. The content should determine which of thefive tasks a teacher or student might select, notvice versa. Here are a few questions a teachermight think about to identify significant issuesfor the task of investigation:

Is there an unresolved issue about howsomething occurred or why it occurred? (histori-cal investigation)

Is there an unresolved issue about whatwould happen if . . . or what would have hap-pened if.. . . ? (projective investigation)

How many issues will be considered?Who will structure the tasks? (Ultimately,

students should identify the issues they want todeal with in their projects and the specifics ofthose tasks; however, teachers must usually firstprovide structured activities to help studentslearn how to identify and carry out the fiveDimension 4 activities.)

What types of products will students pro-duce?

lb what extent will students work in coop-erative groups?

The Dimensions of Learning Thacher's Man-ual contains numerous examples of meaningful-use tasks that both elementary and secondarystudents might carry out.

Dimension 5: Productive Habits of MindThe final aspect of learning is perhaps the

most important. It concerns the use of productivehabits of mindhabits used by critical, creative,and self-regulated thinkers. Although acquiringcontent knowledge is important, it is perhaps notthe most important goal of education. Ulti-mately, developing mental habits that will en-able individuals to learn on their own whateverthey want or need to know at any point in theirlives is probably the most important goal ofeducation. Some of these habits of mind include:

Being clear and seeking clarityBeing open-minded

Restraining impulsivityBeing aware of your own thinkingEvaluating the effectiveness of your actionsPushing the limits of your knowledge and

abilitiesEngaging intensely in tasks even when

answers or solutions are not immediately appar-ent

When teachers plan lessons, they often do notconsciously consider activities or strategies theymight use to help students develop productivehabits of mind. They focus instead on contentand on the need to "cover the curriculum." TheDimensions of Learning model specifies thatteachers should consider in their planning ques-tions that focus on developing productive habitsof mind:

Which mental habits should be emphasizedin this unit?

Which mental habits will be introduced?How will the mental habits be reinforced?

A complete explanation of the questionsteachers should consider when planning a unitof instruction that addresses all five dimensionsof learning can be found in A Different Kind ofClassroom: Thaching with Dimensions of Learn-ing and in the Dimensions of Learning Teacher'sManual.

The Relationship Among theDimensions of Learning

It's important to realize that the five dimen-sions of learning do not operate in isolation butwork together in the manner depicted in Figure1. Briefly, Figure 1 illustrates that all learningtakes place against the backdrop of the learner'sattitudes and perceptions (Dimension 1) and heruse (or lack of use) of the productive habits ofmind (Dimension 5). If a student has negativeattitudes and perceptions about learning, thenshe will likely learn little. If she has positiveattitudes and perceptions, she will learn more,and learning will be easier. Similarly, when astudent uses productive habits of mind, she fa-

39

Dia/ens/0PIGs

'Re 7OfLearn'Sng

4

1 0

INTRODUCTION

cilitates her learning; when she doesn't use pro-ductive habits of mind, she hinders her learning.Dimensions 1 and 5, then, are always factors inthe learning process. This is why they are partof the background of Figure 1.

Given that proper attitudes and perceptionsare in place and productive habits of mind arebeing used, learning is a matter of acquiring andintegrating new knowledge (Dimension 2). Usu-ally, though, the learner extends and refinesknowledge as he acquires and integrates it. Thisis why the circle representing Dimension 2 over-laps the circle representing Dimension 3. Whilethese two types of learning are going on, thelearner should also be using knowledge mean-ingfully (Dimension 4)applying his knowledgeto round out the learning process.

The most effective learning is a product of theinteraction of these five distinct types of think-ing that we call the dimensions of learning.

The Importance of Understanding theDimensions of Learning Model

Even this brief description of the Dimensionsof Learning model implies some significant

changes in the nature and function of schooling.For example, if we want students to engage incomplex tasks in which they will use knowledgein unique and meaningful ways (Dimension 4)and if we want them to cultivate such higherlevel mental skills as restraining impulsivityand being aware of their own thinking (Dimen-sion 5), then our methods of assessment mustsurely change, because most of today's assess-ments make no attempt to measure such behav-iors; they are not linked to the kind of learningwe want to see. Likewise, the nature and deliv-ery of curriculum must also change to becomemore strongly linked to learning and assess-ment. Indeed, a primary purpose of this book isto illustrate how both assessment and curricu-lum must change if a school or district trulywishes to institutionalize the principles of Di-mensions of Learning.

This brief discussion of Dimensions of Learn-ing should provide you with the understandingnecessary to make good use of this book. To getthe most from the book, however, we encourageyou to become thoroughly familiar with themodel by reading A Different Kind of Classroom:Teaching with Dimensions of Learning.

5

Part OneA Discussion of Assessment

12

1

The Changing Face ofEducational Assessment

The last decade has witnessed a growingrecognition of the need for significantchanges in educational assessment prac-

tices (Archbald and Newmann 1988, Shepard1989). The calls for reform are directed not onlyat large-scale, standardized tests but also atclassroom assessment practices. At least threefactors have contributed to the demands forassessment reform: the changing nature of edu-cational goals; the relationship between assess-ment and teaching and learning; and thelimitations of the current methods of recordingperformance and reporting credit.

The Changing Nature ofEducational Goals

The "back to basics" movement of the 1970sled to an emphasis on low-level functional skillsand the proliferation of minimum-competencytests. The reform movement of the 1990s, how-ever, is directed toward more sophisticated edu-cational goals and higher standards. This newemphasis is perhaps most publicly symbolizedby the 1991 "education summit" in Charlottes-ville, Virginia, during which President Bush andthe nation's state governors presented America2000, a proposal outlining an ambitious set ofnational education goals targeted for the year2000 (Bush 1991). America 2000 called for no less

than the best schools in the world, schools thatwill enable all students to meet "world class"academic standards. In response, subject-areaassociations and commissioned groups begancharting a set of national curriculum standardsto provide greater specificity about what stu-dents should know and be able to do in each ofthe content areas.

Educators, legislators, business leaders, andparents recognize that educational goals shouldreach far beyond the scope of traditional subject-area domains. For example, in the report WhatWork Requires of Schools (Secretary's Commis-sion 1991), the Department of Labor identifies abroad array of both academic and nonacademiccompetencies as necessary for the modern work-place, including:

creative thinkingdecision makingproblem solvinglearning how to learncollaborationself-management

This emphasis on goals outside the tradi-tional content disciplines is also reflected insome popular approaches to school reform notnecessarily associated with the America 2000proposal or its related efforts. For example, Wil-liam Spady, an advocate of outcome-based edu-cation, argues persuasively that educators must

9 13

THE CHANGING FACE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

broaden their target to include outcomes thatrelate to lifelong learning (Spady 1988).

Given these recommendations, many dis-tricts, and even entire states, have focused theirattention on identifying important "exit out-comes" or "learner outcomes." For example, theAurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colorado, haveidentified five lifelong learning outcomes andtheir related proficiencies (Redding 1991):

Outcome 1: A Self-Directed LearnerSets priorities and achievable goalsMonitors and evaluates progressCreates options for selfAssumes responsibility for actionsCreates a positive vision for self

Outcome 2: A Collaborative WorkerMonitors own behavior as a group memberAssesses and manages group functioningDemonstrates interactive communicationDemonstrates consideration for individualdifferences

Outcome 3: A Complex ThinkerUses a wide variety of strategies for managingcomplex issuesSelects strategies appropriate to the resolutionof complex issues and applies the strategieswith accuracy and thoroughnessAccesses and uses topic-relevant knowledge

Outcome 4: A Quality ProducerCreates products that achieve their purposeCreates products appropriate to their intendedaudienceCreates products that reflect craftsmanshipUses appropriate resources/technology

Outcome 5: Community ContributorDemonstrates knowledge about his or herdiverse communitiesTakes actionReflects on role as a community contributor

Similarly, the state of Kentucky has identi-fied six broad learning goals as the foundationfor its ambitious educational reform agenda

(Kentucky Department of Education 1991).These learning goals for students combine tradi-tional academic outcomes with lifelong compe-tencies necessary for success beyond theschoolhouse walls:

Goal 1: Apply basic communication and mathe-matics skills in situations similar to what theywill experience in life

Goal 2: Apply core concepts and principles frommathematics, science, social studies, arts, andpractical living studies, and vocational studies tosituations similar to what they will experience inlife

Goal 3: Demonstrate self-sufficiencyGoal 4: Demonstrate responsible citizenshipGoal 5: Think and solve problemsGoal 6: Integrate knowledge across disciplines

A number of other states, including Maine,Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Vir-ginia, have included similar lifelong learningoutcomes among their revised educational goals.

In short, educators are increasingly seeingthe need to identify standards for both tradi-tional discipline knowledge and outcomes thatrelate to lifelong learning. Although educatorshave acknowledged the importance of reinforc-ing standards and outcomes like those listedabove, they have quickly recognized that currentassessments do not adequately address thesestandards and outcomes. For the most part,standardized tests require students to recall orrecognize fragmented and isolated bits of infor-mation. They rarely ask students to apply thatinformation, and they almost never require stu-dents to exhibit proficiencies in the "higherforms" of cognition, such as complex reasoningand self-directedness (Marzano and Costa 1988).Lauren Resnick characterizes the problem inthis way:

Many of the tests we do use are unable tomeasure what should be the hallmark of a "think-ing" curriculum: the cultivation of students' abil-ity to apply skills and knowledge to real-worldproblems. Thsting practices may in fact interferewith the kind of higher order skills that are de-sired (Resnick 1987, p. 47).

101 4


These shortcomings make it clear that newapproaches to assessment are needed if we areto satisfactorily assess students' ability to meetthe lifelong learning standards and demandingcontent standards and outcomes that are thecenterpiece of the plan to make the Americanpublic education system the best in the world.

The Relationship Between Assessmentand Teaching and Learning

A second factor contributing to the need forassessment reform involves the relationship be-tween assessment and the processes of teachingand learning. Behavioral theories that charac-terize learning as the accumulation of discreteskills have given way to a conception of learningand teaching based on cognitive psychology LoriShepard summarizes this shifting conception ofthe learning process:

The notion that learning comes about by theaccretion of little bits is outmoded learning theoryCurrent models of learning based on cognitivepsychology contend that learners gain under-standing when they construct their own knowl-edge and develop their own cognitive maps of theinterconnections among facts and concepts . . . .

Real learning cannot be spoon-fed one skill at atime (Shepard 1989, pp. 5-6).

As Shepard's comments imply, this cognitiveview calls for an active, constructive approach tolearning in which the whole is greater than thesum of the parts. This holistic view of learning isreflected in contemporary instructional methodssuch as integrated language arts; "hands-on,minds-on" approaches in science; writing-to-learn across the curriculum; problem solving andreasoning emphases in mathematics; and coop-erative learning. If learning occurs in a holisticfashion, then assessments, too, should be able toprovide holistic information, not just bits of in-formation. This shift in emphasis is made ex-plicit in a report from the National Commissionon lbsting and Public Policy:

If we want students to learn how to solve open-ended science problems, we should assess their

problem-solving skills by other means than mul-tiple-choice tests in which they choose among al-ternative prescribed answers. Carefully craftedassessments would ask students to supply an-swers, perform observable acts, demonstrateskills, create products, and supply portfolios ofwork (National Commission on Testing and PublicPolicy 1991).

Conventional selected-response test formats(e.g., multiple choice, true/false, matching) arequite narrow in their focus. They provide only asnapshot or a "one moment in time" picture oflearning. Although such sampling may have cer-tain uses, it is generally incapable of revealingin any comprehensive way what students knowand can do. Moreover, the conditions of such testsare often highly controlled. Students completethe work within inflexible time limits and haverestricted access to resources and limited oppor-tunities to make revisions. These kinds of testsalso sacrifice authenticity, since they differmarkedly from the ways in which people applyknowledge in the world outside of school. Despitethese limitations, the results of such one-timemeasures are frequently used to make signifi-cant decisions, such as whether a student shouldbe admitted to or excluded from special pro-grams and what final grade a student will re-ceive in a class.

What we now know about learning indicatesthat assessment and learning are closely andintimately tied. The importance of changing as-sessment practices so they mirror the learningprocess becomes more clear when one realizesthat students in American schools learn whatthey know they will be tested on. This behaviorwas dramatically brought to the public's atten-tion in 1983 in Walter Doyle's commissionedpaper for the now-famous report A Nation AtRisk (National Commission on Excellence inEducation 1983). Doyle found that students inAmerican schools soon discover that all thingslearned are not equal: you are tested on some andnot on others. Not surprisingly, most studentschoose to ignore those things on which they arenot tested. And teachers tend to consciously orunconsciously focus their instruction on the

11 /5


learnings that are prescribed and tested by theschool, district, or state (Doyle 1983). In effect,then, assessment has both a direct and an indi-rect effect on learning. Assessment directly af-fects learning in that it provides the necessaryfeedback for effective learning. It indirectly af-fects learning in that instruction is commonlyskewed toward what is assessed; and, obviously,what is taught affects what is learned.

Given our new understanding of the learningprocess and the relationship between assess-ment and both teaching and learning, there islittle doubt that reformed assessment practicesare long overdue.

The Limitations of the Present Ways ofRecording Student Performance andReporting Credit

A third factor driving assessment reform isthe manner in which achievement data are re-corded and reported. Critics point out that thecurrent methods do not provide meaningful feed-back about student performance. For example,at the secondary level, the majority of Americanschool districts rely on the Carnegie unit, whichis based on a specified number of clock hours. Inother words, students receive credit for theamount of time they spend in specific classes.This system has one major advantage: it caneasily be standardized across schools, districts,and states. However, it also has the negativeeffect of rewarding "seat time" rather than dem-onstrated competence. All too many educatorscan cite specific examples of students who re-ceived credit for a course primarily because theyshowed up every day, not because they acquiredany new knowledge or skills. A number of advo-cates for assessment reform are calling for amodification of this certification procedure toemphasize the role of demonstrated proficiencyjudged against established performance stand-ards (Wiggins 1991).

The problems inherent to the Carnegie unitare also found in classroom record keeping andreporting practices. At the classroom level,

grades are the most common means of reportinga student's performance. Course grades are gen-erally calculated by averaging the results of vari-ous measures. Unfortunately, this approach cantoo often result in a distorted picture of a stu-dent's true proficiency, because specificstrengths and weaknesses are masked by theprocess of averaging. One student with a gradeof "C" might perform very differently from an-other student with a grade of "C." And the lettergrade by itself fails to suggest ways for studentsto improve their performance. What does a "C"grade tell a teacher or, more important, a studentabout how that student can improve?

An alternative approach to classroom report-ing documents students' grasp of specific knowl-edge and skills. Because such a system isgrounded by specific performance criteria, re-ports are more informative and meaningful tostudents, teachers, parents, and the generalschool community. If we wish to improve learn-ing, not simply measure it, then we must re-consider our record-keeping and reportingmechanisms.

In summary, then, a revolution in assess-ment is necessary given (1) the changing natureof educational goals to encompass a broad arrayof academic and nonacademic competencies,(2) the need for assessment practices to enhancethe learning and teaching processes, and (3) theneed for record-keeping and reporting systemsto provide accurate and useful information con-cerning students' mastery of specific knowledgeand skills. Indeed, such a revolution is currentlyunder way in the form of an emphasis on per-formance assessment.

What Is PerformanceAssessment?

This book is about performance assessmentfrom the perspective of a specific model of teach-ing and learning, Dimensions of Learning. Al-though there is growing agreement on the need

1216


to reform assessment practices, no such consen-sus exists regarding assessment terminologyThe terms alternative assessment, authentic as-sessment, and performance assessment are allused in discussions of assessment reform. Al-though these terms are sometimes used synony-mously, they have different meanings. The termalternative assessment applies to any and allassessments that differ from the multiple-choice, timed, one-shot approaches that charac-terize most standardized and many classroomassessments. The term authentic assessment,popularized by Grant Wiggins (1989), conveysthe idea that assessments should engage stu-dents in applying knowledge and skills in thesame way they are used in the "real world"outside of school. Authentic assessment also re-flects good instructional practice, so that teach-ing to the test is desirable. Performanceassessment is a broad term, encompassing manyof the characteristics of both authentic assess-ment and alternative assessment (Mitchell1992).

In this book, performance assessment refersto variety of tasks and situations in which stu-dents are given opportunities to demonstratetheir understanding and to thoughtfully applyknowledge, skills, and habits of mind in a varietyof contexts. These assessments often occur overtime and result in a tangible product or observ-able performance. They encourage self-evalu-ation and revision, require judgment to score,reveal degrees of proficiency based on estab-lished criteria, and make public the scoring cri-teria. They sometimes involve students workingwith others. In Chapter 3, we describe our modelof performance assessment in detail. It is impor-tant to note from the outset, however, that anemphasis on performance assessment does notimply that we should abandon conventional test-ing. Instead, it reflects the belief that certaineducational outcomes cannot be adequately as-sessed through conventional formats. Indeed,the current emphasis in performance assess-ment supports the practices that good teachershave always used to assess and improve learn-ing: an array of data-gathering methods, includ-

ing objective tests, observations, products, per-formances, and collections of student work.

The Role of StandardsReaders familiar with the current national

discussion of standards-based education have nodoubt noticed that our discussion of assessmentreform has been laced with references to stand-ards. Standards-based education is a rapidlygrowing movement within the larger movementof educational reform. It is intimately tied toperformance assessment. In brief, standards-based education calls for a clearer identificationof what students should know and be able to do.The emphasis on clearer educational goals stemsfrom the research finding that what students aretaught in a specific subject and at a specific gradelevel varies greatly among schools, and evenamong classrooms within a school. Indeed, thiswas the basic finding of many of the school effec-tiveness studies of the 1970s. For example,Fisher and his colleagues (1978) reported thatone elementary school teacher who was observedfor more than ninety days taught nothing aboutfractions, despite the state mandate to teach thetopic at that grade level. When asked about theomission of this topic, the teacher responded, "Idon't like fractions." Similarly, Berliner (1979)reported a range of over 4,000 minutes (a low of5,749 minutes and a high of 9,965 minutes) inthe time spent on reading instruction in four 4thgrade classes. Again, teacher preference was thebasic reason behind the variation.

The standards-based education movementgrows out of the assumption that the only wayto ensure that all students acquire specificknowledge and skills is to identify and teach toexpected levels of performance for specificknowledge and skills. Schools and districts thathave embraced the standards-based movementhave made a concerted effort to identify criticalknowledge and skills. These efforts, however,have disclosed a number of basic issues thatmust be confronted by anyone engaged in stand-

13 1 7'


ards-based education. We will briefly considerthree of these issues. (For a detailed discussionof the issues regarding standards-based educa-tion, see Marzano and Kendall 1993.)

Curriculum Standards Versus ContentStandards

Clarifying the distinction between curricu-lum standards and content standards is a basicissue in standards-based education. Curriculumstandards, sometimes referred to as programstandards, are best described as the goals ofclassroom instruction. Content standards, alsoknown as discipline standards, comprise theknowledge and skills specific to a given disci-pline.

Here are two standards from Curriculumand Evaluation Standards by the NationalCouncil of Teachers of Mathematics (1989):

a) develop spatial senseb) describe, model, draw and classify shapes

The first standard describes a skill or abilitya person might use in completing everyday tasksor academic problems. While driving a car, forinstance, a person might use spatial sense tojudge the distance of an upcoming turn. Inmathematics class, a student might use spatialsense to solve a perplexing problem. The secondstandard is of a different sort because one doesnot usually model, draw, and classify shapes tocomplete everyday tasks or solve academic prob-lems. Such activities are used more as instruc-tional devices to help students understandshapes or demonstrate their understanding ofshapes.

Standards like the first one above are calledcontent standards because they describe infor-mation or skills essential to the practice or ap-plication of a particular discipline or contentdomain. Standards like the second one above arecalled curriculum standards because they iden-tify the curricular or instructional activities thatmight be used to help students develop skill andability within a given content domain. To a great

extent, curriculum standards describe the in-structional means to achieve content standards.

Knowledge and Skills VersusPerformance

Some theorists describe standards in termsof knowledge and skills; others describe stand-ards in terms of performance on specific tasks.For example, Albert Shanker, president of theAmerican Federation of Teachers, defines astandard as "what we want youngsters to knowand be able to do as a result of their education"(Shanker 1992, p. S11). For Shanker, identifyinga standard involves identifying specific informa-tion or skills that must be mastered to gainexpertise in a given domain. Diane Ravitch(1992), a former Assistant Secretary of Educa-tion, also describes standards from an informa-tion and skill perspective. Grant Wiggins, on theother hand, defines standards more in perform-ance terms. For Wiggins (1989), a standard is areal-world, highly robust task that will, ideally,elicit or require the use of important knowledgeand skills in various content domains. The em-phasis on performance as the critical feature ofa standard is also shared by the psychologistsShavelson, Baxter, and Pine (1992, p. 22), whostate that standards should be "based on stu-dents' performance of concrete, meaningfultasks."

Content Standards Versus LifelongLearning Standards

Content standards are those that refer toknowledge and skills belonging to a particulardiscipline. For example, a standard such as "un-derstands and applies basic principles of numbersense" is a content standard because it appliesonly to mathematics. A standard such as "makesand carries out effective plans," however, is notspecific to any content area. In fact, it is not evenspecific to academics; it is a skill that can be usedin virtually all aspects of life. This kind of stand-ard is a lifelong learning standard because it is

14is


specific to no one discipline and can be used inmany situations throughout a person's lifetime.

Standards, PerformanceAssessment, and Dimensions

of LearningIn this book, we have taken a fairly specific

position on the issues discussed above. First, weuse the term standard to refer to knowledge andskills as opposed to instructional activities thatshould occur in the classroom. Thus, curriculumstandards are not included in our standards. Forus, the instructional implications of the Dimen-sions of Learning model represent de facto cur-riculum standards.

Second, we do not include performancestandards in our definition of a standard. Ineffect, what we call performance tasks are a formof performance standard. In our model, teachersassess students by asking them to complete per-formance tasks that require them to meet iden-tified standards. Standards and performancetasks maintain a symbiotic relationship. Theyare two interdependent and necessary compo-nents of a comprehensive assessment system.Marc Tucker, Co-director of the New Standards

Project, describes the necessary integration ofstandards and performance tasks:

You can't assess kids' performance unless you givethem the tasks, and you can't assess their degreeof achievement unless they actually perform thetasks.

But first you must be clear about what youwant kids to know and be able to do. Those stand-ards become the target for creating the assess-ment (Tucker 1992, p. 3).

Finally, we separate standards into twobroad categories, content standards and lifelonglearning standards. Content standards dealwith the academic knowledge and skills belong-ing to a specific discipline. Lifelong learningstandards deal with knowledge and skills thatcut across all disciplines and are applicable to lifeoutside the classroom.

Identifying specific content and lifelonglearning standards is an important part of theassessment revolution in American education; itis a task we will tackle in the remainder of thisbook. Remember, however, that this task goeshand in hand with planning and delivering in-struction that takes into account the construc-tivist nature of learning, a task which theDimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual wasdesigned to help teachers accomplish.

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2

Assessment Standards Linked to theFive Dimensions of Learning

In Chapter 1, we discuss how performanceassessment is intimately tied to the articu-lation of content standards and lifelong

learning standards. In this chapter, we describethose standards in some depth. It is importantto emphasize that our description of these stand-ards is meant to be compatible with the Dimen-sions of Learning framework. We could, nodoubt, have chosen another way of putting thesestandards to work; indeed, we could have de-vised categories other than "content standards"and "lifelong learning standards." But we believethe Dimensions of Learning framework hasmuch to offer and that assessment standardslinked to the five dimensions of learning willstrengthen the framework.

Content Standards

One of the dominant themes of the currentcalls for educational reform is better knowledgeof content. For example, the third of the six goalsidentified in the America 2000 proposal is thatstudents will master complex content in mathe-matics, science, English, history, and geographyby the year 2000 (Bush 1991). Mastery of contentis obviously not a new concept. The heritagephilosophy of education has always recognizedthat one of the primary functions of schools is to

ensure that students acquire important discipli-nary information and skillswhat we think ofas an academic heritage in the form of contentstandards. But exactly what are content stand-ards?

In Chapter 1, we describe content standardsas statements of what students should know andbe able to do within specific disciplines. Thisdelineation of knowing and doing is not arbi-trary, but is based on current research and the-ory on the nature of knowledge. Researchershave found that content knowledge, whether itbe in mathematics, science, or any other subject,can be divided into two distinct types of knowl-edge: declarative knowledge and proceduralknowledge (Paris and Lindauer 1982; Paris, Lip-son, and Wixson 1983).

Content Standards for DeclarativeKnowledge

Declarative knowledge can be thought of asinformation and can be ordered somewhat hier-archically according to its generality. At the bot-tom of the hierarchy are facts about specificpersons, places, things, and events; at the top areconcepts and generalizations. For example, thestatement "John Kennedy was assassinated onNovember 22, 1963" is a fact. The statement"People holding high political office put their

2 016

ASSESSMENT STANDARDS LINKED TO THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING

lives in jeopardy" is a generalization. The phrase"political assassinations" is a concept.

Although facts are important, generaliza-tions and concepts help students develop a broadknowledge base because they transfer morereadily to different situations. For instance, boththe generalization about people in high politicaloffice and the concept of political assassinationscan be applied across countries, situations, andages, whereas the fact of Kennedy's assassina-tion is a specific event that does not directlytransfer to other situations. This is not to saythat facts are unimportant. On the contrary, totruly understand generalizations and concepts,we must be able to support them with exempli-fying facts. For instance, to understand the gen-eralization about people in high political office,we need some understanding of a number offacts, one of which is probably that of Kennedy'sassassination. Content standards for declarativeknowledge are best formed using generaliza-tions and concepts, because the knowledge ofspecific facts naturally falls under various con-cepts and generalizations. One cannot meet thestandard of a generalization or concept withoutknowing the facts that support it.

Some content standards, then, are state-ments of the important concepts and generaliza-tions in given content areas. lb illustrate, hereare some examples of content standards for dec-larative knowledge in several subject areas:

Science: Understands that the universe islarge and ancient on a scale staggering to thehuman mind.

Mathematics: Understands the importanceof geometry in the modern world.

History: Recognizes that events in the pastcan inform the present.

Geography: Recognizes that regions can bedefined in cultural, physical, or political terms.

English: Recognizes the role literatureplays in developing the principles governing thelives of people in a given society.

Content Standards for ProceduralKnowledge

Procedural knowledge can be thought of asstrategies or skills. Like declarative knowledge,it can be ordered hierarchically according to itsgenerality. At the bottom of the hierarchy arealgorithms, which are procedures with stepsthat must be executed in a set order. Algorithmsare commonly called skills. The procedure fordoing three-column addition, for example, is askill.

At the other end of the hierarchy are strate-gies that apply to a variety of situations, such asthe general strategy of analyzing a novel prob-lem, relating it to problems you're familiar with,and identifying important differences. Just asgeneralizations have related facts, strategieshave related skills. For instance, to use a par-ticular mathematics problem-solving strategy,students may need to use the skill of long divi-sion.

Given their inclusive nature, importantstrategies rather than skills should be the focusof content standards for procedural knowledge.Here are some examples of standards for proce-dural knowledge in several subjects:

Science: Effectively uses the scientificmethod to ask and answer questions about theworld.

Mathematics: Accurately and efficientlytransforms quantities in one system to those inother systems.

History: Uses the process of historical re-search to ask and answer questions about thepast.

Geography: Accurately interprets and sum-marizes information from various types of maps,charts, and graphs.

English: Uses the process of critical analy-sis to make informed judgments about litera-ture.

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How Many Content Standards to IdentifyIdentifying an appropriate and workable

number of standards is critical to the success ofany standards-based approach to education.Identifying too many standards is a real danger.Some schools employing a mastery learning ap-proach to instruction have identified thousandsof content standards, producing a system that isvirtually impossible to implement because thereis simply not enough time in the school year toteach and assess thousands of standards.Schools with too many content standards usu-ally have expressed their standards in terms offacts and skills as opposed to concepts, generali-zations, and strategies.

Schools that want to develop assessmentstandards don't have to start from scratch. Manyrecent national education reports provide usefulguidance in identifying declarative and proce-dural standards. Although the reports presentfairly exhaustive lists of the declarative and pro-cedural knowledge that constitute competencein a given content area, they also identify thehigh-level generalizations and strategies, whichare fairly limited in number. For example, theBradley Report lists about 300 separate state-ments of knowledge and skill that are importantto history, but only 12 of these are concepts,generalizations, or strategies (Bradley Commis-sion on History in Schools 1991):

Highest Level Declarative Knowledgethe past affects our private lives and society in

generalcultures are diverse yet share the human condi-

tionhistorical events happen in patterned wayswhile human intentions influence events, con-

textual factors interact with those eventschange and stability are equally as probable and

naturalnot all problems have solutionsbecause of personal characteristics specific indi-

viduals have made a difference in history bothpositively and negatively

the nonrational, irrational and accidental alterhistory

geography and history exist in a matrix or con-text of time and place

Highest Level Procedural Knowledgemakes discerning judgments in public and per-

sonal lifeimposes a "present mind" perspective on past

eventsavoids seizing upon particular lessons of history

as cures for present ills

With minor wording changes, these state-ments easily become content standards. For in-stance, the leading statements in each categorytranslate into the following standards:

Understands and recognizes that the pastaffects our private lives.

Effectively makes discerning judgments inpublic and personal life.

The Bradley Report, then, contains a rela-tively small number of high-level declarative andprocedural standards that define what consti-tutes competence in history. Other national re-ports have similar distributions. For example,Science for All Americans (AAAS 1992) listsmore than 2,000 pieces of declarative and proce-dural knowledge; only about 30, however, areconcepts, generalizations, or strategies. In fact,all the traditional subject areas have a relativelysmall number of important concepts, generaliza-tions, and strategies. Consequently, a school ordistrict that wants to implement a manageableperformance assessment system can begin byidentifying the most important concepts, gener-alizations, and strategies in each subject area.

Lifelong Learning Standards

We have identified five categories of lifelonglearning standards we consider particularlyrelevant to performance-based assessment andparticularly compatible with the Dimensions ofLearning framework:

1. Complex thinking standards2. Information processing standards

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3. Effective communication standards4. Cooperation/collaboration standards5. Effective habits of mind standards

We consider each in some depth.

Category 1: Complex Thinking StandardsThis category contains two standards:

*Effectively uses a variety of complex reason-ing strategies.

Effectively translates issues and situationsinto manageable tasks that have a clear purpose.

In recent years, there has been intense inter-est in enhancing the complex reasoning abilitiesof students, primarily because national reportshave shown that American students do not per-form well on tasks that require complex reason-ing. For example, reports from the NationalAssessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)have warned that students do poorly on tasksthat involve "higher order thinking" (Burns1986). A summary report from NAEP of twentyyears of testing included this comment aboutAmerican students' lack of ability to engage incomplex reasoning:

On an analytic task that asked students tocompare food on the frontier (based on informa-tion presented) and today's food (based on theirown knowledge), just 16 percent of the students atgrade 8 and 27 percent at grade 12 provided anadequate or better response (Mullis, Owen, andPhillips 1990, p. 16).

Such poor performance by American stu-dents has even pushed the calls for strengthen-ing students' reasoning skills to congressionalhearings (Resnick 1987).

There have been many attempts to identifythe various complex reasoning processes hu-mans engage in. Although different researchershave given these processes a variety of names,they have generally recognized in them the samecognitive components. Here are thirteen of themost commonly identified processes:

ComparingClassifyingInductionDeductionError AnalysisConstructing SupportAbstracting

Analyzing PerspectivesDecision MakingInvestigationExperimental InquiryProblem SolvingInvention

You can see the use of the first reasoningprocess, comparing, in the analytic task de-scribed in the NAEP excerpt above.

Dimensions of Learning includes all thirteenof these reasoning processes (they make up Di-mensions 3 and 4). It is important to recognizethat this list does not represent a hierarchy, ataxonomy, or even a list of discrete skills. Itsimply represents common types of tasks inwhich complex reasoning is exhibited.

The first of the two standards in the complexthinking category, "effectively uses of a varietyof complex reasoning strategies," basically re-quires students to demonstrate their ability tocompetently use the thirteen reasoning proc-esses listed above. If students can successfullycomplete tasks involving problem solving, inven-tion, and so on, then they meet the standard ofeffectively using a variety of complex reasoningprocesses.

The second standard in this category, "effec-tively translates issues and situations into man-ageable tasks that have a clear purpose," isstrongly linked to the first standard. Specifically,the thirteen reasoning processes listed above allrepresent specific ways of approaching issuesand situations. In effect, the reasoning processesare ways of answering questions related to Di-mensions 3 and 4. Figure 2.1 on page 20 containsexamples of such questions

Students can demonstrate that they havemet the standard of effectively translating issuesand situations into manageable tasks that havea clear purpose by translating specific issues andsituations into questions like those in Figure 2.1and then answering those questions. For in-stance, a student might choose to translate theissues surrounding an upcoming presidential

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FIGURE 2.1

Questions Related tothe Reasoning Processes of Dimensions 3 and 4

Questions Reasoning Process Dimension

How are these alike? How are they different? Comparing 3

What groups can I put things into? What are the rulesgoverning membership in these groups?

Classifying 3

What conclusions/generalizations can you draw fromthis, and what support do you have for theseconclusions? What is the probability of this happening,and what support do you have for this conclusion?

Induction 3

What has to be true given the validity of this principle?What is the proof that this must be true?

Deduction 3

What's wrong with this? What specific errors have beenmade? How can it be fixed?

Error Analysis 3

What is the support for this argument? What are thelimitations of this argument?

Constructing Support 3

What's the general pattern of information here? Whereelse does this apply? How can the information berepresented in another way (graphically, symbolically)?

Abstracting 3

What do you think about this issue? On what do youbase your opinion? What is another way of looking at theissue?

Analyzing Perspectives 3

What/whom would be the best or worst? Which one hasthe most or least?

decision making 4

What are the defining characteristics? Why/how did thishappen? What would have happened if. . .. ?

Definitional,Historical, andProjectiveinvestigation

4

How can I overcome this obstacle? Given theseconditions, what should I do to accomplish the goal?

Problem Solving 4

What do I observe? How can I explain it? What can Ipredict from it?

Experimental Inquiry 4

How can this be improved? What new thing is neededhere?

Invention 4

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20


election into a comparison task in which he iden-tifies the similarities and differences betweenthe candidates' positions. Another student mighttranslate issues in that same situation into anerror analysis task in which she analyzes thelogical errors made by one or both candidates. InChapter 3, we describe a specific technique forhelping students meet this standard.

Category 2: Information ProcessingStandards

This category contains four standards:

Effectively uses a variety of information-gathering techniques and information resources.

*Effectively interprets and synthesizes infor-mation.

eAccurately assesses the value of informa-tion.

*Recognizes where and how projects wouldbenefit from additional information.

Complex tasks usually involve gathering andprocessing information from a variety of sources.In schools, reading and listening are by far stu-dents' primary information-gathering tech-niques; however, the information-rich world inwhich today's students will one day make theirliving calls for the use of additional techniques,such as interviewing and direct observation. lbsucceed, students will also need to be able toeffectively use a variety of reference materials,primary sources, computerized data banks, andthe like. One important standard in this cate-gory, then, is the ability to effectively use avariety of information-gathering techniques andinformation resources.

Another important standard concerns theability to interpret and synthesize information.Regardless of how students gather informationor where they find it, they must be able to effec-tively interpret and synthesize it if they are toreally learn something. Interpretation and syn-thesis involve not just explicit information, butimplicit information. This is because all informa-tion meant to be conveyed in a book, a film, or

even an interview is not explicit. Consequently,the effective information processor must con-sider that information which is not stated as wellas that which is. Both types of information arethen used to create a parsimonious synthesis ofthe information. One example of a task that testsstudents' ability to meet this standard is askingthem to identify the main theme, main idea, andsupporting details of an essay.

People usually gather information to helpaccomplish a specific task; often, however, not allof the information they've gathered is useful foraccomplishing the task. In addition to accuratelyinterpreting and synthesizing information, then,learners must be able to accurately determinewhether the information gathered is relevantand valuable to the task at hand. This decisionrequires a keen understanding of both the na-ture of the task and the nature of the informa-tion. To be effective information processors,learners must meet the standard of accuratelyassessing the value of specific information to thecompletion of a given task.

Finally, effective information processorsmust meet the standard of recognizing how aproject can benefit from additional information.They must be able to determine whether theirinformation base is adequate to the task. Andwhen they determine that their informationbase is inadequate, they need to seek new infor-mation. 'II) demonstrate their ability to meet thisstandard, students generally must have the op-portunity to work on projects over long periods oftime, so they can continuously evaluate whetherthey need more information to satisfactorilycomplete a particular segment of the project.

Category 3: EffectiveCommunication Standards

After completing a task, learners usuallymust communicate to others what they havelearned, often by creating related products. Infact, almost all of us are at one time or anotherinvolved in communicating what we havelearned, both at work and in our private lives.

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We have developed five standards concerningeffective communication and production:

Expresses ideas clearly.Effectively communicates with diverse

audiences.Effectively communicates in a variety of

ways.Effectively communicates for a variety of

purposes.Creates quality products.

When the product of a learning experience isa conclusion to be articulated, students mustquite obviously express their ideas clearly.Whether the communication is a written essay,an oral report, an audiotaped report, or the like,ideas must be presented with a clear main pointor theme and the appropriate supporting detail.Effective communicators meet the standard ofexpressing ideas clearly.

Another aspect of effective communication isthe ability to communicate with diverse audi-ences. In school, those audiences should includepeers, parents, experts, novices, the general pub-lic, and school board members. As students ma-ture, they increase the types of audiences withwhich they can effectively communicate: while aprimary student might be able to communicatewith parents and teachers only, a high schoolstudent should be able to communicate with awide span of audiences. According to currenttheory in rhetoric (Durst and Newell 1989), ef-fectively communicating with any given audi-ence demands a sensitivity to the level ofknowledge of that audience and the interests ofits members. Not considering these importantaspects results in a communication that, al-though logically cohesive, probably won't be eas-ily interpreted or enjoyed by the audience.Effective communicators meet the standard ofcommunicating with a variety of audiences.

Skilled communicators also meet the stand-ard of communicating in a variety of ways. Mostschools emphasize two basic forms of communi-cation, writing and speaking. In an informationsociety, however, many other forms of communi-cation are useful and appropriate:

oral reportsvideotapeswritten reportspanel discussionsdramatic enactmentsoutlinesdebatesgraphic representationsnewscastsdiscussionsaudiotapesflowchartsslide shows

All of these are effective tools for communicatinginformation. Sometimes, however, learners maywant to communicate emotion in addition to orin lieu of information, and choose to use othermethods of communication:

collagesdancesplayssongspaintingspicturessculptures

Meeting the standard of communicating in avariety of ways, then, includes a facility with avariety of forms of communication.

Effective communicators must also be able tocommunicate for a variety of purposesfor in-stance, to inform, to persuade, to generate ques-tions, or to elicit sympathy, anger, humor, pride,or joy. Researchers have shown that people whohave the ability to write for specific purposeshave some knowledge of specific rhetorical con-ventions (Durst and Newell 1989). Effective com-municators understand and apply suchconventions.

Finally, effective communicators meet thestandard of creating quality products. Theyknow the accepted criteria for the product theyare creating and make sure the product meets orexceeds those criteria.

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22


Category 4: Collaboration/Cooperation Standards

One of the major educational realizations ofthe past decade is that adults often work ingroups, rather than independently, to completetasks. Although the importance of cooperationand collaboration has been recognized in theworkplace for decades, educators have only re-cently given it their attention, primarily as aresult of the work of Roger and David Johnson(1987) and Robert Slavin (1983).

We have developed four standards concern-ing effective collaboration and cooperation:

Works toward the achievement of groupgoals.

Effectively uses interpersonal skills.Contributes to group maintenance.Effectively performs a variety of roles.

While a person might be quite skilled atworking toward an individual goal, she mightnot be skilled at working toward a group goal.This latter ability requires a person to make acommitment to the group goal and effectivelycarry out assigned roles. Learners who areskilled at collaboration and cooperation can meetthe standard of working toward the achievementof group goals.

Effective performance within a group alsoinvolves the use of interpersonal skills, such asparticipating in group interactions with little orno prompting and expressing ideas and opinionsin a manner sensitive to the feelings and know-ledge base of others. The learner skilled at col-laboration and cooperation knows how toempower his fellow group members through in-terpersonal skills.

The standard of contributing to group main-tenance involves identifying changes or modifi-cations necessary in the group process and thenworking to carry out those changes. Just as anindividual must know when he should changehis plan of attack, so too must a group. Theindividual skilled at collaboration and coopera-tion contributes to keeping the group on track.

Finally, effective collaboration and coopera-tion means meeting the standard of effectivelyperforming a variety of roles in a group. Withina well-functioning group, members play a vari-ety of roles. Some members are informationgatherers, others are facilitators. Still otherscontinually keep track of resources and progresstoward the goals, and so on. The individualskilled at working within a group can perform avariety of roles.

Category 5: Habits of Mind StandardsResearchers in the field of cognitive psychol-

ogy have found that human beings, unlike anyother animal, have the ability to control theirown behavior, even their own thought processes,by using effective habits of mind. Ennis (1987),Paul (1990), Costa (1991), Perkins (1984), Flay-ell (1976), Zimmerman (1990) and Amabile(1983) place the effective habits of mind in threebroad categories: self-regulation, critical think-ing, and creative thinking. We have identifiedstandards for each of these three areas:

Self-Regulationa. Is aware of own thinking.b. Makes effective plans.c. Is aware of and uses necessary resources.d. Is sensitive to feedback.e. Evaluates the effectiveness of own ac-

tions.

Critical Thinkingf. Is accurate and seeks accuracy.g. Is clear and seeks clarity.h. Is open-minded.i. Restrains impulsivity.j. Takes a position when the situation war-

rants it.k. Is sensitive to the feelings and level of

knowledge of others.

Creative ThinkingI. Engages intensely in tasks even when an-

swers or solutions are not immediately appar-ent.

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m. Pushes the limits of own knowledge andabilities.

n. Generates, trusts, and maintains ownstandards of evaluation.

o. Generates new ways of viewing a situ-ation outside the boundaries of standard con-ventions.

The general category of habits of mind alsoconstitutes Dimension 5 of the Dimensions ofLearning model. This category contains the moststandards, underscoring the importance of thehabits of mind, which directly affect the otherstandards. For example, if a student is pushingthe limits of his knowledge and ability, he willlikely meet many of the other lifelong learningstandards as well as the content standards.

The Standards andDimensions of Learning

The content standards and five categories oflifelong learning standards are highly compat-ible with Dimensions of Learning. In fact, asmentioned earlier, some are taken directly fromthe Dimensions of Learning framework. Recallfrom Chapter 1 that the framework assumesthat five aspects of thinking are basic to everyeffective learning situation:

Dimension 1: Positive attitudes and percep-tions about learning

Dimension 2: Thinking needed to acquireand integrate new knowledge

Dimension 3: Thinking needed to extendand refine knowledge

Dimension 4: Thinking needed to useknowledge meaningfully

Dimension 5: Use of effective habits of mind

The five dimensions of learning implicitlyand explicitly address all six categories of stand-ards. For instance, in providing direction for theacquisition and integration of knowledge, Di-mension 2 refers to the attainment of content

standards, thus explicitly addressing the con-tent standards category. Dimensions 3 and 4explicitly address the complex thinking cate-gory; in fact, the thirteen complex reasoningprocesses identified in this category are drawndirectly from Dimensions 3 and 4. Likewise, thestandards in the category of effective habits ofmind are drawn directly from Dimension 5: theyare the habits of mind identified in Dimensionsof Learning.

In summary, content standards, complexthinking standards, and effective habits of mindstandards are explicitly addressed in Dimen-sions 2, 3, 4, and 5. The other categories ofstandards information processing, effectivecommunication, and collaboration/coopera-tionare addressed implicitly by Dimensions ofLearning in the types of classroom tasks thatteachers and students create using Dimensionsof Learning.

Tasks based on the reasoning processes ofDimension 3 and 4 are perfect vehicles for incor-porating standards from the categories not ex-plicit in the model. lb illustrate, consider thefollowing Dimension 4 decision-making taskthat might be presented to students in a socialstudies class:

Remember that some people believe, perhapsdespairingly, that there are only two things onwhich we can depend, death and taxes. Thinkabout the kinds of taxes you have been studyingthe method of collection, the amount of money thatis generated, who pays them, the possible uses ofthe money, and the way people have historicallyreacted to them.

Pretend you are a legislator with the job ofrecommending a tax to fund the schools in yourarea. You are also up for reelection within sixmonths. Select the kind of tax that you will recom-mend. Then, pretend you are a senior citizen witha fixed income and your children are grown andliving in another state. You must, again, recom-mend a kind of tax to be levied in order to fundschools. For both situations, be ready to explainthe kinds of taxes you considered, the criteria youused in making your selection, and your finaldecision.

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The achievement of standards in the infor-mation processing category is a necessary partof tasks like this one. The Dimension 3 and 4tasks require students to gather information ina variety of ways from a variety of sources, andso on. To accomplish this decision-making task,students might have to gather information fromtheir textbook, from magazines, from newscasts,and the like. Tasks organized around the reason-ing processes of Dimensions 3 and 4, then, quitenaturally involve the standards from the infor-mation processing category

Similarly, Dimension 3 and 4 tasks implicitlyinvolve the standards from the effective commu-nication category. As students engage in thesetasks, they must communicate conclusions invarious ways and create various products. In thedecision-making task, for instance, studentsmight be asked to write a report of their findingsand produce a newscast, a videotape, or anaudiotape. And they might be asked to commu-nicate their conclusions to different audiences.

Finally, the Dimension 3 and 4 tasks are idealvehicles for gathering information that shows

whether students are meeting the standards ofcollaboration and cooperation. As students workon tasks in cooperative groups, they have theopportunity to exhibit their ability to meetstandards like "works toward the achievementof group goals" and "demonstrates effective in-terpersonal skills."

The standards we describe here are similar tothose identified by many schools and districtsinvolved in restructuring. Thus, schools or dis-tricts that have already identified standards canuse the ideas in this book to create a performance-based assessment system geared directly towardspecific standards. And they can use the Dimen-sions of Learning instructional model to helpteachers provide systematic instruction that en-ables students meet the standards. As mentionedpreviously, the Dimensions of Learning Teacher'sManual provides systematic guidance in how touse the Dimensions of Learning framework as aninstructional system. In the remaining chaptersof this book, we describe how to create a compre-hensive performance assessment system thatsupports standards-based education.

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3

How We Assess Performance

Performance TasksIn Chapter 2, we saw that the Dimensions of

Learning model explicitly and implicitly ad-dresses both the content standards and lifelonglearning standards of standards-based educa-tion. We also saw that performance tasks con-structed around Dimensions 3 and 4 areimportant tools for assessing students' ability tomeet standards. If you're familiar with Dimen-sions of Learning, you'll know that these taskshave two basic characteristics.

First, performance tasks require an extendedperiod of time to complete. The vast majority ofthe tasks students are asked to perform in schoolare anything but long-term in nature. In fact,research suggests that most classroom tasks canbe completed in a single thirty- to sixty-minuteperiod (Doyle 1983, Fisher and Hiebert 1988).

Research and theory also tell us, however, thatthe "deepest" types of learning occur when learn-ers have the time to engage themselves in in-creasingly more sophisticated "layers" ofinvestigation and explanation of content, witheach layer bringing new insights and new learn-ings (Jaques 1985). Layered tasks, of course,cannot be completed in a single class period; infact, students frequently work on layered tasksover a span of two, three, or even four weeks.Consequently, within our framework, one crite-rion for effective performance tasks is that theyrequire students to work on them over an ex-tended period of time.

Second, performance tasks require studentsto construct new knowledge. Most of the tasksstudents are now asked to complete have onepredetermined "right" answer that is usually asingle piece of information. Tasks requiring stu-dents to fill in the blanks, match answers, orselect the correct response from among a list ofalternatives (i.e., multiple-choice) all use a pre-determined single-answer format. In thesetasks, there is no room for diversity of response;a specific answer is clearly correct, others areclearly incorrect. Even most essay tasks havefairly specific answer's, so writing a paragraph ortwo in response to a question does not alwaysrequire students to construct new knowledge.Yet it is this very process of constructing knowl-edge that is essential to effective learning. Forthe most effective learning to occur, studentsmust be allowed to articulate a unique positionand defend it (Vosniadou and Brewer 1987). Thesecond criterion for effective performance tasks,then, is that they require students to constructnew knowledge.

How to ConstructPerformance Tasks

Performance tasks are presented to studentsas part of regular classroom instruction. The keyto using the tasks to assess students' ability tomeet identified standards lies in constructing

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HOW WE ASSESS PERFORMANCE

the tasks to explicitly include selected stand-ards. A number of models for generating per-formance tasks have been developed (seeArchbald and Newmann 1988; Baker et al. 1992;Herman, Aschbacher, and Winters 1992; Katzand Chard 1990). The process we describe hereis designed to be compatible with the Dimen-sions of Learning framework.

Step IIdentify a content standard that will be

included in the task. A basic premise underly-ing the construction of performance tasks is thatthey include important content standards. Re-call from Chapter 2 that content standards arestatements of high-level declarative and proce-dural knowledge. For example, a history teachermight decide to assess students' declarativeknowledge by including this content standard ina performance task: "Understands that warforces sensitive issues to surface and causes peo-ple to confront inherent conflicts of values andbeliefs." A mathematics teacher, on the otherhand, might include in his task a standard forassessing procedural knowledge: "Effectivelyand accurately transforms quantities in one met-ric to those in another." As discussed in Chapter2, it is important that the declarative or proce-dural information identified for a content stand-ard be stated in very general terms. Ideally, aschool or district will have identified contentstandards, so that individual teachers do nothave to originate all of them.

Step 2Structure the task around one of the

complex reasoning in processes in Dimen-sions 3 and 4. The complex reasoning processesin Dimensions 3 and 4 are the heart of both theDimensions of Learning model and the perform-ance tasks. When first constructing a perform-ance task, you may find it helpful to use one ofthese reasoning processes to frame the task. lbillustrate, consider the history standard de-scribed in Step 1: "Understands that war forces

sensitive issues to surface and causes people toconfront inherent conflicts of values and beliefs."When constructing a performance task for thisstandard, the history teacher considers a fewpossibilities based on several of the reasoningprocesses from Dimensions 3 and 4:

Comparison(Dimension 3):

Error Analysis(Dimension 3):

Constructing Support(Dimension 3):

Decision Making(Dimension 4):

Investigation(Dimension 4):

Problem Solving(Dimension 4):

Compare the public reac-tion during World War IIto that during the Viet-nam war.

Identify the errors in rea-soning made by those re-sponsible for interringJapanese Americans dur-ing World War I.

Refute or support theclaim that the atomicbomb had to be droppedto end World War II.

What other alternativescould the United Stateshave used to end the war?

Why did Japan attackPearl Harbor? Some sayRoosevelt intentionallyprovoked the Japanese.Others disagree.

If you were the Presidentof the United States dur-ing World War II, howwould you force the un-conditional surrender ofJapan without using theatomic bomb and yet pro-vide for a secure postwarworld.

Although all of these reasoning processes aresolid building blocks for performance tasks, afew seem more strongly linked than others to theidentified standard. The guiding principle whendeveloping a performance task is to select thereasoning process that most strongly empha-sizes the content information identified in Step1. Given the standard identified here, the historyteacher concludes that a decision-making task ismost appropriate.

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Step 3Write a first draft of the performance

task, incorporating the information identi-fied in steps 1 and 2. Constructing an effectiveperformance task is much like crafting a well-written composition. The author must take thedescription of the task through a number ofdrafts to achieve excellence. Hence, the taskcreated at this step should be considered the firstof many drafts. By combining the history stand-ard identified in Step 1 with the reasoning proc-ess identified in Step 2, the history teacherconstructs this performance task:

President Harry S. Truman has requested thatyou serve on a White House task force. The goalis to decide how to force the unconditional surren-der of Japan, yet provide for a secure postwarworld.

You are now a member of a committee of fourand have reached the point at which you are tryingto decide whether to drop the bomb. Identify thealternatives you are considering and the criteriayou are using to make the decision. Explain thevalues that influenced the selection of the criteriaand the weights you placed on each. Also explainhow your decision has helped you better under-stand this statement: "War forces people to con-front inherent conflicts of values."

Remember, creating an effective perform-ance task is an iterative process. Few people areable to create a well-developed task on the firsttry.

Step 4Identify standards from the informa-

tion processing category to include in thetask, and revise the task to make thesestandards explicit. Almost any performancetask will require students to collect and processinformation, usually from multiple sources. Con-sequently, such tasks are perfect vehicles forgathering assessment information for the stand-ards in the information processing category. 'Poobtain information for a standard in this cate-gory, however, the task drafted in Step 3 must be

28

revised to explicitly require students to demon-strate the ability to meet a given standard. Let'ssay the history teacher decides to gather infor-mation about students' ability to meet the stand-ard "accurately assesses the value ofinformation." She adds specific directions to thetask relating to that standard:

As you work on your task, try to use a varietyof sources of informationbooks, magazine arti-cles, newspapers, and people who lived throughthe war. Keep a list of those sources and be pre-pared to describe how you determined which in-formation was most relevant and whichinformation was not very useful.

Step 5Identify standards (if any) from the hab-

its of mind category and the collabora-tion/cooperation category to include in thetask, and revise the task to make thesestandards explicit. If the history teacherwants to gather information regarding one ormore of the standards in the habits of mindcategory, the collaboration/cooperation category,or both these categories, she again makes thosestandards explicit in the task. For example, sheadds the following directions to the task so shecan use it to obtain information regarding thestandard "makes effective plans":

Before you begin your task, establish a cleargoal and write it down. Then write down a plan foraccomplishing your goal. When you are finishedwith the task, be prepared to describe the changesyou had to make in your plan along the way.

Likewise, if the teacher wants to gather as-sessment information for the collaborative/coop-erative worker standard "contributes to groupmaintenance," she again adds explicit directionsto the task:

While working on your task, you will be collabo-rating in small groups with some of your class-mates. As you work together, you will find that youmust change certain things you are doing to makeyour group work more effectively. Be aware of your


behavior in the group. Keep track of those behav-iors you had to change and what you did to changethem.

Step 6

Identify specific standards from the ef-fective communication category and buildthem into the task. Ultimately, every perform-ance task results in some type of communicationor product, the standards for which are part ofthe effective communication category Again, toensure that information is gathered on the se-lected standards in this category the teacherrevises the performance task to make the stand-ards explicit. rTh illustrate, assume that the his-tory teacher selects the standard "effectivelycommunicates through a variety of mediums."She then adds explicit directions to the task toobtain information on the standard:

Present your conclusions and findings in atleast two of the following ways:

a written reporta letter to the President following the comple-tion of the committee meetingan article written for Time magazine, completewith suggested photos and chartsa videotape of a dramatization of the committeemeetingan audiotapea newscasta mock interview

Teachers can create performance tasks thatwill provide explicit information about students'ability to achieve selected content standards andlifelong learning standards. Proficiencies fromno more than three or four of the categories ofstandards should ever be included on any onetask, because a manageable task including con-tent standards and standards from all five life-long learning categories is very complex anddifficult to design. Chapter 5 contains examplesof performance tasks that address specific con-tent and lifelong learning standards.

Rubrics for ScoringPerformance Tasks

As with most real-world tasks, performancetasks do not have a single correct answer; thereare a variety of ways to successfully completethem. Consequently, students' performance ofthe tasks cannot be "machine scored," but mustbe judged by one or more persons guided bywell-defined criteria. This approach is similar tothat used for judging performances in gymnas-tics or diving competitions.

The vehicle used to guide human judgmentis a rubric, which has its origins in the Latinrubrica terra, referring to the use of red earthcenturies ago to mark or signify something ofimportance. Today we maintain the spirit of thisoriginal meaning, since the term commonlymeans an authoritative or established rule.More specifically, a scoring rubric consists of afixed scale and a list of characteristics describingperformance for each of the points on the scale.Because rubrics describe levels of performance,they provide important information to teachers,parents, and others interested in what studentsknow and can do. Rubrics also promote learningby offering clear performance targets to studentsfor agreed-upon standards.

Rubrics are presented to students along withthe performance task. If a task is designed tomeasure three standards, the teacher producesthree sets of rubrics. Developing rubrics can bequite time-consuming, so we have streamlinedthe process for you by including in this bookrubrics for content standards and for the stand-ards in the five lifelong learning categories.These rubrics appear in Chapter 6. Think ofthem as blueprints for writing more specific ru-brics. As you construct your own performancetasks, you can adapt one of the basic rubrics toassess students' achievement of the specificstandards included in the task, particularly thecontent standards. There are two generic rubricsfor content standards, one for declarative stand-ards and one for procedural standards. We'll use

2933


the generic rubric for declarative content stand-ards, reproduced below, to illustrate how toadapt the rubrics to specific content:

4 Demonstrates a thorough understanding ofthe generalizations, concepts, and facts spe-cific to the task or situation. Provides newinsights into some aspect of that informa-tion.

3 Displays a complete and accurate under-standing of the generalizations, concepts,and facts specific to the task or situation.

2 Displays an incomplete understanding of thegeneralizations, concepts, and facts specificto the task or situation and has some notablemisconceptions.

1 Demonstrates severe misconceptions aboutthe generalizations, concepts, and facts spe-cific to the task or situation.

This scale runs from 1 to 4, with 4 describingthe highest level of performance and 1 describingthe lowest level of performance. Usually onelevel of a rubric is considered the accepted levelof performance. In the four-point rubrics pro-vided in this book, 3 is the accepted level ofperformance. Thus, for the rubric above, theaccepted level of performance is that studentsdisplay a complete and accurate understandingof the generalizations, concepts, and facts builtinto the performance task.

In the history example we've been looking atin this chapter, the generalization built into thetask is that "war forces sensitive issues to sur-face and causes people to confront inherent con-flicts of values." The teacher who created theperformance task adapts the generic rubric sothat it specifies the generalization built into thetask:

4 Demonstrates a thorough understanding ofthe generalization that war forces sensitiveissues to surface and causes people to con-front inherent conflicts of values. Providesnew insights into people's behavior duringwartime.

3 Displays a complete and accurate under-standing of the generalization that warforces sensitive issues to surface and causespeople to confront inherent conflicts of val-ues.

2 Displays an incomplete understanding of thegeneralization that war forces sensitive is-sues to surface and causes people to confrontinherent conflicts of values and has somenotable misconceptions about this generali-zation.

1 Demonstrates severe misconceptions aboutthe generalization that war forces sensitiveissues to surface and causes people to con-front inherent conflicts of values.

The teacher then adapts rubrics for the otherstandards measured by the task. That is, sheadapts the generic rubrics in Chapter 6 so thatthey address the specific standards built into theperformance task. Once the teacher has pre-pared the rubrics, she presents them to studentsso they are aware of the standards on which theywill be assessed and the levels of performanceexpected by the teacher.

Upon completion of the performance task, theteacher uses the rubrics to score students on thestandards she built into the task. A Task Evalu-ation Form like the one in Figure 3.1 helps theteacher efficiently record scores. Figure 3.1 showsthat Bill Johnson has received a score of 3 on thestandard "understands that war forces sensitiveissues to surface and causes people to confrontinherent conflicts of values," a 2 on the standard"accurately assesses the value of information,"and a 4 on the standard "effectively communi-cates in a variety of ways." The teacher assignedthese scores using the three rubrics written toassess the three standards built into the task.Chapter 9 contains a blank Task EvaluationForm that you may photocopy for your own use.

Performance tasks are the backbone of aperformance assessment system. They can beconstructed to provide assessment informationfor any and all content and lifelong learningstandards.

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FIGURE 3.1

Task Evaluation Form

Student 13:11 Joifti4 A

STANDARDS EVALUATION

Understands that war forces sensitive issues and forces people toconfront values

1 2 C) 4

Accurately assesses the value of information 1 3 4

Effectively communicates in a variety of ways 1 2 3 C4_2

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

Student-ConstructedPerformance Tasks

In the previous section, we described how ateacher can design a performance task to assessspecific content and lifelong learning standards.Sometimes, howeverand more frequently, wehopestudents should be encouraged to createtheir own performance tasks. Joan Baron, anoted expert on performance assessment, ex-plains that for a performance task to be "authen-tic" it must include five characteristics, one ofwhich is that it be constructed or framed bystudents. Baron's (1991) five criteria for authen-tic assessment are:

1. The task is meaningful both to teachers andstudents.

2. The task is framed by the student.3. The task requires the student to locate and

analyze information as well as draw conclusionsabout it.

4. The task requires students to communicateresults clearly.

5. The task requires students to work togetherfor at least part of the task.

Students obviously cannot construct tasks inthe same way a teacher does. We recommendthat teachers use the five-step process outlinedhere to help students construct their own per-formance tasks.

31 35


Step 1Have students identify a question re-

lated to something in the current unit ofstudy that interests them. When studentsconstruct their own performance tasks, theyusually do so by identifying a question that in-terests them. We suggest that teachers ask stu-dents to use the questions that correspond to thethinking processes from Dimensions 3 and 4 tohelp them shape their questions (see Figure 2.1on page 20). These questions can easily be re-written to guide students in this first step ofconstructing their own performance tasks, asshown in Figure 3.2.

To illustrate how these questions might beused, assume that a student is studying aboutJohn F. Kennedy. When asked to create a per-formance task, the student begins by identifyinga question similar to one of the questions inFigure 3.2 that he wants to answer as a result ofstudying Kennedy. After examining the list, thestudent identifies the question "What wouldhave happened if John F. Kennedy had not beenassassinated?" In effect, the student has identi-fied a possible event he wants to explore. Thisquestion is the foundation of the student's per-formance task.

Step 2Help students write a first draft of the

task that makes explicit one or more of thereasoning processes from Dimensions 3and 4. Using the basic question identified by thestudent, the teacher helps the student write afirst draft of the performance task. The processof drafting the task will itself provide valuableinformation about a student's ability to effec-tively translate issues and situations into mean-ingful tasks that have a clear purpose. Recallfrom Chapter 2 that this is one of the standardsin the complex thinking category (see page 19).Having students create their own performancetasks is one of the best ways to gather assess-ment information for this standard.

Helping a student identify the reasoningprocess on which the performance task is basedis an important part of the process of drafting thetask, because the reasoning process providesfocus for the task and direction for the student.The question raised by the student interested inJohn F. Kennedy applies to projective investiga-tion. Examining page 169 of the Dimensions ofLearning Teacher's Manual, we find that projec-tive investigation involves the following process:

1. Clearly identifying the hypothetical event.2. Identifying what is already known or

agreed upon about the hypothetical event.3. Identifying and explaining the contradic-

tions and confusions about the hypotheticalevent.

4. Developing and defending a plausible reso-lution to the confusion or contradiction.

Using this process as a guide, the student writesa first draft of his task:

I'm going to examine what might have hap-pened if John F. Kennedy had not been assassi-nated. I will identify what other people havewritten about this possibility and then take anddefend my own position.

Step 3Help students identify standards from

the categories of: (1) information process-ing, (2) effective communication, (3) habitsof mind, and (4) collaboration/ cooperation.The student now considers other lifelong learn-ing standards he might want to incorporate intohis performance task. Here it is important torecall Baron's list of the criteria for an authentictask (see page 31). Following Baron's sugges-tions, students should be encouraged to selectstandards from the information processing cate-gory the effective communication category andthe collaboration/cooperation category In thisinstance, the student decides that he wants toincorporate the following standards into his per-formance task:

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FIGURE 3.2

Stimulus Questions Derived fromthe Reasoning Processes of Dimensions 3 and 4

Stimulus Question ReasoningProcess

Dimension

Do you want to determine how certain things are similarand different?

Comparing 3

Do you want to organize things into groups? Do youwant to identify the rules or characteristics that havebeen used to form groups?

Classifying 3

Are there specific pieces of information that you want todraw conclusions about?

Induction 3

Are there specific rules you see operating here? Arethere things that you know must happen?

Deduction 3

Are there errors in reasoning you want to describe? Arethere errors being performed in a process?

Error Analysis 3

Is there a position you want to defend on a particularissue?

Constructing Support 3

Do you see a relationship that no one else has seen?What is the abstract pattern or theme that is at the heartof the relationship?

Abstracting 3

Are there differing perspectives on an issue you want toexplore?

Analyzing Perspectives 3

Is there an important decision that should be studied ormade?

Decision Making 4

Is there some new idea or new theory that should bedescribed in detail?

Definitional Investigation 4

Is there something that happened in the past that shouldbe studied?

Historical Investigation 4

Is there a possible or hypothetical event that should bestudied?

Projective Investigation 4

Do you want to describe how some obstacle can beovercome?

Problem Solving 4

Is there a prediction you want to make and then test? Experimental Inquiry 4

Is there something you want to improve upon? Is theresomething new you want to create?

Invention 4

33 3 7


Accurately assesses the value of informa-tion (from the information processing category).

Expresses ideas clearly (from the effectivecommunication category).

Assesses and monitors one's own perform-ance in a group (from the collaboration/coopera-tion category).

Step 4Help students rewrite the task so that it

highlights the standards identified in Step3. Once the student has identified new stand-ards, he rewrites the task to make the standardsexplicit. The student in our example rewrites histask in the following way:

I'm going to examine what might have hap-pened if John F. Kennedy had not been assassi-nated. I will identify what other people havewritten on this topic. Working with two otherpeople who have identified similar topics, I willgather information from various sources. Whileworking with my research partners, I will keeptrack of how well I monitor my behavior in thegroup. As I collect my research information, I willkeep track of the most relevant information andthe information that is interesting but not asrelevant and report on this. After I have collectedenough information, I will take a position anddefend it, taking special care to express my ideasclearly.

Step 5Help students write the rubrics for the

standards that have been built into thetask. With the task fully designed, the teacherhelps the student write rubrics that will be usedto assess the student's performance on the stand-ards. Again, the rubrics in Chapter 6 can serveas blueprints. The student selects rubrics forthose standards that have been built into thetask. A useful convention in this step of the

process is for the student to write the rubrics inthe first person. Here is an example of how astudent might rewrite the appropriate genericrubric in Chapter 6 for the standard "expressesideas clearly":

4 I have communicated my position clearly. Inaddition, I have provided support that is verydetailed and very rich.

3 I have presented my position clearly. I haveprovided adequate support and detail.

2 I have presented some important informa-tion, but I have no clear position.

1 I have communicated only isolated pieces ofinformation.

To help you aid students in the process ofwriting rubrics, we have included student ver-sions of the various rubrics in Chapter 8.

After writing the rubrics, the student com-pletes the task. Then he uses his rubrics to scorehis performance on the standards that have beenbuilt into the task. The student may do this withthe aid of the teacher, or the teacher and studentmay independently calculate their scores andthen compare them.

If you compare this process with the earlierprocess for teacher-designed performance tasks,you will note one major difference: that teacher-designed tasks begin with content standards,whereas student-designed tasks make no men-tion of them. When students are designing theirown tasks, they should be allowed to do so with-out any constraints on the declarative or proce-dural content knowledge addressed in the task.Teacher-designed performance tasks, on theother hand, are excellent vehicles for addressingspecific content standards in a performance for-mat. Whether they are designed by teachers orstudents, performance tasks are powerful toolsfor learning and assessment and should be usedfrequently.

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Other Ways of GatheringAssessment Information

Performance tasks are not the only way togather information about students' ability toachieve content standards and lifelong learningstandards. At least three other means provideuseful information: student self-assessment,naturalistic observation, and traditionalteacher-made tests.

Student Self-AssessmentWithin the last decade, student self-assess-

ment has received serious consideration as avalid means of assessment. For example,Tierney, Carter, and Desai (1991) assert thatstudent self-assessment is at the heart of theperformance assessment movement. There is noreason why students cannot assess themselveson all content and lifelong learning standards.For example, while studying a complex conceptsuch as "meiosis" in science, students might be

asked to rate their understanding of that con-cept. Similarly, while solving a problem, stu-dents might be asked to assess the extent towhich they are meeting one or more of the habitsof mind standards.

Although the rubrics we described earlier canhelp students conduct self-assessment in thecontext of a performance task, there are otherways of collecting student self-assessment data.Perhaps the most powerful tool a student can useis a journal. Student journals have been usedextensively in literacy development (Atwell1987, Calkins 1986, Macrorie 1984). When ac-companied by the use of probes, however, theybecome an excellent aid to student self-assess-ment. A probe is nothing more than a questionasked by the teacher to elicit assessment infor-mation for specific standards. Figure 3.3 showsa few examples of probes for the various types ofstandards.

Students write their responses to probes likethese in their journals, and the teacher peri-odically collects the journals to review each stu-dent's responses. The teacher meets individually

FIGURE 3.3

Examples of Probes

Probe for a Content Standard: "Describe the extent to which you understand the informationabout tornadoes that we have covered. What are you confused about? What are you confidentabout?"

Probe for a Complex Thinking Standard: "Describe how effective you have been so far in yourinvestigation task."

Probe for an Information Processing Standard: "Describe how effective you have been ingathering information for your project."

Probe for a Communication Standard: "Describe how effective you have been incommunicating your conclusions."

Probe for a Habits of Mind Standard: "Describe how well you have used the competencies ofseeking accuracy throughout your project."

Probe for a Collaboration/Cooperation Standard: "Describe how well you have worked withyour group throughout your project."

35

39


with students to discuss the responses. Thus,student responses as well as student/teacherconferences about those responses become as-sessment data for the content and lifelong learn-ing standards.

Naturalistic Observation("Kid Watching")

As the name implies, naturalistic observa-tion or "kid watching" occurs as teachers andstudents go about their daily work. When kidwatching, teachers simply look for and recordbehaviors that provide evidence of students' com-petence in the various standards. For example,while students work on cooperative projects,teachers pay particular attention to students'interactions, recording specific behaviors or , in-terpretations of specific behaviors that allowthem to assess the collaboration/cooperationstandards. Similarly, while students are en-gaged in various classroom activities, teachersnote behaviors that indicate how well studentsare meeting the various standards from the hab-its of mind category

Traditional Teacher-Made TestsSome teachers incorrectly assume that the

performance assessment movement implies anend to traditional forms of teacher-made tests,such as multiple-choice, short-answer, andtrue/false tests. These kinds of tests are stillpowerful assessment devices, particularly forcontent standards. In fact, multiple choice,true/false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and essaytests can be effective tools for assessing students'understanding of declarative content, simply be-cause they are highly focused and efficient.

* * *

In this chapter, we have presented basic proc-esses for constructing teacher-made perform-ance tasks and student-made performancetasks. We have also briefly discussed other meth-ods of collecting assessment information. All ofthese means of assessment have an importantrole in a comprehensive performance assess-ment system.

4 0

36

4

Keeping Track of Performance

0 ne of the most challenging aspects ofdeveloping a comprehensive perform-ance assessment system is developing a

way to keep records of student performance. Ineducators' eyes, record keeping is the bane ofmost performance assessment efforts. In thischapter, we discuss record keeping at the class-room level and at the school or district level.

Assessment in the Classroom

In a comprehensive performance assessmentsystem, one of the teacher's jobs is to keep trackof student performance on selected standards.We believe that no one teacher should be ex-pected to assess students on all standards, butthat different teachers should be responsible fordifferent standards. For instance, let's say in atypical elementary school, a 5th grade teacher isresponsible for assessing students' ability tomeet six content standards, one complex reason-ing standard, two information processing stand-ards, one communication standard, one habits ofmind standard, and two collaboration/coopera-tion standards. In all, the teacher is responsiblefor collecting assessment information on thir-teen standards.

As described in the previous chapter, theteacher collects information on these thirteen

standards using teacher-constructed and stu-dent-constructed performance tasks, naturalis-tic observation, student self-assessment, andtraditional tests. The teacher records studentperformance using a Grade Book Form like theone shown in Figure 4.1. (Chapter 9 contains ablank Grade Book Form.) For each standard, theform provides space to record scores for specifictasks or situations.

Consider the column in Figure 4.1 marked"C". The "C" signifies that the information inthat column is about a content standard, and theteacher writes the standard immediately belowthe "C" designation, in the row titled "Stand-ards." In this example, the standard is "under-stands that key people have influenced history"In the next row, labeled "Assessment Key," theteacher notes the type of assessment used. In thisexample, the scores for specific tasks or situationscame from a 15th century task (a performancetask), two tests, and a research project.

Now consider the first student's scores onthese assessments. The first student, BillJohnson, received a score of 3 on the 15th centuryperformance task (a task concerning informa-tion about the 15th century), a score of 3 on aresearch project, and scores of 2 and 3 (out of 4)on two tests. The teacher arrived at these scoresusing the rubrics for specific tasks and situationsfound in Chapter 6 and translating the class-room tests into a four-point scale.

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KEEPING TRACK OF PERFORMANCE

Summary ValidationsThe Grade Book Form also provides space for

a summary score or "summary validation" foreach student on each standard. As the nameimplies, a summary validation is the result ofconsidering a student's performance across thevarious situations and tasks. lb make this sum-mary judgment, the teacher uses summary ru-brics. Chapter 7 contains the summary rubricsfor the content standards and lifelong learningstandards. lb illustrate how a teacher uses theserubrics, consider the summary rubric for thestandard listed in the fourth large column of thegrade book, "Communicates in a variety ofways." It is one of the standards in the effectivecommunication category, as signified by "EC" atthe top of the column. The summary rubric forthis standard is:

4 Demonstrates an ability to communicate ina wide and diverse variety of ways.

3 Demonstrates an ability to communicate indifferent ways.

2 Demonstrates an ability to communicate ina restricted range of ways.

1 Does not demonstrate the ability to commu-nicate in a variety of ways.

To obtain the summary validation, theteacher refers to the scores for the tasks or situ-ations that fall within that standard. BillJohnson's scores are 3, 3, and 2. Of course, thereare many ways of aggregating scores into a sum-mary score. Those who adhere to classical testtheory would probably encourage the practice ofaveraging, because a numeric average tends tocancel out the random error associated with ascore (Anastasi 1982). Some of those holding anoutcome-based philosophy would no doubt makea case for considering an individual student'shighest performance on a given standard as thesummary validation that should be recorded.Such reasoning is founded on the assumptionthat the critical information a teacher shouldlook for is evidence that a student can, in fact,

meet the accepted level of performance. Giventhat a score of 3 is the accepted level of perform-ance in a four-point rubric, any student whoreceived at least one score of 3 should thus re-ceive a summary score of 3.

Unfortunately, there is no clearly superiorphilosophy of assigning summary validations. Infact, the two positions described above representtwo ends of a continuum. At one end is thenumeric average, which calls for the use of asmuch information as possible in an unweightedfashion; in other words, one piece of informationis counted as heavily as every other piece in thecalculation of a numeric average. At the otherend of the continuum is the single demonstrationof competence, which recommends giving pri-mary, even exclusive, weight to those tasks orsituations designed to be culminating activities.

We suggest a compromise, albeit one that isstrongly skewed toward the numeric average.Our method for assigning summary scores hasfour general rules:

1. Use as much information as possible,even information not recorded in the gradebook. A summary score for a standard is animportant piece of information for a student. Itrepresents a teacher's final recommendation fora particular student on a particular standard.Therefore, a teacher should use all the informa-tion available to make that recommendation. Ifa teacher recalls that a student received a lowscore because of external factors such as illnessor excused absences, these influences should befactored into the summary validation.

2. Weigh the various scores using soundcriteria. Not all tasks and situations are equal.Some are more complex, some require more ef-fort, some are culminating activities, some aredevelopmental activities. A teacher should takethese factors into consideration when assigningsummary scores. For example, in Figure 4.1 theteacher might decide that the research projectshould be weighted much more heavily than the15th century task and the two tests when assign-ing a summary score for the content standard

39 4 4


"Key people influence history" because the re-search project was a culminating activity inwhich students were to draw from everythingthey had learned in the unit.

3. Do not assign summary scores if ade-quate information is not available. Figure4.1 shows that the teacher has not assignedsummary scores for all standards for all stu-dents. To illustrate, consider the effective com-munication standard (see the EC column inFigure 4.1) and the records for the studentsJanie Pollock, John Kendall, and Joan Grady.None of these students has summary scores forthe standard "Communicates in a variety ofways" because the teacher has concluded thatshe simply does not have enough information toassign a summary score, since some importanttasks were not completed. Again, summary vali-dations are important enough that they shouldnot be assigned if significant amounts or typesof information are lacking.

4. Consider the nature of the standards.A careful examination of the standards de-scribed in this text reveals at least two distincttypes of standards: those focusing on diversity ofknowledge or skill and those focusing on consis-tency of knowledge or skill. This difference isreflected in the summary rubrics. lb illustrate,reconsider the summary rubric for the standard"communicates in a variety of ways." Recall fromChapter 2 that the standard deals with a stu-dent's ability to use a variety of communicationmethods, including oral reporting, reporting inwritten form, panel discussion, debate, and soon. The emphasis is obviously on the use of arange of communication mediums, and this em-phasis is reflected in the summary rubric. Nowconsider the summary rubric for the standard"expresses ideas clearly," which is also from theeffective communication category:

4 Consistently communicates information ef-fectively by providing a clear main idea ortheme with support that contains rich, vivid,and powerful detail.

3 Consistently communicates information byproviding a clear main idea or theme withsufficient support and detail.

2 Sporadically communicates information byproviding a clear main idea or theme withsufficient support and detail.

1 Rarely, if ever, communicates information byproviding a clear main idea or theme withsufficient support and detail.

Here the focus is on consistent use of a profi-ciency in various situations. When assigning asummary validation for a standard that focuseson a range of knowledge or skill, the teacherneeds access to information on the various typesof knowledge or skills covered by the standard.When assigning a summary validation for astandard that focuses on consistency of knowl-edge or skill, the teacher needs access to infor-mation about that knowledge or skill exhibitedat different times in different contexts.

As this discussion illustrates, no single phi-losophy is clearly superior in assigning summaryvalidations. Teachers in a school or districtshould discuss their various philosophies andagree on at least a few common principles forassigning of summary validations to ensure thatthe validations can be interpreted uniformly.

Assessment at the Schoolor District Level

The assessments made by individual teach-ers must ultimately be aggregated to obtain acomposite picture of a student's performance onthe various content standards and lifelong learn-ing standards. This can be accomplished throughmultiple validations.

Multiple ValidationsMultiple validations are assessments made

over time, usually over the course of a semesteror year. Obviously, no one teacher could cover all

4045


the content and lifelong learning standards aschool or district might identify. Over time,though, assessments made by several teacherscan provide a complete profile of a student'sperformance on all standards. A student's teach-ers individually assess various standards intheir respective classes. In each class, theteacher provides summary validations (usingthe summary rubrics) for each student on eachstandard addressed in the class. Over the courseof the semester, a student receives multiple sum-mary validations for each standard. These mul-tiple summary validations are referred to as"multiple validations," and they can be recordedin a Student Record. The complete Student Re-cord contains a list of all the standards in eachcategory Figure 4.2 shows only a portion of theStudent Record of a student named Bill Johnson;an entire blank Student Record is included inChapter 9.

To illustrate the use of the Student Recordform, consider the skilled information process-ing/consuming category in Figure 4.2. Accordingto this Student Record, Bill Johnson has hadsummary validation scores submitted by twoteachers. These are the multiple validations forthis standard. The initials of the teachers whogave these validations are DB and AA. If wefollow an outcome-based philosophy, each stu-dent is required to obtain a specific number ofvalidations prior to graduation. For example, adistrict might decide that students must secureat least three validations in each standard priorto graduation. Given that the accepted level ofperformance in a four-point rubric is usuallyconsidered to be 3, each student then has toobtain at least three summary scores of 3 on eachstandard prior to graduation.

Of course, multiple validations can be usedin systems that do not comply with an outcome-based philosophy. For example, multiple valida-tions on a standard can be averaged to producea metric that looks very much like a traditionalgrade-point average for each standard. Again,there is no one clearly superior philosophy abouthow to aggregate and report multiple valida-tions. Consequently, a school or district must

design a method that is consistent with its mis-sion and goals.

PortfoliosPortfolios are an excellent adjunct or comple-

ment to multiple validations. They have receiveda great deal of attention in the past decade,particularly in the area of writing assessment(Belanoff and Dickson 1991). The original anal-ogy for portfolio assessment was the artist's port-folio. Artists carry their completed, polishedworks in a portfolio that they show to prospectiveclients. In effect, artists use a portfolio to showwhat they can do, how versatile and good theirwork can be. Because writers, like most artists,produce tangible products, writing is perfectlysuited to portfolio assessment. Hence, the fieldof writing instruction has seen the most exten-sive use of portfolios.

In a performance-based assessment system,portfolios include "physical evidence" of stu-dents' ability to meet the content standards andlifelong learning standards. It is quite commonfor standards to be collapsed into categories forportfolio assessment; that is, instead of provid-ing evidence of the achievement of each separatestandard in a category, a student provides physi-cal evidence for the achievement of the group ofstandards in a category For example, a studentmay select a written composition she feels is aparticularly good illustration of her general com-petence in the effective communication category.She may also include in her portfolio a descrip-tion of a community problem she undertook witha team of students to demonstrate her compe-tence in the collaboration/cooperation category.

A school or district must make many impor-tant decisions about portfolio use:

Should portfolios be constructed and dis-played at every grade level or only at grade levelsthat represent transition points in school (e.g.,end of primary school, end of upper elementaryschool, end of middle school, end of high school)?

Should portfolios be used to assess the samestandards that are assessed through multiple

414 6


FIGURE 4.2

Student RecordPart II

student B. I I JcIA(An

COMPLEX THINKING Summary Validations

1. Effectively translates issues and situations into manageable tasksthat have a clear purpose.

2. Effectively uses a variety of complex reasoning strategies.

SKILLED INFORMATION PROCESSING Summary Validations

1. Effectively interprets and synthesizes information. 3M rk2. Effectively uses a variety of information-gathering techniques

and information resources.

3. Accurately assesses the value of information.

4. Recognizes where and how projects would benefit fromadditional information.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Summary Validations

1. Expresses ideas clearly.

2. Effectively communicates with diverse audiences.

3. Effectively communicates in a variety of ways.

4. Effectively communicates for a variety of purposes.

5. Creates high-quality products.

validations, or should some standards or catego-ries of standards be assessed only through port-folios and others only through multiplevalidations? Many schools and districts arethinking about assessing the areas of collabora-tion/cooperation and habits of mind throughportfolios rather than multiple validations.

How should multiple validations and port-folios be weighted? Can a student exhibit compe-tence in one form and not in another? For

example, could a student receive a satisfactoryrating on her portfolio for a category of standardsbut not receive the designated number of multi-ple validations?

These are all serious issues that must bereconciled at least at the school level and mostappropriately at the district level before a per-formance assessment system can be imple-mented.

4 742


* * *

The performance assessment movement hasbecome a tremendous force in American educa-tion. In this book, we have described a system ofperformance assessment based on a powerfulinstructional framework, Dimensions of Learn-ing. An important assumption underlying this

book is that assessment and instruction musthave a "hand in glove" relationship if they are tobe successful. In using the Dimensions of Learn-ing instructional model to develop the perform-ance assessment system described here, we hopewe have taken a first step in helping teachersand others successfully bring performance as-sessment into the classroom.

43

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4550

Part TwoTools for Performance Assessment

51

5

Examples of Performance Tasks

This chapter contains sample performancetasks representing a variety of contentareas and grade levels. Two tasks are pre-

sented for each of the complex reasoning proc-esses from Dimensions 3 and 4. Those processesare:

Dimension 3 Reasoning ProcessesComparingClassifyingInductionDeductionError analysisConstructing supportAbstractingAnalyzing perspectives

Dimension 4 Reasoning ProcessesDecision makingDefinitional investigationHistorical investigationProjective investigationProblem solvingExperimental inquiryInvention

For each task, the following information ispresented:

1. The range of grade levels in which thetask might be used. The following abbrevia-tions are used to represent various grade levels:

MEL Copyright @ 1993 McREL Institute

Pri. = primaryU.E. = upper elementaryMid. = middle schoolJ.H. = junior high schoolH.S. = high school

The tasks as presented in this chapter would,no doubt, have to be rewritten when used at aparticular grade level. For example, a task thathas a grade level range of Pri.U.E. would prob-ably have to be rewritten in a much simplermanner if used in the 1st grade and could berewritten in a more complex manner if used inthe 6th grade. Teachers can determine the lan-guage that's appropriate for their students.

2. The content standard the task is de-signed to assess. These tasks assume that aschool or district has identified content stand-ards that are to be assessed using performanceassessment or that individual teachers are re-sponsible for identifying the specific contentstandards they will cover.

3. The lifelong learning standards. Thesetasks assume that students are familiar with thevarious lifelong learning standards discussed inthis book.

Finally, these tasks assume that students arefamiliar with the various complex reasoningprocesses from Dimensions 3 and 4.

49 5-2


Comparison TaskGrade level range: Mid.H.S.During this unit, we'll be learning about some ofthe general characteristics of governments. Forinstance, we'll learn that they all have "ways ofproviding services" and "policies to regulate be-havior." So that you can use what you are learn-ing, you'll be working with a few of yourclassmates in a small group to compare differentkinds of governments. Your task will be to iden-tify the similarities and differences among dif-ferent sizes of governments, such as the ratherlarge governments of countries and the muchsmaller governments of, say, school clubs.

During class, you'll be provided with thecharacteristics to use in a comparison matrix.You'll receive some suggestions about how toproceed, but the members of each group willdetermine the governments they want to com-pare. You must include the governments of atleast two countries and the government of an-other group or organization you're familiarwithperhaps a club or even this school or class-room.

As you gain general knowledge about govern-ments, you'll apply it to the specific items in yourcomparison matrix. It's important for your groupto discuss the similarities and differences amongthe items in your matrix and to make sure eachof you understands the characteristics we dis-cuss in class.

Everyone in the group must have a copy ofthe group's matrix because after you have com-pleted the matrix together, each of you will workindividually to add one more item to the matrix.That item should be one that you know well, likeyour family or a club you belong to. I'm going toask you to demonstrate your understanding ofeach characteristic of government by showinghow your personal addition to the matrix is simi-lar to and different from the other items in thematrix.

Each of you will hand in your completedmatrix and another product of your choice that

53

communicates what you've learned, not aboutindividual governments, but about the more gen-eral concept of "government." We'll discuss inclass some appropriate ways to communicatewhat you've learned. You'll be assessed on andprovided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Studies1. Your understanding of the concept of gov-

ernment.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Comparison

1. Your ability to accurately identify the simi-larities and differences among types of govern-ments.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to communicate in a variety of

ways.

Comparison TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.You have volunteered to help your local librarywith its literacy program. Once a week afterschool, you help people learn how to read. Toencourage your students to learn, you tell themabout the different kinds of literature you haveread, including poems, biographies, mysteries,tall tales, fables, and historical novels. Selectthree types of literature and compare them, us-ing general characteristics of literature that youthink will help your students see the similaritiesand differences among the types of literature. Beready to visually depict the comparison. You willbe assessed on and provided rubrics for the fol-lowing:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Language Arts1. Your understanding of the general charac-

teristics of literature.2. Your knowledge of three selected types of

literature.

?MEL Copyright C) 1993 McREL Institute 50

EXAMPLES OF PERFORMANCE TASKS

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Comparison

1. Your ability to specify appropriate items orelements to be compared.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to communicate in a variety of

ways.

Classification TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.Working in pairs, list as many insects as possi-ble. Come up with a classification system thatfocuses on key characteristics of the insects andplace the insects from your list in the appropriatecategories. Do the same classification proceduretwo more times, but from the following perspec-tives:

An exterminator (sample categories: in-sects found in homes, flying insects, crawlinginsects, insects commonly found in kitchens, in-sects that prefer dark basements)

A frog (sample categories: insects that flyabove water, that can swim, that would make abig meal, that would make a little meal).

You will have to consult various resources(materials in the classroom, peers, adults, and soon) to obtain the information necessary to class-ify the insects accurately. When you turn in yourthree classification systems, include a list of theresources you used and explain in a short para-graph which were most and least useful. Beready to share with the class some interestingthings you discovered as a result of doing theseclassifications. You will be assessed on and pro-vided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDScience

1. Your understanding of the characteristicsof insects.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDS

Complex Thinking: Classification1. Your ability to specify important defining

characteristics of the categories.2. Your ability to accurately sort the identi-

fied items or elements into the categories.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively use a variety of

information-gathering techniques and informa-tion resources.

Classification TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.The accumulation of waste materials is a world-wide problem. Waste materials can be toxic, non-toxic, hard to get rid of, bulky, smelly, and so on.Imagine that your group of four has been se-lected to prepare a report for a task force of thefederal government that classifies the varioustypes of waste materials and proposes plans toaddress the problems. Using information gath-ered from our lessons and from other sources,classify the various types of waste materials.Then select one category of waste materials andpresent a plan for dealing with it. Your planshould be prepared as a research report to thegovernment and should include the followingelements:

1. Your classification of all waste materialsand how you determined the categories.

2. An explanation of the effect your selectedwaste material has on the environment.

3. Your plan to deal with the waste material.This plan should contain references to the infor-mation sources you used and graphs and tableswhere appropriate.

4. The expected effect of your plan.

You will be assessed on and provided rubricsfor the following:

5 4MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 51


CONTENT STANDARDS

Science1. Your understanding of the effect of waste

materials on the environment.2. Your ability to prepare a research report.


Complex Thinking: Classification1. Your ability to specify useful categories

into which items or elements will be sorted.2. Your ability to specify important defining

characteristics of categories.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively interpret and

synthesize information.

Induction TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.Observing human behavior can be very interest-ing and often very revealing. Select several dif-ferent situations in which you can observe peopleand their behavior. For instance, you mightchoose to observe people at a mall, at a sportsevent, during lunch, or during the fifteen min-utes before a movie begins. You must observepeople in a given situation several differenttimes, preferably with different people in thesituation each time. Write down your observa-tions, recording the date and time of each. Thisobservation log should reflect your knowledge ofthe various categories of human behavior wehave studied. What important conclusions canyou make based on your observations? Describethe steps you took in coming to these conclusions.You will present your conclusions and defendthem with your evidence to a panel of collegestudents invited from the science department ofthe local university. You will be assessed on andprovided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

SciencePhysical and Social Sciences1. Your understanding of the categories of

human behavior.


Complex Thinking: Supported Induction1. Your ability to identify elements (specific

pieces of information or observations) fromwhich to make inductions.

2. Your ability to make and articulate accu-rate conclusions (inductions) from the selectedinformation or observations.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively communicate

with diverse audiences.

Induction TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.Every week supermarkets spend lots of moneyon advertisements, with every supermarketclaiming to have the lowest prices. Study theprices in recent ads from several supermarketsand find items that they all are advertising.Determine if any supermarket tends to havelower prices overall or if individual stores justhave lower prices on some items and higherprices on others. Be careful to note the sizes andquantities (ounces, grams, pounds) connectedwith the costs.

After you have made this determination, no-tice how the advertisements are laid out and howthe prices are displayed in the ads. Which itemsare featured? How are prices quoted differentlyin the ads? How does each supermarket go aboutmaking their products look less expensive?

Based on all of this analysis, come to at leasttwo conclusions about the people who producethe advertisements for supermarkets and whatthey must think people want or will believe. Yourconclusions might start with these sentencestems:

People who do advertisements for super-markets must think that people are . . .

People who do advertisements for super-markets must believe that . . .

Support each of your conclusions with evi-dence from the ads you examined. You must

MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 52 55


include evidence gained from your computationsinvolving the prices and quantities in the ads.

You will present your findings in your smallgroups, consolidate your information, and pre-pare a report for the Channel 14 consumer ex-pert when he visits our class next week. You willbe asses`sed on and provided rubrics for the fol-lowing:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Mathematics1. Your ability to identify appropriate compu-

tations for a task.2. Your ability to perform accurate computa-

tions.3. Your ability to communicate the results of

operations.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Supported Induction

1. Your ability to make, articulate, and sup-port conclusions from information and observa-tions.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively communicate in

a variety of ways.

Deduction TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.

During this unit, we will be watching clipsfrom some of the legislative sessions carried onC-SPAN and taking a field trip to the Capitol.Find and describe a principle of democracy thatis explicit or implicit in the way these legislativesessions are conducted. Specify the conse-quences of this principle by describing specificincidents you observed that can be explained interms of the principle or can be shown to be aclear illustration of the principle. Observe an-other group to ascertain whether the group func-tions according to the same principle. Based onyour observations, identify some logical conse-quences that might occur as a result of how thegroup is functioning in relation to that principle.At the end of this unit, you will present your

MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute

findings in a written report. You will be assessedon and provided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Studies1. Your understanding of democratic princi-

ples and practices.


Complex Thinking: Supported Deduction1. Your ability to identify and articulate a

deduction based on important or significant gen-eralizations or principles implicit or explicit ininformation.

2. Your ability to identify and articulate logi-cal consequences implied by the identified gen-eralizations or principles.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively use a variety of

information-gathering techniques and informa-tion resources.

Deduction TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound ofcure." "An apple a day keeps the doctor away""Exerciseit's a matter of life or breath." Weoften hear sayings that identify the relationshipbetween health and behavior, but for many peo-ple they are just rules to be ignored. The localhealth clinic has asked us to find a way to makethese rules real to young people. We have to comeup with specific examples that show how therules apply. Select a rule or principle from thelist I've provided and write down examples thatwill make the rule come alive. Then create aproduct the clinic might use to communicate toyoung people in our community this connectionbetween a general rule of health and specificbehaviors. Your product might be a poster, a flier,a radio spot, a television commercial, or anythingelse you think would reach young people. Beforeyou begin working on your product, write downthe criteria you want that product to fulfill. Youwill meet in small groups regularly to explain

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how you are working to create a product thatfulfills your own personal criteria for a goodproduct. We will present our ideas to the clinic.You will be assessed on and provided rubrics forthe following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Health1. Your understanding of the relationship be-

tween health and behavior.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Supported Deduction

1. Your ability to accurately interpret thegeneralizations or principles.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to generate and pursue stand-

ards of performance.

Error Analysis TaskGrade level range: Pri.U.E.As we study community helpers, we will learnabout the many things police officers do. You willbe given time to work with a partner and makea list of everything the police do for the people inyour community. Then, working alone or with apartner, you will watch at least three televisionshows about police and try to spot anything inthese shows that differs from the way policework in real life. You and your partner should beready to explain to the class the errors you sawon the television shows and your suggestions formaking the shows more like real life. As wecontinue our learning about community helpers,you will be given a chance to share other errorsthat you notice. As you complete the task aboutthe police, remember that you'll be assessed onthese standards:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Studies1. Your understanding of how people in the

community help us.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Error Analysis

1. Your ability to identify and articulate sig-nificant errors in information or processes.

2. Your ability to accurately describe how tocorrect errors.



Error Analysis TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.Identify a recent disaster the local newspapersand television stations have been reporting on.Your task is to work with a partner to determinehow the media convey information about thedisaster to the public and identify specific exam-ples of inaccurate information. You should in-clude examples from a variety of newspapers,television broadcasts, eyewitness accounts, orinterviews.

You must also identify specific examples ofhow these inaccuracies affected the people re-ceiving the information and describe what mighthave been done to prevent such inaccuraciesfrom being given to the public. Determine a wayto present your findings to a member of themedia, record that person's response, and shareit with the other members of the class. You willbe assessed on and provided rubrics for the fol-lowing:

CONTENT STANDARDSocial Studies 1 Language Arts

1. Your understanding of your local mediaand how information is communicated to thepublic during a disaster.


Complex Thinking: Error Analysis1. Your ability to identify and articulate sig-

nificant errors in information or processes.

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2. Your ability to accurately describe the ef-fects of the errors on the information or processin which they originate.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to use a variety of information-

gathering techniques and information resources.

Constructing Support TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.As we study key conflicts and documents inAmerican history, think about this famous state-ment: "The pen is mightier than the sword."Throughout the unit, you will periodically begiven time to discuss with two other studentswhether you agree with this statement in thecontext of the conflicts and documents we arestudying. Each time you discuss your views,keep a log of the reasons for and against support-ing the statement. At the end of the unit, yourgroup will reach consensus on how to view thestatement. Each of you will then construct anargument supporting the statement or arguingagainst it. You must use specific historical exam-ples in your argument. Be ready to present yourargument to a group of people who will visit ourclassroom. This group includes newspaper re-porters, authors, members of the military, and alegislator. You will be assessed on and providedrubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Social Studies1. Your understanding of the effect of major

conflicts on American history2. Your understanding of the effect of major

written documents on American history


Complex Thinking: Constructing Support1. Your ability to provide sufficient and ap-

propriate evidence for your claim.



Constructing Support TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.A certain property near the school has been anempty lot for several years. Recently, land devel-opers decided this property would be a goodlocation for a gas station and, therefore, pur-chased the property. Many of people who live inthis neighborhood have objected to the construc-tion because the excavation process will disturbthe habitat of the animals who live in the field.The land developers have now issued a state-ment saying that the animals will be able toadapt to the changes or will gradually movesafely to new habitats.

You must decide whether you agree withtheir statement and find two other people whoagree with you. Together, you will gather infor-mation about which animals dwell on the prop-erty and their ability or lack of ability to adaptto this change. You must present your position topeople in the school and community by develop-ing and distributing a flier providing supportedevidence to help convince them that they shouldbe involved in your cause. You must also preparea petition form and gather names of the peoplewho support you in your position. This petition,along with a brief presentation, will be presentedto the city planning commission at the monthlyplanning meeting. You will be assessed on andprovided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDScience and English

1. Your understanding of the concept of adap-tation.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Constructing Support

1. Your ability to provide sufficient or appro-priate evidence for the claim.


a variety of ways.

MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 55

58


Abstracting TaskGrade level range: Mid. J.H.For the next two weeks we will be studyingAmerican military conflicts of the past threedecades, such as the Vietnam War and OperationDesert Storm. You will form teams of two andpretend that you and your partner will be fea-tured in a newsmagazine television specialabout military conflict. Your team has beenasked to help viewers understand the basic ele-ments of these conflicts by relating them to asituation that has nothing to do with militaryconflict, but has the same basic elements. You arefree to choose any nonmilitary situation youwish. In your explanation, the two of you mustdescribe how the nonmilitary conflict fits each ofthe basic elements you identified in the militaryexamples. You will prepare a report, with appro-priate visuals, to present to the class in the wayyou would actually present it if you were doingyour feature on the newsmagazine special. Youwill be assessed on and provided rubrics for thefollowing:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Social Studies1. Your understanding of the specific events

surrounding the military conflicts.. 2. Your understanding of the basic elements

of military conflicts.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Abstracting

1. Your ability to identify a representativegeneral or abstract form of the information.

2. Your ability to accurately articulate therelationship between the general or abstract pat-tern and the second set of information.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively use interper-

sonal communication skills in groups.

MEL Copyright @ 1993 McREL Institute

Abstracting TaskGrade level range: Pri.U.E.You have just finished reading three fairy talesthat all have the same general pattern: charac-ters overcoming a confrontation with an animalwhen the animal's intent is to harm the charac-ters. Your task is to write a story that includesall the characteristics of a fairy tale and also usesthis same general pattern. You will then presentyour story for publication in the school newspa-per You will be assessed on and provided rubricsfor the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

English1. Your understanding of the characteristics

of a fairy tale.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Abstracting

1. Your ability to accurately articulate therelationship between the general or abstract pat-tern and the second set of information.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to create a quality product.

Analyzing Perspectives TaskGrade level range: Mid.J.H.You will be provided with a number of provoca-tive political ads focusing on current issues.Choose one of these, or any political ad to whichyou react emotionally, and write a letter to theeditor describing your reaction to the ad. Bespecific in identifying the techniques in the ad towhich you reacted and the value underlying thisreaction. Make a forceful "I believe" statementin your closing paragraph.

Next, imagine you are a someone who holdsthe opposing viewpoint and that you have justread the above letter and are now writing a letterin response. This letter must specifically definethe opposing value and the reasoning behind it.

Finally, write a letter to a friend commentingon what you learned from this activity about thetechniques used in advertisements to evoke emo-

56 59


tional responses and what you learned aboutyourself and your own perspective. You will beassessed on and provided rubrics for the follow-ing:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Language Arts, Social Studies, Business1. Your understanding of the techniques used

in advertisements to evoke emotional responses.2. Your ability to write business and social

letters.


Complex Thinking: Analyzing Perspectives1. Your ability to describe the reasoning or

belief systems behind your value.2. Your ability to describe the reasoning be-

hind an opposing value.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to effectively communicate for

a variety of purposes.

Analyzing Perspectives TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.We have heard two speakers on the issue ofschools in the United States requiring studentsto become fluent in both English and another

All studentsshould be

proficient intwo languages.

I think this is

language because we live in a global society.Examine your reaction to what one of the speak-ers said and use the top portion of the conflictclarification flow chart shown here to analyzeyour perspective. Then interview three individu-als with different perspectives. Select one ofthese perspectives and fill out the bottom of theflow chart from this perspective. Your state-ments must be specific and your reasons shouldaddress the idea of living in a global society. Youwill be provided rubrics and assessed on thefollowing:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Studies, Foreign Language1. Your ability to understand the implica-

tions of living in a global society.


Complex Thinking: Analyzing Perspectives1. Your ability to describe the reasoning or

belief systems behind a value.2. Your ability to describe the reasoning be-

hind an opposing value.

Self-Directed Learner1. Your ability to seek different perspectives

and consider choices before acting.

because

Others may think this is

because

By completing this flow chart I learned:



Decision-Making TaskGrade level range: Mid.J.H.Select an influential person from the 15th or16th century whose actions had important con-sequences. Determine the factors this personhad to consider before taking those importantactions. What alternatives were available to thisperson? Determine the goals that motivated theperson in deciding to take the actions and thecriteria the person probably applied in makingthe decision. What were the possible trade-offsin selecting one alternative over another? Whatwere the risks and rewards, and how could eitherbe measured? Without the benefit of hindsight,would you have made the same choice? Explainwhy or why not. As you study this decision,reflect on the kinds of history-making decisionsthat are made today. You can present your find-ings in oral or written form. You will be assessedon and provided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Studies1. How well you understand that history is

influenced by the values and belief systems ofinfluential people.


Complex Thinking: Decision Making1. Your ability to identify appropriate and

important alternatives to be considered.2. Your ability to identify important and ap-

propriate criteria for assessing alternatives.

Information Processing1. Your ability to interpret and synthesize

information.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to serve a variety of purposes

through communication.

Decision-Making TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.We will be studying Shakespeare and readingRomeo and Juliet during the upcoming unit. The

IV 14: a Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute

focus of this unit, however, will be on the charac-teristics of classics within and across fields ofstudy. We will initially concentrate on criteria forclassics in literature, then evaluate Romeo andJuliet against these criteria using a decisionmatrix. You will independently add other piecesof modern literature to the matrix and determinewhich of them should qualify as potential clas-sics. As we proceed through the unit, you mayadd to, revise, and delete criteria. You will handin your completed matrix with summary conclu-sions.

In addition, working individually or in pairs,you will select any other field of interest wherethe term classic is used (for instance: cars,sports, arts, sciences). Set up a matrix to identifythe "most classic" item in that field. You need toestablish criteria for classics in that field (someof the criteria from the literature matrix apply)and consider specific choices for your classics(specific cars, pieces of art, experiments). Useyour knowledge of the field or the informationyou learn during the project to select the "mostclassic" item. Be ready to report orally to theclass the alternatives you considered in the ma-trix, the item that is the best example of a classicin a specific field, and how that item met each ofthe criteria in your matrix. You will be assessedon and provided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Science1. Your understanding of the concept of "clas-

sic."2. Your understanding of the criteria for lit-

erary classics.


Complex Thinking: Decision Making1. Your ability to make a selection that ade-

quately meets the decision criteria and answersthe initial question.

Information Processing1. Your ability to interpret and synthesize

information.

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Definitional Investigation TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.Although the term "Third World" is often usedby newscasters, economists, and authors, itsmeaning is unclear to many people. There is nocommon understanding of precisely what theThird World is or where the term originated. Inyour small group, locate descriptions of, or allu-sions to, the Third World or to another regionalterm of your choice (e.g., underdeveloped na-tions, the Far East) that provide information orinsights into the characteristics represented bythe term and an explanation of why the term isused.

Construct a definition of the term and deter-mine if its characteristics focus primarily onpolitical, sociological, topographical, or religiousdistinctions. Use a consensus process to reachagreement on the definition. You will presentyour findings in a panel discussion format, so beprepared to defend your definition. You will beassessed on and provided rubrics for the follow-ing:

CONTENT STANDARDSocial Studies

1. Your ability to distinguish differing defini-tions of regions: those based primarily on poli-tics, sociological elements, topography, religions,and so on.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Definitional Investigation

1. Your ability to construct a definition ordetailed description of something for which thereis no readily available or accepted definition.

2. Your ability to develop and defend a logicaland plausible resolution to the confusion, uncer-tainty, or contradiction about the concept.

Information Processing1. Your ability to search for and acquire infor-

mation.

MEL Copyfight © 1993 McREL Institute

Definitional Investigation TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.Many similes and metaphors have been writtenthat depict different people's understanding ofthe meaning of love. Working with a partner,examine the poetry you have been reading andidentify at least eight similes and metaphorsfrom different poets that depict their view of love.

Determine any agreements or contradictionsthat exist among the poets. Using this informa-tion, create a bumper sticker that you thinkdepicts the meaning of love in a way that wouldbe acceptable to all the poets whose work you'veused. Present the bumper sticker to the studentsin your class along with a survey question askingwhether they agree or disagree with the senti-ments displayed on the bumper sticker and why.

After reviewing the completed surveys, re-port the results to the class. If some people didnot agree with your bumper sticker, logicallyexplain to the class why you think people did notagree. You will be provided with rubrics andassessed on the following:

CONTENT STANDARDLanguage Arts

1. Your ability to identify similes and meta-phors.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Definitional Investigation

1. Your ability to identify and explain theconfusion, uncertainty, or contradiction sur-rounding a concept.

2. Your ability to develop and defend a logicaland plausible resolution to the confusion, uncer-tainty, or contradiction surrounding a concept.


a variety of ways.

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Historical Investigation TaskGrade level range: Pri.U.E.There are competing theories about why dino-saurs became extinct. Most of the theories, how-ever, recognize that it had something to do withthe dinosaur's inability to adapt to the changingenvironment. For example, some say an "ice age"changed the environment. Others say a cometsent dust into the atmosphere, which blocked thesun's rays and thus changed the environment.Weigh the arguments of as many theories as youcan find and determine which seems to be themost reasonable theory.

Then, using information from class, yourtextbook, and additional resources, work inde-pendently to write a report that answers thequestion "What happened to the dinosaurs?" Youmay construct your own theory by using a com-bination of ideas from several sources. Discussthe different theories you considered and thenexplain your theory and why it is the most rea-sonable theory in explaining the dinosaur's in-ability to adapt to a changing environment. Youwill be assessed on and provided rubrics for thefollowing:

CONTENT STANDARD

Science1. Your understanding of the role of adapta-

tion in the survival of a species.


Complex Thinking: Historical Investigation1. Your ability to construct an explanation for

some past event for which an explanation is notreadily, available or accepted.

Self-Directed Learner1. Your ability to seek different perspectives

and consider choices before acting.

Historical Investigation TaskGrade level range: Mid.H.S.In recent years, controversy has arisen over thestatus of Christopher Columbus. Was he a heroor villain? As we study Columbus, we will read

from a number of resources penned by differenthistorians. In cooperative groups, choose at leasttwo resources that describe conflicting reports ofevents that took place upon Columbus' "discov-ery" of the New World and during its settlement.Discuss the contradictions you find and try todetermine why the historians reported eventsdifferently. Using the resources available, de-velop a clear, explanation of the reasons for thecontradictions or present a scenario that clearsup the contradictions.

Your group will explain to the class why his-torians seem to report the same events differ-ently and present a dramatization, panel,discussion, or debate that focuses on ideas forresolving the contradictions. We will then selectthose pregentations that will be included in ourColumbus Day assembly for the school. You willbe assessed on and provided rubrics for the fol-lowing:

CONTENT STANDARDSSocial Studies

1. Your understanding that recorded historyis influenced by the perspective of the historian.

2. Your understanding of the events sur-rounding Columbus' "discovery" and settlementof the New World.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Historical Investigation

1. Your ability to identify and explain theconfusion, uncertainty, or contradiction sur-rounding the past event.

2. Your ability to develop and defend a logicaland plausible resolution to the confusion, uncer-tainty, or contradiction surrounding the pastevent.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to communicate for a variety

of purposes.2. Your ability to communicate in a variety of

ways.

63MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 60


Projective Investigation TaskGrade level range: Mid.H.S.We will be reading George Orwell's 1984, whichcould be described as a work of projective inves-tigation. We will also be studying what washappening in the world around time this bookwas written, the decade of the 1940s (Orwellwrote this book in 1948 and transposed the lasttwo numbers to create the title 1984).

First, working in small groups, your task isto select specific events, ideas, or trends from the1940s and show how Orwell projected them intothe future. You'll be given a chart on which youcan graphically depict these connections.

Second, each person is to select a field ofstudy that interests you (economics, science andtechnology, health care, fashion, sports, litera-ture, the arts, politics, sociology) and select cur-rent events, ideas, and trends in that field, withan emphasis on areas where there is some con-troversy or disagreement.

Finally, using your knowledge of the field,construct a scenario for the future that makessense and is a plausible extension of the present.Present your scenario in any way you wish (writ-ten prose or poetry, art form, oral or video pres-entation, etc.). In your presentation, clearlycommunicate your predictions and how theyplausibly extend the present. You will be as-sessed on and provided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDSInterdisciplinary

1. Your understanding of the extent to whichthe present can inform the future.

2. Your depth of understanding of majorevents, ideas, and trends from a field of study.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Projective Investigation

1. Your ability to accurately identify what isalready known or agreed upon about the futureevent.

2. Your ability to construct a scenario forsome future event or hypothetical past event forwhich a scenario is not readily available or ac-cepted.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to express ideas clearly.2. Your ability to effectively communicate in

a variety of ways.

Projective Investigation TaskGrade level range: Pri.Mid.Imagine a world without music. Describe whatlife would be like in such a world. Identify thevery specific roles that music serves now anddescribe how these roles would change in a worldwithout music. Paint a vivid picture so we canfeel what it would be like to live in that world.Choose whatever form of communication (essay,oral presentation, video, etc.) seems best suitedto your purpose and will allow you to produce aquality product.

CONTENT STANDARD

Music1. Your understanding of the role of music in

everyday life.


Complex Thinking: Projective Investigation1. Your ability to identify and explain the

confusion, uncertainty, or contradiction sur-rounding a future event.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to create quality products.

Problem-Solving TaskGrade level range: Pri.U.E.We have been studying two shapes, circles andsquares. We will be taking a walk through theschool neighborhood to look at the shapes ofbuildings, people, and cars. Then you will drawa picture of the school neighborhood, your neigh-borhood, or a city. Include buildings, people, andcars. You cannot use any circles or squares inyour drawing. As you work, ask a friend to keepchecking your picture to see if you have usedeither of these shapes.

A. Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 6164


When you're finished, I will ask some of youto explain what you learned about shapes andabout how shapes are used in our lives every day.When you turn in your picture, I will look to seeif you used any circles and squares. While youare working, I will ask you to explain to me, usingthe words for the shapes we have studied, whatyou are learning by drawing this picture. Re-member, we have discussed how we solve prob-lems. I will also ask you to explain what makesthis assignment hard. I will show you examplesof what I will be looking for in your pictures andin your answers to my questions.

CONTENT STANDARDSMath

1. How well you understand the importanceof shapes in our world.

2. How well you can recognize circles andsquares.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Problem Solving

1. How well you can identify things that keepyou from solving a problem.

Effective Communication1. How well you can express what you are

thinking so everyone understands you.

Problem-Solving TaskGrade level range: Mid.H.S.Some people are calling for mandatory drug test-ing in many job settings and other areas of life(for example, in sports). Yet mandatory testing israre. What is behind the call for mandatory drugtesting? That is, what benefits are there to man-datory drug testing?

Imagine that you have been hired by a groupthat supports mandatory drug testing to solvethe problems that have prevented mandatorytesting from becoming a more widespread real-ity. You are also charged with designing a cam-paign that will encourage more people toinstitute mandatory drug testing. Use a variety

of resources to learn about the issue and planyour presentation, which you will make to agroup of your choice. You will be assessed on andprovided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDS

Science, Social Studies1. Your understanding of the effects of drug

use on society.2. Your understanding of the interplay of in-

dividual rights and societal protection.


Complex Thinking: Problem Solving1. Your ability to accurately identify viable

and important alternatives for overcoming theconstraints or obstacles.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to communicate for a variety

of purposes.2. Your ability to create quality products.

Experimental Inquiry TaskGrade level range: J.H.H.S.Identify interesting behavior you have noticedwhile riding in an elevator. Explain this phe-nomenon using accepted sociological and psycho-logical principles. Based on your understandingof the principles involved, make a prediction thatcan be tested. Set up an experiment that will testyour prediction and help explain the principlesyou have discovered. Describe whether the ex-periment proved or disproved your hypothesisand whether the principles you've described stillhold true. When you present your findings to theclass, you need to support your oral presentationwith a demonstration. You will be assessed onand provided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Sciences1. Your ability to analyze how individuals

and groups react in certain social situations.



LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Experimental Inquiry

1. Your ability to accurately explain the phe-nomenon initially observed using facts, concepts,or principles.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to set up and carry out an

experiment that tests your prediction.

Experimental Inquiry TaskGrade level range: U.E.Mid.We have been learning about climate, culture,and topography. We have also been discussingwhy people live in certain areas. Although somepeople have no choice about where they live,other people do. Why do you think people chooseto live here in our state? Why do you think somepeople say they would not like to live here?Choose one of these two questions and writethree possible reasons (hypotheses) peoplemight choose to live or not live here. Come upwith one possible reason that relates to climate(for example, "People live here because they pre-fer low humidity and snow"), one that relates toculture (for example, "People live here becauseof the sports and leisure activities"), and one thatrelates to topography (for example, "People don'tlive here because it is so far from an ocean).

Select one of your hypotheses and set up anexperiment to test it. Be ready to share yourconclusions with the class in an oral report. Yourreport should include an explanation of how youarrived at your hypothesis, a description of yourexperiment, and an explanation of how the re-sults supported or did not support your hypothe-sis. You will be assessed on and provided rubricsfor the following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Social Studies Science1. Your understanding of the concepts of cul-

ture, climate, and topography.

LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Experimental Inquiry

1. Your ability to accurately explain a phe-nomenon (i.e, that of people choosing to live ornot to live here) with appropriate and acceptedfacts, concepts, or principles (the concepts ofculture, climate, and topography).

Effective Communication1. Your ability to express ideas clearly.

Invention TaskGrade level range: Mid.H.S.Pretend the people in your group are mad scien-tists who enjoy inventing new things. A weatherforecaster tells you that human hair can be usedto measure humidity. When the air is moist, hairexpands; When the air is dry, hair shrinks. Thechange in length, and therefore humidity, ismeasured using an instrument called a hair hy-grometer.

You decide you will invent a new instrumentthat can be used to measure some other aspect(s)of weather we will be studying. As you work onyour invention, try it out and find ways to makeit the best it can be (unique, accurate, easy touse, durable, attractive, etc.). Describe your in-vention in a written report with diagrams of theinvention, or turn in a model of your inventionand the results you obtained after using theinvention for at least three real-life measure-ments. In the report, describe at least one diffi-culty you had in developing your invention andthen describe how you kept yourself on taskwhen faced with that difficulty. You will be as-sessed on and provided rubrics for the following:

CONTENT STANDARDScience

1. Your understanding of the major aspects ofweather.

Ma Copyright C) 1993 McREL Institute 63


LIFELONG LEARNING STANDARDSComplex Thinking: Invention

1. Your ability to make detailed and impor-tant revisions in the initial process or product.

Self-Directed Learner1. Your ability to push your limits and perse-

vere when facing difficult situations.

Invention TaskGrade level range: Pri.U.E.We have been studying characteristics that helpanimals adapt to their environment. Your tasknow is to select an animal you're familiar withand figure out a way to improve that animal bychanging one or more of its characteristics sothat it could adapt even better to its environ-ment. Draw a picture of your new and improved

animal and be ready to explain exactly how yourchange(s) would help it adapt. Be ready to pre-sent your picture and explanation to the class.You will be assessed on and provided rubrics forthe following:

CONTENT STANDARD

Science1. Your understanding of the concept of adap-

tation.


Complex Thinking: Invention1. Your ability to identify rigorous and impor-

tant standards or criteria the invention willmeet.

Effective Communication1. Your ability to express your ideas clearly.

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Rubrics for Specific Tasksor Situations

Rubrics for Content Standards

A. Generic Rubric for Declarative Standards

4 Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the generalizations, concepts,and facts specific to the task or situation and provides new insights into someaspect of this information.

3 Displays a complete and accurate understanding of the generalizations,concepts, and facts specific to the task or situation.

2 Displays an incomplete understanding of the generalizations, concepts, andfacts specific to the task or situation and has some notable misconceptions.

1 Demonstrates severe misconceptions about the generalizations, concepts,and facts specific to the task or situation.

Note that this generic rubric must be rewritten to include the specifics of the information in adeclarative standard, as in the example shown here:

Mathematics Example (4th Grade): Understands how basic geometric shapes are used inthe planning of well-organized communities.

4 Demonstrates a thorough understanding of how basic geometric shapes areused in the planning of well-organized communities and provides new in-sights into some aspect of their use.

3 Displays a complete and accurate understanding of how geometric shapes areused in the planning of well-organized communities.



2 Displays an incomplete understanding of how basic geometric shapes areused in the planning of well-organized communities and has some notablemisconceptions about their use.

1 Has severe misconceptions about how basic geometric shapes are used in theplanning of well-organized communities.

B. Generic Rubric for Procedural Standards

4 Demonstrates mastery over the strategy or skill specific to the task orsituation. Can perform the strategy or skill without error and with little orno conscious effort.

3 Carries out the strategy or skill specific to the task or situation withoutsignificant error.

2 Makes a number of errors when performing the strategy or skill specific tothe task or situation but can complete a rough approximation of it.

1 Makes many critical errors when performing the strategy or skill specific tothe task or situation.

Note that this generic rubric must be rewritten to include the specifics of the information in aprocedural standard, as in the example shown here:

Mathematics Example (4th Grade): Accurately and efficiently converts measurements fromthe metric system into the English system.

4 Demonstrates mastery over the process of converting measurements from themetric system into the English system. Can perform the process without errorand with little or no conscious effort.

3 Carries out the process of converting measurements from the metric systeminto the English system without significant error.

2 Makes significant errors when converting measurements from the metricsystem to the English system but can complete a rough approximation of theprocess.

1 Makes many critical errors when converting measurements from the metricsystem to the English system.

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RUBRICS FOR SPECIFIC TASKS OR SITUATIONS

Rubrics for Complex Thinking Standards

A. Effectively translates issues and situations into meaningful tasks that have aclear purpose.

4 Translates the issue or situation into a Well-articulated task that has clearlydefined goals and involves clearly identifiable complex reasoning processes.Anticipates and articulates difficulties the task might present.

3 Translates the issue or situation into a task that has clearly defined goalsand involves clearly identifiable complex reasoning processes.

2 Translates the issue or situation into a task that has poorly defined goals.

1 Makes an attempt to translate the issue or situation into a task but providesno understandable description of the nature or purpose of the task or makesno attempt to translate the issue or situation into a task.

B. Effectively uses a variety of complex reasoning strategies.

REASONING STRATEGY 1: COMPARISONComparison involves describing the similarities and differences between two or more items.The process includes three components that can be assessed:

a. Selects appropriate items to compare.

b. Selects appropriate characteristics on which to base the comparison.

c. Accurately identifies the similarities and differences among the items, usingthe identified characteristics.

a. Selects appropriate items to compare.

4 Selects items that are extremely suitable for addressing the basic objectiveof the comparison and that show original or creative thinking.

3 Selects items that provide a means for successfully addressing the basicobjective of the comparison.

2 Selects items that satisfy the basic requirements of the comparison, butcreate some difficulties for completing the task.

1 Selects items that are inappropriate to the basic objective of the comparison.

b. Selects appropriate characteristics on which to base the comparison.

4 Selects characteristics that encompass the most essential aspects of the itemsand present a unique challenge or provide an unusual insight.

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Selects characteristics that provide a vehicle for meaningful comparison ofthe items and address the basic objective of the comparison.

2 Selects characteristics that provide for a partial comparison of the items andmay include some extraneous characteristics.

1 Selects characteristics that are trivial or do not address the basic objective ofthe comparison. Selects characteristics on which the items cannot be com-pared.

c. Accurately identifies the similarities and differences among the items, using theidentified characteristics.

4 Accurately assesses all identified similarities and differences for each itemon the selected characteristic. Additionally, the student provides inferencesfrom the comparison that were not explicitly requested in the task descrip-tion.

3 Accurately assesses the major similarities and differences among the identi-fied characteristics.

2 Makes some important errors in identifying the major similarities anddifferences among the identified characteristics.

1 Makes many significant errors in identifying the major similarities anddifferences among the identified characteristics.

REASONING STRATEGY 2: CLASSIFICATIONClassification involves organizing items into categories based on specific characteristics. Theprocess includes four components that can be assessed:

a. Selects significant items to classify.

b. Specifies useful categories for the items.

c. Specifies accurate and comprehensive rules for category membership.

d. Accurately sorts the identified items into the categories.

a. Selects significant items to classify.

4 Specifies the items to be classified and selects significant items that presentsome interesting challenge in classification.

3 Selects significant items for classification that present some challenge inclassification.

2 Selects items of little significance or presents a routine sorting problem.

1 Selects trivial items or items that have no relationship to the task.



b. Specifies useful categories for the items.

4 Creates categories that provide a useful way of looking at the items at anunusual level of depth.

3 Creates categories that focus on the significant characteristics of the items.

2 Creates categories that provide for some analysis of the items but may notinclude all the important characteristics of the items.

1 Creates categories that address only trivial aspects of the items.

c. Specifies accurate and comprehensive rules for category membership.

4 Provides a clear and complete specification of the defining characteristics ofeach category Describes the defining characteristics in such a way as toprovide a unique or unusual way of looking at the items.

3 Clearly specifies the defining characteristics of the categories and addressesany questions of overlap in characteristics.

2 Describes the defining characteristics of categories in a way that results insome overlap or confusion between categories, or describes characteristicsthat are unrelated to the rules for category membership.

1 Identifies characteristics that do not accurately describe the categories.

d. Accurately sorts the identified items into the categories.

4 Correctly sorts each of the items into the categories and describes the extentto which each item has the characteristics ascribed to the categories. De-scribes insights gained during the sorting process.

3 Correctly sorts each of the items into the categories and, when appropriate,describes the extent to which each item has the characteristics ascribed tothe categories.

2 Makes some errors in assigning items to their appropriate categories, or doesnot describe the extent to which each item has the characteristics of thecategory, when it is clearly appropriate for the task.

1 Makes frequent and significant errors in assigning items to categories anddoes not show how the items have the characteristics of their assignedcategories.

REASONING STRATEGY 3: INDUCTIONInduction involves creating a generalization from implicit or explicit information and thendescribing the reasoning behind the generalization. The process includes three components thatcan be assessed:

a. Identifies elements (specific pieces of information or observations) from whichto make inductions.



b. Interprets the information from which inductions are made.

c. Makes and articulates accurate conclusions (inductions) from the selectedinformation or observations.

a. Identifies elements (specific pieces of information or observations) from which tomake inductions.

4 Clearly and accurately identifies all relevant information from which to makeinductions. The type of information selected reflects creative insight and acareful analysis of the situation.

3 Specifies all relevant information from which to make inductions. Selectsinformation that is important to the general topic.

2 Includes some information that is not important to the induction or does notaccurately identify the important information from which the induction(s)could be made.

1 Selects unimportant or trivial information for the induction.

b. Interprets the information from which inductions are made.

4 Provides accurate interpretations that illustrate insight into the informationfrom which they were made. The interpretations reflect a study of or afamiliarity with the particulars of the topic.

3 Provides interpretations that, with few exceptions, are valid and say some-thing important about the topic.

2 Provides some interpretations that are based on significant misunderstand-ings of the subject matter.

1 Significantly misinterprets the information. Makes interpretations that haveno bearing on the area or are clearly illogical.

c. Makes and articulates accurate conclusions (inductions) from the selected infor-mation or observations.

4 Draws conclusions that reflect clear and logical links between the informationor observations and the interpretations made from them. The rationale forthe interpretations shows a thoughtful and accurate attention to the processof induction.

3 Presents conclusions that, with few exceptions, follow logically from theselected information or observations.

2 Presents some conclusions that reflect erroneous interpretations made fromthe information or observations.

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1 Draws many erroneous conclusions from the selected information or obser-vations and cannot satisfactorily describe the rationale behind the conclu-sions.

REASONING STRATEGY 4: DEDUCTIONDeduction involves identifying implicit or explicit generalizations or principles (premises) andthen describing their logical consequences. The process includes three components that can beassessed:

a. Identifies and articulates a deduction based on important and useful gener-alizations or principles implicit or explicit in the information.

b. Accurately interprets the generalizations or principles.

c. Identifies and articulates logical consequences implied by the identifiedgeneralizations or principles.

a. Identifies and articulates a deduction based on important and useful generaliza-tions or principles implicit or explicit in the information.

4 Selects generalizations or principles that show extreme insight into the topic.

3 Selects important generalizations or principles that contribute to the under-standing of the material being studied.

2 Selects generalizations or principles that generally relate to the informationavailable but that may not have significant explanatory power.

1 Selects generalizations or principles that do not have significant bearing onthe material and do not contribute to the understanding of the subject.

b. Accurately interprets the generalizations or principles.

4 Demonstrates an understanding of the generalizations or principles that isnot only accurate but provides a unique perspective on the topic.

3 Demonstrates an understanding of the generalizations or principles that isaccurate and contributes to an understanding of the topic.

2 Demonstrates a somewhat inaccurate understanding of the generalizationsor principles.

1 Demonstrates an incorrect understanding or interpretation of the generali-zations or principles.

c. Identifies and articulates logical consequences implied by the identified gener-alizations or principles.

4 Accurately identifies logical conclusions implied by the generalizations orprinciples. Recognizes more subtle inferences that could have importanteffects on the subject area.



3 With few errors, accurately identifies the consequences of the generalizationsor principles. The consequences relate closely to the subject area and areworthwhile subjects for discussion.

2 Accounts for important consequences of the generalizations or principles, butidentifies consequences that may not be germane to the topic; or makes logicalerrors in identifying the consequences.

1 Identifies consequences that have little significance and are not logical orgermane to the topic.

REASONING STRATEGY 5: ERROR ANALYSISError analysis involves identifying and describing specific types of errors in information orprocesses. It includes three components that can be assessed:

a. Identifies and articulates significant errors in information or in a process.

b. Accurately describes the effects of the errors on the information or process.

c. Accurately describes how to correct the errors.

a. Identifies and articulates significant errors in information or in a process.

4 Accurately identifies all errors in the information or process under study andmakes clear why the points identified are errors. Also identifies subtle butimportant errors that are difficult to recognize.

3 Accurately identifies all critical errors in the information or process understudy and makes clear why the points identified are errors.

2 Fails to recognize some important errors or identifies some points that arenot errors.

1 Recognizes only insignificant errors or mistakes valid points for errors.

b. Accurately describes the effects of the errors on the information or process.

4 Provides an accurate analysis of the effects of the errors, including a completedescription of the ramifications of the errors beyond the most obvious levelsof impact.

3 Provides an accurate analysis of the effects of the errors, omitting few details.

2 Describes the effects of the errors, but omits some important consequences;or does not accurately describe all the effects of the errors.

1 Does not correctly assess the effects of the errors, or describes effects that donot exist.

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c. Accurately describes how to correct the errors.

4 Provides a highly thoughtful or creative approach for correcting the errors.

3 Provides a workable way of correcting the errors. The response addresses themajor concerns raised by the errors.

2 Provides an approach for correcting the errors. The approach addresses someof the major errors, though it may not be the best or most appropriateresponse to the situation.

1 Does not accurately describe how to correct the errors.

REASONING STRATEGY 6: CONSTRUCTING SUPPORTConstructing support involves developing a well-articulated argument for or against a specificclaim. The process includes three components that can be assessed:

a. Accurately identifies a claim that requires support rather than a fact thatdoes not require support.

b. Provides sufficient or appropriate evidence for the claim.

c. Adequately qualifies or restricts the claim.

a. Accurately identifies a claim that requires support rather than a fact that doesnot require support.

4 Accurately identifies a claim that requires support. The identified claim hasbeen mistaken by many others for a fact that requires no support.

3 Accurately identifies a claim that requires support and does not confuse theclaim with any other information.

2 Identifies a claim that requires support but may mistakenly include informa-tion that does not require support.

1 Identifies information that does not require support and fails to identify aclaim that should have support.

b. Provides sufficient or appropriate evidence for the claim.

4 Presents a clear and accurate treatment of all available evidence that ad-dresses the central point of the claim. Considers what evidence is missingand how it should affect an evaluation of the claim.

3 With no major errors, presents all relevant evidence needed to support theclaim.

2 Provides evidence for the claim, but may not address all necessary aspects.

1 Fails to provide convincing evidence for the claim.



c. Accurately qualifies or restricts the claim.4 Provides careful and reasoned qualifications or restrictions for the claim in

such a way that the argument provides a unique perspective on the claim.

3 Provides accurate qualifications or restrictions for the claim, with the resultbeing a well-defended claim.

2 Qualifies or restricts the claim, but leaves out important aspects of thequalifications or restrictions.

1 Does not address qualifications or restrictions for the claim.

REASONING STRATEGY 7: ABSTRACTINGAbstracting involves identifying and explaining how the abstract pattern in one situation or setof information is similar to or different from the abstract pattern in another situation or set ofinformation. The process includes three components that can be assessed:

a. Identifies a significant situation or meaningful information that is useful asa subject for the abstracting process.

b. Identifies a representative general or abstract pattern for the situation orinformation.

c. Accurately articulates the relationship between the general or abstractpattern and another situation or set of information.

a. Identifies a significant situation or meaningful information that is useful as asubject for the abstracting process.

4 Identifies a situation or information that provides a rich source of materialfor the process of abstracting. The selected information is not commonly usedin abstracting tasks but has a pattern that could be quite powerful whenabstracted.

3 Identifies significant information that also has a pattern that lends itself tothe abstracting process.

2 Identifies information that seems unimportant but does have a pattern thatcan be used in the abstracting process.

1 Identifies trivial information having no identifiable pattern that can be usedin the abstracting process.

b. Identifies a representative general or abstract pattern for the information.4 Identifies a general or abstract pattern that provides unusual or provocative

insights into the information under study. The pattern furnishes the meansfor seeing other material from a unique perspective.

3 Constructs a general or abstract pattern that accurately represents theinformation from which it came.

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2 Creates a general or abstract pattern that may not be a completely accuraterepresentation of the information or situation from which it was drawn butdoes focus on its most important elements.

1 Does not create a general or abstract pattern that accurately represents theinformation or situation selected.

c. Accurately articulates the relationship between the general or abstract patternand another situation or set of information.

4 Demonstrates creativity in the selection of another situation or set of infor-mation that contains a similar general or abstract form. The situation orinformation is important and provides a very good subject for analysis.

3 Correctly identifies another situation or set of information that contains theessential characteristics of the general or abstract form and provides aworthwhile subject for study.

2 Identifies another situation or set of information that does perfectly matchthe general or abstract form but has some similarities.

1 Selects another situation or set of information that does not conform in anyway to the general or abstract pattern identified.

REASONING STRATEGY 8: ANALYZING PERSPECTIVESAnalyzing perspectives involves considering one perspective on an issue and the reasoningbehind it as well as an opposing perspective and the reasoning behind it. The process includesthree components that can be assessed:

a. Identifies an issue on which there is disagreement.

b. Identifies one position on the issue and the reasoning behind it.

c. Identifies an opposing position and the reasoning behind it.

a. Identifies an issue on which there is disagreement.

4 Identifies and articulates implicit points of disagreement that are not obviousbut are the underlying cause of conflict.

3 Identifies and articulates explicit points of disagreement that cause conflict.

2 Identifies and articulates issues that are not points of disagreement asimportant issues of disagreement.

1 Ignores explicit and implicit points of disagreement.

b. Identifies one position on the issue and the reasoning behind it.

4 Articulates a detailed position and the reasoning behind it and, if a strongline of reasoning does not underlie the position, articulates the errors or holesin the reasoning.

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3 Articulates a position and the basic reasoning underlying the position. Doesnot address or incompletely addresses the errors or holes in the reasoning.

2 Articulates a position but does not present a clear line of reasoning behind it.

1 Does not articulate a clear position.

c. Identifies an opposing position and the reasoning behind it.

4 Articulates a detailed opposing position and the reasoning behind it. If astrong line of reasoning does not underlie the position, articulates the errorsor holes in the reasoning.

3 Articulates an opposing position and the basic reasoning underlying it. Doesnot address or incompletely addresses the errors or holes in the reasoning.

2 Articulates an opposing position but does not present a clear line of reasoningbehind it.

1 Does not articulate a clear opposing position.

REASONING STRATEGY 9: DECISION MAKINGDecision making involves selecting among apparently equal alternatives. It includes fourcomponents that can be assessed:

a. Identifies important and appropriate alternatives to be considered.

b. Identifies important and appropriate criteria for assessing the alternatives.

c. Accurately identifies the extent to which each alternative possesses eachcriteria.

d. Makes a selection that adequately meets the decision criteria and answersthe initial decision question.

a. Identifies important and appropriate alternatives to be considered.

4 Presents a comprehensive list of the most important possible alternatives anddescribes each in detail.

3 Identifies alternatives that represent most of the important possible alterna-tives.

2 Identifies some alternatives that are important and others that are not.

1 Selects alternatives that are clearly not relevant to the decision.

b. Identifies important and appropriate criteria for assessing the alternatives.4 Clearly identifies the criteria by which the identified alternatives will be

assessed. The criteria reflect an unusually thorough understanding of thenature of the decision task.

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3 Clearly identifies the criteria by which the identified alternatives will beassessed. With no significant exceptions, the criteria are important to thedecision task.

2 Identifies some important criteria by which the identified alternatives willbe assessed. However, some important criteria are omitted, or criteria areincluded that may not be important to the decision task.

1 Identifies few or no criteria that are relevant to the decision task.

c. Accurately identifies the extent to which each alternative possesses each criteria.

4 Provides a thorough, fully developed assessment of each alternative basedupon the criteria. Exceeds the demands of the decision task by comparing andcontrasting the alternatives to provide greater insights.

3 Presents an accurate assessment of the extent to which the alternativespossess the identified criteria.

2 Does not completely address all the criteria; or applies all appropriate criteriato the alternatives but is not completely accurate in assessing how well thecriteria have been met.

1 Does not address the extent to which the alternatives meet the criteria or isinaccurate is assessing how well the alternatives meet the criteria.

d. Makes a selection that adequately meets the decision criteria and answers theinitial decision question.

4 Selects an alternative that meets or exceeds the criteria and that representsa well-supported answer to the initial decision question. Provides a usefuldiscussion of issues and insights that arose during the selection process.

3 Successfully answers the decision question by selecting an alternative thatmeets or exceeds established criteria.

2 Selects an alternative that does not entirely conform to the student's assess-ment of the alternatives.

1 Makes a selection that does not appear reasonable or cannot be justified bythe student's evaluation of the alternatives.

REASONING STRATEGY 10: INVESTIGATIONInvestigation is a process involving close examination and systematic inquiry There are threebasic types of investigation:

Definitional Investigation: Constructing a definition or detailed description of aconcept for which such a definition or description is not readily available or accepted.

Historical Investigation: Constructing an explanation for some past event for whichan explanation is not readily available or accepted.



Projective Investigation: Constructing a scenario for some future event or hypotheticalpast event for which a scenario is not readily available or accepted.

Each type of investigation includes three components that can be assessed:

a. Accurately identifies what is already known or agreed upon about the concept(definitional investigation), the past event (historical investigation), or thefuture event (projective investigation).

b. Identifies and explains the confusions, uncertainties, or contradictions aboutthe concept (definitional investigation), the past event (historical investiga-tion), or the future event (projective investigation).

c. Develops and defends a logical and plausible resolution to the confusions,uncertainties, or contradictions about the concept (definitional investigation),the past event (historical investigation), or the future event (projectiveinvestigation).

a. Accurately identifies what is already known or agreed upon about the concept(definitional investigation), the past event (historical investigation), or the futureevent (projective investigation).

4 Presents a thorough and correct account of what is already known. Suppliesinformation that may not be commonly known, but that has some bearing onthe topic being studied.

3 Presents an accurate account, with no important omissions, of what is alreadyknown or agreed upon about the topic being studied.

2 Presents information on what is already known or agreed upon about thetopic being studied; however, the information may not be complete in allparticulars, or the student may introduce some inaccuracies.

1 Presents little or no accurate and important information about what isalready known or agreed upon about the topic.

b. Identifies and explains the confusions, uncertainties, or contradictions about theconcept (definitional investigation), the past event (historical investigation), orthe future event (projective investigation).

4 Identifies the important confusions, uncertainties, or contradictions sur-rounding the topic. Brings to light misconceptions or confusions that arecommonly overlooked.

3 Identifies, with no important errors, significant confusions, uncertainties, orcontradictions surrounding the topic.

2 Identifies confusions, uncertainties, or contradictions associated with thetopic. The problems identified include some, but not all, of the most criticalissues.



1 Fails to accurately identify any important confusions, uncertainties, or con-tradictions surrounding the topic.

c. Develops and defends a logical and plausible resolution to the confusions, uncer-tainties, or contradictions about the concept (definitional investigation), the pastevent (historical investigation), or the future event (projective investigation).

4 Provides a logical and well-developed resolution to the confusions, uncertain-ties, or contradictions. The resolution reflects creative thinking as well asthoughtful attention to the details of the problem.

3 Presents a clear resolution to the problems associated with the concept. Theresolution is a logical and plausible outcome of the investigation.

2 Develops and presents a resolution to the problems associated with theconcept. The resolution is satisfactory, but lacks thorough treatment andaccuracy.

1 Presents an unsubstantiated and implausible resolution to the confusions,uncertainties, or contradictions.

REASONING STRATEGY 11: PROBLEM SOLVINGProblem solving involves developing and testing a method or product for overcoming obstaclesor constraints to reach a desired outcome. It includes four components that can be assessed:

a. Accurately identifies constraints or obstacles.

b. Identifies viable and important alternatives for overcoming the constraintsor obstacles.

c. Selects and adequately tries out alternatives.

d. If other alternatives were tried, accurately articulates and supports thereasoning behind the order of their selection, and the extent to which eachovercame the obstacles or constraints.

a. Accurately identifies constraints or obstacles.4 Accurately and thoroughly describes the relevant constraints or obstacles.

Addresses obstacles or constraints that are not immediately apparent.

3 Accurately identifies the most important constraints or obstacles.

2 Identifies some constraints or obstacles that are accurate along with somethat are not accurate.

1 Omits the most significant constraints or obstacles.



b. Identifies viable and important alternatives for overcoming the constraints orobstacles.

4 Identifies creative but plausible solutions to the problem under consideration.The solutions address the central difficulties posed by the constraint orobstacle.

3 Proposes alternative solutions that appear plausible and that address themost important constraints or obstacles.

2 Presents alternative solutions for dealing with the obstacles or constraints,but the solutions do not all address the important difficulties.

1 Presents solutions that fail to address critical parts of the problem.

c. Selects and adequately tries out alternatives.

4 Engages in effective, valid, and exhaustive trials of the selected alternatives.Trials go beyond those required to solve the problem and show a commitmentto an in-depth understanding of the problem.

3 Puts the selected alternatives to trials adequate to determine their utility.

Tries out the alternatives, but the trials are incomplete and importantelements are omitted or ignored.

1 Does not satisfactorily test the selected solutions.

d. If other alternatives were tried, accurately articulates and supports the reasoningbehind the order of their selection and the extent to which each overcame theobstacles or constraints.

4 Provides a clear, comprehensive summary of the reasoning that led to theselection of secondary solutions. The description includes a review of thedecisions that produced the order of selection and how each alternative faredas a solution.

3 Describes the process that led to the ordering of secondary solutions. Thedescription offers a clear, defensible rationale for the ordering of the alterna-tives and the final selection.

2 Describes the process that led to the ordering of secondary solutions. Thedescription does not provide a clear rationale for the ordering of the alterna-tives, or the student does not address all the alternatives that were tried.

1 Describes an illogical method for determining the relative value of thealternatives. The student does not present a reasonable review of thestrengths and weaknesses of the alternative solutions that were tried andabandoned.



REASONING STRATEGY 12: EXPERIMENTAL INQUIRYExperimental inquiry involves testing hypotheses that have been generated to explain aphenomenon. It includes four components that can be assessed:

a. Accurately explains the phenomenon initially observed using appropriateand accepted facts, concepts, or principles.

b. Makes a logical prediction based on the facts, concepts, or principles under-lying the explanation.

c. Sets up and carries out an activity or experiment that effectively tests theprediction.

d. Effectively evaluates the outcome of the activity or experiment in terms ofthe original explanation.

a. Accurately explains the phenomenon initially observed using appropriate andaccepted facts, concepts, or principles.

4 Provides an accurate explanation of the phenomenon. The facts, concepts, orprinciples used for the explanation are appropriate to the phenomenon andaccurately applied. The explanation reflects thorough and careful researchor understanding.

3 Provides an accurate explanation of the phenomenon. The facts, concepts, orprinciples used in the explanation are appropriate to the phenomenon andaccurately applied, with no significant errors.

2 Explains the phenomenon but misapplies or omits some facts, concepts, orprinciples that are important for understanding the phenomenon.

1 Leaves out key facts, concepts, or principles in explaining the phenomenon,or does not use appropriate facts, concepts, or principles to explain thephenomenon.

b. Makes a logical prediction based on the facts, concepts, or principles underlyingthe explanation.

4 Makes a verifiable prediction that reflects insight into the character of thephenomenon. The prediction is entirely appropriate to the facts, concepts, orprinciples used to explain the phenomenon.

3 Makes a prediction that follows from the facts, concepts, or principles usedto explain the phenomenon. The prediction can be verified.

2 Makes a prediction that reflects a misunderstanding of some aspects of thefacts, concepts, or principles used to explain the phenomenon, or makes aprediction that presents difficulties for verification.

1 Makes a prediction that cannot be verified.

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c. Sets up and carries out an activity or experiment that effectively tests theprediction.

4 Sets up and carries out an activity or experiment that is a complete and validtest of the prediction and addresses all important questions raised by theprediction. The activity or experiment is designed to provide complete andaccurate data and a model of the experimental design.

3 Sets up and carries out an activity or experiment that is a fair test of theprediction and addresses the most important questions raised by the predic-tion. The activity or experiment provides accurate data for evaluation.

2 Sets up and carries out an activity or experiment that addresses someimportant aspects of the prediction, but omits others. The design of theactivity or experiment produces some errors in data collection or interpreta-tion.

1 Sets up and carries out an activity or experiment that does not test the centralfeatures of the prediction. The experimental design is seriously flawed andthe collection of accurate data is unlikely.

d. Effectively evaluates the outcome of the activity or experiment in terms of theoriginal explanation.

4 Provides a complete and accurate explanation of the outcome of the activityor experiment and does so in terms of the relevant facts, concepts, orprinciples. Provides insights into the nature of the phenomenon studied orthe facts, concepts, and principles used to explain it.

3 Provides a complete explanation of the outcome of the activity or experimentwith no important errors. Presents the explanation in terms of the relevantfacts, concepts, or principles.

2 Provides a general explanation of the outcome of the activity or experimentbut omits one or two important aspects, or may not effectively relate theoutcome to the facts, concepts, or principles used to generate the prediction.

1 Provides an inaccurate, highly flawed explanation of how the outcome relatesto the original explanation.

REASONING STRATEGY 13: INVENTIONInvention involves developing something unique or making unique improvements to a productor process to satisfy an unmet need. It includes four components that can be assessed:

a. Identifies a process or product to develop or improve to satisfy an unmet need.

b. Identifies rigorous and important standards or criteria the invention willmeet.

c. Makes detailed and important revisions in the initial process or product.



d. Continually revises and polishes the process or product until it reaches a levelof completeness consistent with the criteria or standards identified earlier.

a. Identifies a process or product to develop or improve to meet an unmet need.4 Proposes a process or product that provides a unique solution to an unmet

need. The proposed process or product reflects a high level of creativity.

3 Proposes a process or product that provides a good answer to the unmet need.

2 Proposes a process or product that will not adequately satisfy the unmet need.

1 Proposes a process or product that has little or no relation to the unmet need.

b. Identifies rigorous and important standards or criteria the invention will meet.4 Sets out rigorous criteria well suited to the purpose of the invention. The

student identifies only the highest achievable standards of quality as accept-able outcomes.

3 Establishes an appropriate set of criteria for the invention.

2 Identifies criteria for the invention that may not be completely appropriatefor the product or sets standards that do not ensure a worthwhile or completedproduct.

1 Establishes criteria that fail to address the most important purposes of theinvention. Sets standards so low that little quality can be expected.

c. Makes detailed and important revisions to the initial process or product.4 Reviews the process or product at a considerable level of detail. The revisions

or improvements clearly bring the process or product closer to fulfilling thepurpose for which it is designed. The student's attention to the details of thedraft or model makes a high-quality product likely.

3 Revises the process or product in ways that serve the purpose of the processor product.

2 Revises the process or product but attempts to address only the most obviousdifficulties.

1 Makes few, if any, attempts at revision and appears satisfied with the initialprocess or product, although obvious difficulties still remain.

d. Continually revises and polishes the process or product until it reaches a level ofcompleteness consistent with the criteria or standards articulated earlier.

4 Develops a final prcicess or product that meets the criteria established at ademanding level of quality. The process or product fulfills the purpose forwhich it was designed. In addition, the process or product reflects creativityand establishes a model for creative work of high quality.



3 Continues revising the process or product until it meets all standards andcriteria. The process or product successfully serves the purpose for which itwas designed.

2 Revises the process or product until it meets minimum standards.

1 Finishes revising the process or product before it has met minimum stand-ards. The process or product does not meet many important criteria and failsin its purpose.

Rubrics for Information Processing Standards

A. Effectively interprets and synthesizes information.

4 Interprets the information gathered for a task in accurate and highly insight-ful ways. Provides a highly creative and unique synthesis of the information.

3 Accurately interprets information gathered for a task and concisely synthe-sizes it.

2 Makes significant errors in interpreting the information gathered for a taskor synthesizes the information imprecisely or awkwardly.

1 Grossly misinterprets the information gathered for the task or fails tosynthesize it.

B. Effectively uses a variety of information-gathering techniques and informationresources.

4 Uses the important information-gathering techniques and information re-sources necessary to complete the task. Identifies little-known informationresources or uses unique information-gathering techniques.

3 Uses the important information-gathering techniques and information re-sources necessary to complete the task.

2 Fails to use some significant information-gathering techniques and informa-tion resources necessary to complete the task.

1 Fails to use the most important information-gathering techniques or themajor information resources necessary to complete the task.

C. Accurately assesses the value of information.

4 Analyzes information in detail, accurately and insightfully determiningwhether it is credible and relevant to a specific task.

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3 Accurately determines whether information is credible and relevant to aspecific task.

2 Makes some significant errors in determining whether information is credibleand relevant to a specific task.

1 Makes little or no attempt to determine whether information is credible andrelevant to a specific task or totally misjudges the relevance and credibilityof information.

D. Recognizes where and how projects would benefit from additional information.

4 Insightfully determines the types of information that will benefit a task andeffectively seeks out that information.

3 Accurately assesses a task to identify areas requiring additional informationfor clarification or support and seeks out the needed information.

2 Does not accurately assess the information needs of the task or fails to seekout needed information.

1 Makes little or no attempt to assess whether a task would benefit fromadditional information.

Rubrics for Effective Communication Standards

A. Expresses ideas clearly.

4 Clearly and effectively communicates the main idea or theme and providessupport that contains rich, vivid, and powerful detail.

3 Clearly communicates the main idea or theme and provides suitable supportand detail.

2 Communicates important information but not a clear theme or overall struc-ture.

1 Communicates information as isolated pieces in a random fashion.

B. Effectively communicates with diverse audiences.

4 Presents information in a style and tone that effectively capitalize on theaudience's level of interest and level of knowledge or understanding.

3 Presents information in a style and tone consistent with the audience's levelof interest and level of knowledge or understanding.

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2 Presents information in a style and tone inappropriate for the audience's levelof interest or the audience's level of knowledge.

1 Presents information in a style and tone inappropriate for both the audience'slevel of interest and level of knowledge.

c. Effectively communicates in a variety of ways.

4 Uses multiple methods of communication, applying the conventions and rulesof those methods in highly creative and imaginative ways.

3 Uses two different methods of communication, applying the conventions andrules of those methods in customary ways.

2 Attempts to use two methods of communication but does not apply theconventions and rules of those methods.

1 Uses only one method of communication when more than one method isclearly needed or requested and does not correctly apply the conventions andrules of that method.

D. Effectively communicates for a variety of purposes.

4 Clearly communicates a purpose in a highly creative and insightful manner.

3 Uses effective techniques to communicate a clear purpose.

2 Demonstrates an attempt to communicate for a specific purpose but makessignificant errors or omissions.

1 Demonstrates no central purpose in the communication or makes no attemptto articulate a purpose.

E. Creates quality products.4 Creates a product that exceeds conventional standards.

3 Creates a product that clearly meets conventional standards.

2 Creates a product that does not meet one or a few important standards.

1 Creates a product that does not address the majority of the conventionalstandards.

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Rubrics for Collaboration/Cooperation Standards

A. Works toward the achievement of group goals.

4 Actively helps identify group goals and works hard to meet them.

3 Communicates commitment to the group goals and effectively carries outassigned roles.

2 Communicates a commitment to the group goals but does not carry outassigned roles.

1 Does not work toward group goals or actively works against them.

B. Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills.

4 Actively promotes effective group interaction and the expression of ideas andopinions in a way that is sensitive to the feelings and knowledge base ofothers.

3 Participates in group interaction without prompting. Expresses ideas andopinions in a way that is sensitive to the feelings and knowledge base ofothers.

2 Participates in group interaction with prompting or expresses ideas andopinions without considering the feelings and knowledge base of others.

1 Does not participate in group interaction, even with prompting, or expressesideas and opinions in a way that is insensitive to the feelings or knowledgebase of others.

C. Contributes to group maintenance.

4 Actively helps the group identify changes or modifications necessary in thegroup process and works toward carrying out those changes.

3 Helps identify changes or modifications necessary in the group process andworks toward carrying out those changes.

2 When prompted, helps identify changes or modifications necessary in thegroup process, or is only minimally involved in carrying out those changes.

1 Does not attempt to identify changes or modifications necessary in the groupprocess, even when prompted, or refuses to work toward carrying out thosechanges.

L91,

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D. Effectively performs a variety of roles within a group.

4 Effectively performs multiple roles within the group.

3 Effectively performs two roles within the group.

2 Makes an attempt to perform more than one role within the group but haslittle success with secondary roles.

1 Rejects opportunities or requests to perform more than one role in the group.

Rubrics for Habits of Mind Standards

A. Is aware of own thinking.

4 Explains in detail the sequence of thoughts he or she used when facing a taskor problem. Provides a detailed analysis of how an awareness of his or herown thinking has enhanced performance.

3 Describes how he or she thought through a task or problem. Provides someideas about how an awareness of his or her own thinking has enhancedperformance.

2 Provides a vague or incomplete description of how he or she thought througha task or problem. Provides only few ideas about how an awareness of his orher own thinking has enhanced performance.

1 Provides a confusing report of the thinking he or she used in completing atask or problem. Cannot describe how performance has been improved.

B. Makes effective plans.

4 Sets a precise goal. Considers and carries out all necessary subgoals. Createsand adheres to a detailed time line.

3 Sets a goal. Considers and carries out some subgoals. Creates and carries outa useful time line.

2 Begins tasks without a completely defined goal. Makes little attempt to definesubgoals or develop a time line.

1 Makes no effort to identify a goal or its related subgoals and time line.



C. Is aware of and uses necessary resources.

4 Performs a careful, detailed assessment of resource needs before beginninga task. Reviews available resources and considers alternatives. Anticipatessteps in the process that might require additional demands on resources.

3 Assesses a project to identify areas that require resources. Reviews availableand alternative resources to determine whether they are suitable for theproject.

2 Considers resource needs as they come up, creating situations in whichdifficulties that could have been anticipated will stop or hamper a project.Overlooks alternative resources.

1 Does not consider resource needs. Decides to use whatever resources areeasily available. Overlooks obvious and necessary resources.

D. Evaluates the effectiveness of own actions.

4 Is sensitive to a wide variety of feedback. Responds promptly when thecurrent approach is clearly not working. Seeks out advice and responses fromknowledgeable sources.

3 Is aware of major sources of feedback. Responds and adjusts when correctionis needed. Listens to the advice of others.

2 Is insensitive to some important sources of feedback. Rejects some negativefeedback. Has difficulty accepting advice.

1 Ignores major sources of feedback. Responds negatively to unfavorable infor-mation.

D. Is sensitive to feedback.

4 Reviews actions thoroughly and from as many points of view as is useful.Reviews actions for both immediate and long-term effects. Finds value inlessons learned from both success and failure.

3 Reviews actions from a reasonably objective perspective. Considers short-term effects. Finds lessons in what worked well.

2 Reviews actions from highly subjective perspective. Rarely considers theeffects of actions. Gleans few lessons from the task.

1 Makes no effort to review actions.



F. Is accurate and seeks accuracy.

4 Pays close attention to detail when appropriate. Checks against all importantsources. Recognizes inaccuracies quickly and makes corrections that not onlyclear up the identified errors, but add greater clarity to the whole.

3 Pays adequate attention to detail. Checks several sources. Recognizes andcorrects major inaccuracies.

2 Tries to be accurate but overlooks important details. Doesn't check enoughsources to assure accuracy of important points. Doesn't recognize and correctsome important errors.

1 Does not check important details for accuracy. Makes little effort to reviewfor accuracy.

G. Is clear and seeks clarity.

4 The student's entire work is free of confusing parts or elements.

3 The most important elements of the student's work are free of confusion.

2 The student's work has some confusing components that significantly affectthe clarity of the whole.

1 The student's entire work is confusing.

H. Is open-minded.

4 Seeks out different and opposing points of view. Considers alternative viewsimpartially and rationally.

3 Is aware of points of view that differ from own. Makes a concerted effort toconsider alternative views.

2 Is aware that his or her perspective is not completely shared by all. Pays mildattention to alternative viewpoints.

1 Assumes his or her own perspective is universally accepted. Deliberatelyavoids other perspectives.

I. Restrains impulsivity.

4 Carefully considers a situation to determine if more study is required beforeacting. When further study is required, investigates thoroughly before acting.

3 Considers whether more study is required before acting. When further studyis required, gathers sufficient information before acting.



2 Cursorily considers whether more study is required before acting. Whenfurther study is required, gathers sufficient information before acting.

1 Does not consider whether more study is required before acting.

J. Takes a position when the situation warrants it.

4 Takes a position that is appropriate for the circumstances and introduces avaluable and unrepresented perspective. Provides strong supporting evi-dence for the position.

3 Takes a position that is appropriate for the circumstances and supports anunderrepresented perspective. Provides sufficient justification for the posi-tion.

2 Takes a position that the situation does not completely warrant or that isredundant. Does not provide sufficient supporting evidence for the position.

1 Takes a position that is inappropriate for the situation. Presents a positionthat cannot be supported by evidence.

K. Is sensitive to the feelings and level of knowledge of others.

4 Demonstrates insight concerning the feelings and levels of knowledge ofothers and exhibits this insight while communicating. Encourages respect forindividual differences and sensitivities.

3 Shows the ability to communicate with persons of diverse knowledge andsensitivities. Encourages respect for the feelings, knowledge, and abilities ofothers.

2 Has difficulty adjusting communications to accommodate persons of diverseknowledge and sensitivities. Does little to encourage respect in others forindividual differences.

1 Demonstrates an inability to work or communicate with others of differingknowledge and abilities. Work reflects apathy or callousness towards thefeelings of others.

L. Engages intensely in tasks even when answers or solutions are not immediatelyapparent.

4 Demonstrates strong determination in the pursuit of a solution. Monitors hisor her level of involvement and develops and uses a number of strategies tokeep self on task.

3 Shows determination in the pursuit of a solution. Uses strategies to keep selfon track.

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2 Makes some effort to resolve a difficult problem but does not spend sufficienttime and effort on the problem. Is easily derailed and does not use strategiesto keep self on task.

1 Shows evidence of quitting the challenge early, before really trying to solve aproblem.

M. Pushes the limits of own knowledge and ability.

4 Seeks out a highly challenging task and works on the task until it is completedor until attaining significant understandings from the task.

3 Accepts the challenge presented and works on the task until it is completedor until attaining significant understandings from the task.

2 Accepts the challenge presented and makes an initial attempt to completethe task, but quits before completing it or attaining significant under-standings.

1 Does not accept the challenge.

N. Generates, trusts, and maintains own standards of evaluation.

4 Generates personal standards for completion of the task that significantlyraise the quality level of the task. Incorporates those standards into the finalproduct.

3 Generates personal standards for completion of the task and incorporatesthose standards into the final product.

2 Generates personal standards for the task but does not incorporate them intothe final product.

1 Does not generate personal standards for the task.

0. Generates new ways of viewing a situation outside the boundaries of standardconvention.

4 Explores as many alternatives as time and resources will allow and analyzeshow alternatives will affect the outcome of the task. The alternatives exam-ined illustrate extremely diverse but highly useful ways of looking at thesituation.

3 Generates alternative ways of approaching the task and analyzes how thetask would be affected by each. Some alternatives show originality in theapproach to the task.



2 Considers few alternative ways of viewing the situation; those identified arehighly predictable.

1 Remains inflexible. Applies conventional approaches to the situation evenwhen the results are clearly not satisfactory

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7

Summary Rubrics

Summary Rubrics for Content Standards

A. Generic rubric for declarative standards.

4 Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the important concepts or gener-alizations and provides new insights into some aspect of that information.

3 Displays a complete and accurate understanding of the important conceptsor generalizations.

2 Displays an incomplete understanding of the important concepts and gener-alizations and has some notable misconceptions.

1 Demonstrates severe misconceptions about the concepts and generalizations.

Note that this generic rubric must be rewritten to include the concepts and generalizationsimportant to the declarative standard, as in the example shown here:

Mathematics Example: Understands the importance of geometry in the modern world.

4 Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the importance of geometry inthe modern world and provides new insights into some aspects of geometry'srole.

3 Displays a complete and accurate understanding of the importance of geome-try in the modern world.

2 Displays an incomplete understanding of the importance of geometry in themodern world.

1 Demonstrates severe misconceptions about the importance of geometry in themodern world.

9 7

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SUMMARY RUBRICS FOR CONTENT STANDARDS

B. Generic rubric for procedural standards.

4 Demonstrates mastery of the important strategies and skills. Can performthem without error and with little or no conscious effort.

3 Carries out the important strategies and skills without significant error andwith relative ease.

2 Makes a number of errors when performing important strategies and skills,but can complete a rough approximation of them.

1 Makes many critical errors when performing important strategies and skills.

Note that this generic rubric must be rewritten to include the strategies and skills importantto the procedural standards, as in the example shown here:

Mathematics Example: Effectively and efficiently transforms quantities in one system tothose in other systems.

4 Demonstrates mastery of the process of transforming quantities in onesystem to those in other systems.

3 Carries out the processes of transforming quantities in one system to thosein other systems without significant errors and with relative ease.

2 Makes a number of errors when transforming quantities in one system tothose in other systems but can complete a rough approximation of theprocesses.

1 Makes many critical errors when transforming quantities in one system tothose in other systems.

Summary Rubrics for Complex Thinking Standards

A. Effectively translates issues and situations into meaningful tasks that have aclear purpose.

4 Consistently translates issues or situations into well-articulated tasks thathave clearly defined goals and well-articulated thinking processes. Whenappropriate, anticipates difficulties and develops plans to overcome them.

3 Consistently translates issues and situations into tasks that have clearlydefined goals and identifiable thinking processes.

2 Sporadically translates issues and situations into tasks that have clearlydefined goals and identifiable thinking processes.

1 Rarely, if ever, translates issues or situations into tasks that have clearlydefined goals and identifiable thinking processes.

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B. Effectively uses a variety of complex reasoning strategies.

4 Demonstrates mastery of a variety of complex thinking processes and consis-tently applies the processes effectively.

3 Demonstrates competency in a number of complex thinking processes andusually applies the processes effectively.

2 Demonstrates ability in a number of complex thinking processes, but doesnot have a full complement of skills for managing complex issues.

1 Has a severely limited range of complex thinking skills for managing complextasks.

Summary Rubrics for InformationProcessing Standards

A. Effectively interprets and synthesizes information.

4 Consistently interprets the information gathered for tasks in accurate andhighly insightful way and provides highly creative and unique syntheses ofthat information.

3 Consistently interprets the information gathered for tasks accurately andsynthesizes the information concisely.

2 Sporadically interprets information gathered for tasks accurately and syn-thesizes the information concisely.

1 Rarely, if ever, interprets information gathered for tasks accurately or syn-thesizes the information concisely.

B. Effectively uses a variety of information-gathering techniques and informationresources.

4 Demonstrates an extensive knowledge of basic information resources andcommands a wide range of information-gathering techniques. Demonstratescreativity and resourcefulness in collecting data and creating original data.

3 Demonstrates a knowledge of basic information resources and commands auseful range of information-gathering techniques.

2 Demonstrates a knowledge of some basic information resources but is notaware of all necessary resources, or has command of a limited set of informa-tion-gathering techniques.



1 Demonstrates little familiarity with basic information resources or demon-strates a command of only a few basic information-gathering techniques.

C. Accurately assesses the value of information.

4 Consistently analyzes information in detail, accurately and insightfully de-termining whether it is credible and relevant to tasks.

3 Consistently and accurately determines whether information is credible andrelevant to tasks.

2 Sporadically but accurately determines whether information is credible andrelevant to tasks.

1 Rarely, if ever, accurately determines whether information is credible andrelevant to tasks.

D. Recognizes where and how projects would benefit from additional information.

4 Consistently makes insightful determinations of the types of information thatwould benefit tasks and effectively seeks out that information.

3 Consistently and accurately assesses tasks to identify areas requiring addi-tional information for clarification or support and seeks out the neededinformation.

2 Sporadically but accurately assesses tasks to identify areas requiring addi-tional information and seeks out the needed information.

1 Rarely, if ever, accurately assesses tasks to identify areas requiring additionalinformation or seeks out the needed information.

Summary Rubrics for EffectiveCommunication Standards

A. Expresses ideas clearly.

4 Consistently communicates information effectively by providing a clear mainidea or theme with support that contains rich, vivid, and powerful detail.

3 Consistently communicates information by providing a clear main idea ortheme with sufficient support and detail.

2 Sporadically communicates information by providing a clear main idea ortheme with sufficient support and detail.

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1 Rarely, if ever, communicates information by providing a clear main idea ortheme with sufficient support and detail.

B. Effectively communicates with diverse audiences.

4 Demonstrates an ability to adjust tone and style to a wide and highly diverserange of audiences.

3 Demonstrates the ability to adjust tone and style to different audiences.

2 Demonstrates the ability to communicate with a restricted range of audiencesonly.

1 Does not demonstrate the ability to adjust tone or style for different audi-ences.

C. Effectively communicates in a variety of ways.

4 Demonstrates an ability to creatively and effectively use many diversemethods of communication.

3 Demonstrates an ability to effectively use diverse methods of communication.

2 Demonstrates an ability to use only a few methods of communication.

1 Demonstrates an ability to use only one or two methods of communication.

D. Effectively communicates for a variety of purposes.

4 Demonstrates an ability to communicate for a wide and diverse variety ofpurposes.

3 Demonstrates an ability to communicate for different purposes.

2 Demonstrates an ability to communicate for a restricted range of purposes.

1 Does not demonstrate the ability to change the purpose of communications.

E. Creates quality products.

4 Consistently creates products that exceed conventional standards.

3 Consistently creates products that clearly meet conventional standards.

2 Sporadically creates products that clearly meet conventional standards.

1 Rarely, if ever, creates products that meet conventional standards.

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Summary Rubrics for Collaboration/Cooperation Standards

A. Works toward the achievement of group goals.

4 Consistently and actively helps identify group goals and works hard to meetthem.

3 Consistently communicates commitment to group goals and carries outassigned roles.

2 Sporadically communicates commitment to group goals and carries outassigned roles.

1 Rarely, if ever, communicates commitment to group goals or carries outassigned roles.

B. Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills.

Consistently and actively helps promote effective group interaction andexpresses ideas and opinions in ways that are sensitive to the feelings orknowledge base of others.

3 Consistently participates in group interaction without prompting and ex-presses ideas and opinions in ways that are sensitive to the feelings andknowledge base of others.

2 Sporadically participates in group interaction without prompting and ex-presses ideas and opinions in ways that are sensitive to the feelings andknowledge base of others.

1 Rarely, if ever, participates in group interaction without prompting or ex-presses ideas and opinions in ways that are sensitive to the feelings andknowledge base of others.

C. Contributes to group maintenance.

4 Consistently and actively helps the group identify changes or modificationsnecessary in group processes and works toward carrying out those changes.

3 Consistently helps identify changes or modifications necessary in groupprocesses and works toward carrying out those changes.

2 Sporadically helps identify changes or modifications necessary in groupprocesses and sometimes works toward carrying out those changes.

19MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institut 99 1 2


1 Rarely, if ever, helps identify changes or modifications necessary in groupprocesses and seldom works toward carrying out those changes.

D. Effectively performs a variety of roles within a group.

4 Demonstrates an ability to perform a wide range of roles within a group.

3 Demonstrates an ability to perform different roles within a group.

2 Demonstrates an ability to perform a restricted range of roles within a group.

1 Does not demonstrate an ability to change roles within a group.

Summary Rubrics for Habits of Mind Standards

A. Is aware of own thinking.

4 Consistently and accurately explains in detail the sequence of thoughts he orshe uses when faced with a task or problem, and provides analyses of how anawareness of own thinking has enhanced his or her performance.

3 Consistently and accurately describes how he or she thinks through tasks orproblems and how an awareness of own thinking enhances his or her per-formance.

2 Sporadically but accurately describes how he or she thinks through tasks orproblems and how an awareness of own thinking enhances his or her per-formance.

1 Rarely, if ever, accurately describes how he or she thinks through tasks orproblems or how an awareness of his or her thinking enhances performance.

B. Makes effective plans.

4 Consistently sets precise goals, considers and carries out all necessarysubgoals, and creates and adheres to detailed time lines.

3 Consistently sets goals, carries out some subgoals, and creates and carriesout useful time lines.

2 Sporadically sets goals, carries out some subgoals, and creates and carriesout useful time lines.

1 Rarely, if ever, sets goals, carries out subgoals, or creates and carries outuseful time lines.



C. Is aware of and uses necessary resources.

4 Consistently performs careful, detailed assessments of resource needs beforebeginning tasks. Reviews available resources and considers alternatives.Anticipates steps in tasks that might require additional demands on re-sources.

3 Consistently assesses projects to identify areas that require resources. Re-views available and alternative resources to determine whether they aresuitable for the projects.

2 Sporadically assesses projects to identify resources needed for tasks, andoften overlooks alternative resources.

1 Rarely, if ever, assesses projects to identify resources needed, and oftenoverlooks obvious and necessary resources.

D. Is sensitive to feedback.

4 Is consistently sensitive to a wide variety of feedback. Always respondspromptly when the current approach to the task is clearly not working andseeks out advice and responses from knowledgeable sources.

3 Is consistently aware of major sources of feedback and invariably respondsand makes adjustments when corrections are needed. Listens to the adviceof others.

2 Is sometimes aware of major sources of feedback. Sporadically responds andmakes adjustments when corrections are needed. Sometimes listens to theadvice of others.

1 Rarely, if ever, is aware of major sources of feedback. Seldom responds andmakes adjustments when corrections are needed. Doesn't listen to the adviceof others.

E. Evaluating the effectiveness of own actions.

4 Consistently reviews actions thoroughly and from as many points of view asis useful, evaluates actions for both immediate and long-term impact, andfinds value in lessons learned from both success and failure.

3 Consistently reviews actions from a reasonably objective perspective, consid-ers short-term effects, and finds lessons in what works well.

2 Sporadically reviews actions from a reasonably objective perspective, consid-ers short-term effects, and finds lessons in what works well.

1 Rarely, if ever, reviews actions from a reasonably objective perspective,considers short-term effects, or finds lessons in what works well.



F. Is accurate and seeks accuracy.

4 Consistently pays close attention to detail when appropriate, checks informa-tion against all important sources, recognizes inaccuracies quickly, andmakes corrections that not only clear up the identified errors, but add greaterclarity to the whole.

3 Consistently pays adequate attention to detail, checks several sources, andrecognizes and corrects major inaccuracies.

2 Sporadically pays adequate attention to detail, checks several sources, andrecognizes and corrects major inaccuracies.

1 Rarely, if ever, pays adequate attention to detail, checks several sources, orrecognizes and corrects major inaccuracies.

G. Is clear and seeks clarity.

4 Consistently creates works that are completely free of confusing elements.

3 Consistently creates works whose key elements are free of confusion.

2 Sporadically creates works whose key elements are free of confusion.

1 Rarely, if ever, creates works whose key elements are free of confusion.

H. Is open-minded.

4 Consistently seeks out different and opposing points of view and considersalternative views impartially and rationally.

3 Is consistently aware of points of view that differ from his or her own andalways makes a concerted effort to consider alternative views.

2 Is at times aware of points of view that differ from his or her own andsporadically makes an effort to consider alternative views.

1 Rarely, if ever, is aware of points of view that differ from his or her own andseldom makes an effort to consider alternative views.

I. Restrains impulsivity.

4 Consistently and carefully considers situations to determine if more study isrequired before acting; when further study is required, engages in detailedinvestigation before acting.

3 Consistently considers situations to determine whether more study is re-quired before acting; when further study is required, gathers sufficientinformation before acting.

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2 Sporadically considers situations to determine whether more study is re-quired before acting; when further study is required, sometimes gatherssufficient information before acting.

1 Rarely, if ever, considers situations to determine whether more study isrequired before acting; when further study is required, usually doesn't gath-ers sufficient information before acting.

J. Takes a position when the situation warrants it.

4 Consistently takes positions that are appropriate to the circumstances andintroduce valuable and unrepresented perspectives. Always provides strongsupporting evidence for the positions.

3 Consistently takes a position that is appropriate for the circumstances andsupports an underrepresented perspective; always provides sufficient justi-fications for the positions.

2 Sporadically takes a position that is appropriate to the circumstances andsupports an the identified position; sometimes provides sufficient justifica-tions for the positions.

1 Rarely, if ever, takes a position that is appropriate to the situation andsupports an underrepresented position; seldom provides sufficient justifica-tions for the positions.

K. Is sensitive to the feelings and level of knowledge of others.

4 Consistently demonstrates insight concerning the feelings and levels ofknowledge of others and exhibits this insight while communicating. Alwaysencourages respect for individual differences and sensitivities.

3 Consistently shows the ability to communicate with persons of diverseknowledge and sensitivities and encourages respect for the feelings, knowl-edge, and abilities of others.

2 Sporadically shows the ability to communicate with persons of diverse knowl-edge and sensitivities and encourages respect for the feelings, knowledge, andabilities of others.

1 Rarely, if ever, shows the ability to communicate with persons of diverseknowledge and sensitivities or encourages respect for the feelings, knowledge,and abilities of others.

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L. Engages intensely in tasks even when answers or solutions are not immediatelyapparent.

4 Consistently demonstrates strong determination in the pursuit of solutions,monitors his or her level of involvement, and develops and uses a number ofstrategies to keep self on task.

3 Consistently shows determination in the pursuit of solutions and uses strate-gies to keep self on track.

2 Sporadically shows determination in the pursuit of solutions and uses strate-gies to keep self on track.

1 Rarely, if ever, shows determination in the pursuit of solutions or usesstrategies to keep self on track.

M. Pushing the limits of own knowledge and ability.

4 Consistently seeks out highly challenging tasks and works on the tasks untilthey are completed or until attaining significant understandings.

3 Consistently accepts the challenges presented and works on tasks until theyare completed or until attaining significant understandings.

2 Sporadically accepts the challenges presented and works on tasks until theyare completed or until attaining significant understandings.

1 Rarely, if ever, accepts the challenges presented and seldom works on tasksuntil they are completed or until attaining significant understandings.

N. Generates, trusts, and maintains own standards of evaluation.

4 Consistently generates personal standards for tasks that significantly raisethe quality level of those tasks and incorporates the standards into the finalproducts.

3 Consistently generates personal standards for tasks and incorporates thosestandards into the final products.

2 Sporadically generates personal standards for tasks and incorporates thosestandards into the final products.

1 Rarely, if ever, generates personal standards for tasks or incorporates theminto the final products.

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0. Generates new ways of viewing a situation outside the boundaries of standardconventions.

4 Consistently explores as many alternatives as time and resources will allowand analyzes how the identified alternatives will affect outcomes. The alter-natives illustrate extremely diverse but highly useful ways of looking atsituations.

3 Consistently generates alternative ways of approaching tasks and analyzeshow the alternatives will affect those tasks. Some alternatives show original-ity in the approach to the tasks.

2 Sporadically generates alternative ways of approaching tasks and analyzeshow the alternatives will affect those tasks. Some alternatives show original-ity in the approach to the tasks.

1 Rarely, if ever, generates alternative ways of approaching tasks or analyzeshow the alternatives will affect those tasks. Few alternatives show originalityin the approach to tasks.


8

Rubrics for Students

Complex Thinking Standards

A. I analyze information and situations by turning them into projects that help methink about them in specific ways.

4 I analyze information or a situation by turning it into a detailed project thatwill make me think about it in new ways. I explain exactly what kind ofthinking I will have to do to complete the project and what I will learn as aresult of doing it. I even predict what parts will be difficult for me.

3 I analyze information or a situation by turning it into a project that will makeme think about it; I explain what kind of thinking the project will require meto do and what it will look like when it is complete.

2 I analyze information or a situation and turn it into a project, but parts of thedescription are not clear and the purpose of the project is confusing.

1 I try to analyze information or a situation, but I do not make clear what theproject is. I also do not have a clear purpose for the project.

B. I use a variety of complex reasoning processes well.

REASONING STRATEGY 1: COMPARISON

a. I select useful and important items to compare.

4 I select items that are useful and important and help me make interestingcomparisons; I select items that might be different from what other peopleselect because I want to see things in new ways as a result of doing thiscomparison.


RUBRICS FOR STUDENTS

3 I select items that are useful and important and help me achieve the goal forthe comparison.

2 I select items that will allow me to do a comparison, but the items may notbe very useful or important and may even cause some problems as I do thecomparison.

1 I select items that are not useful or important or that do not work for thecomparison.

b. I select useful and important characteristics on which to compare the selecteditems.

4 I select characteristics that focus on the most useful and important informa-tion about the items being compared. The characteristics will help me see theitems in new and unusual ways.

3 I select characteristics that are useful and important and will help me thinkabout items in interesting ways.

2 I select some characteristics that will help me do some comparing of items,but a few of the characteristics are not very useful in the comparison.

1 I select unimportant characteristics that are not at all useful in the compari-son; or I select items that I cannot even compare.

c. I accurately describe how the items are the same and different for each charac-teristic.

4 I accurately describe the important ways the items are the same and differentfor each of the characteristics; I also explain interesting ideas and conclusionsthat occur to me as a result of the comparison.

3 I accurately describe important ways the items are the same and differentfor each of the characteristics.

2 I make some errors when I describe how the items are the same and differentfor each of the characteristics.

1 I make many significant errors when I try to describe how the items are thesame and different for each of the characteristics.

REASONING STRATEGY 2: CLASSIFICATION

a. I select important items to classify.

4 I select important and interesting items to classify; they may even be difficultto classify and may force me to think about things in new ways.

3 I select items that are important and make me think when I classify them.

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2 I select items that are not very important or that will be simple to quicklyput in categories.

1 I select items that are unimportant or have nothing to do with the reason Iam doing the classification.

b. I create useful categories for classifying the items.

4 I create categories that make me think about the items in interesting anddifferent ways.

3 I create categories that make me think about important characteristics of theitems.

2 I create categories that allow me to classify but don't really make me thinkabout the important characteristics of the items.

1 I create categories that use only unimportant characteristics of the items.

c. I describe accurate and complete rules for deciding which items go in eachcategory.

4 I clearly and completely describe the rules for deciding which items go in eachcategory; I describe these rules in a way that forces me to think about theitems in interesting and unusual ways.

3 I clearly describe rules for deciding which items go in each category, wordingmy descriptions in ways that eliminate any confusion about where to placethe items.

2 I describe the rules for deciding which items go in each category, but I leavethings out and create confusion, or I include information about the categoriesthat does not really help put the items in correct categories.

1 I list rules, but they do not describe the categories.

d. I accurately place the items in the categories.

4 I place each item in the correct category and describe why it fits in thatcategory; I also describe interesting ideas and thoughts that occur to me whileI am doing this.

3 I place each item in the correct category and, when I need to, I describe whyit fits in the category.

2 I make some mistakes when I place items in categories and, even when itwould be helpful, I don't describe why an item fits in a category.

1 I make many errors when placing items in categories and do not describe whyI placed them in specific categories.

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REASONING STRATEGY 3: INDUCTION

a. I select and describe specific pieces of information to use in making generalconclusions or statements.

4 I clearly and accurately select and describe all important pieces of informationto use in making and supporting general conclusions or statements; I amcareful and think in new and interesting ways when I select and use thespecific pieces of information.

3 I accurately select and describe all important pieces of information to use inmaking and supporting general conclusions or statements.

2 I select some specific pieces of information that are not really important inmaking and supporting general conclusions or statements or I miss importantpieces of information related to the conclusions or statements.

1 I select unimportant pieces of information.

b. I think about the information and explain interesting ideas or meanings I findin it.

4 I explain interesting ideas or meanings I find in the information; the ideas ormeanings I find show that I have thought a lot about the information andused all my knowledge to find these interesting ideas or meanings.

3 I explain interesting ideas or meanings I find in the information; the ideas ormeanings are generally accurate and important.

2 I explain ideas or meanings I find in the information, but some of them areinaccurate because I did not really understand the information.

1 I explain ideas or meanings I find in the information, but they are inaccurate,don't make sense, or do not really relate to the information.

c. I make general conclusions from the specific pieces of information or observa-tions.

4 I make clear, general conclusions from the specific pieces of information orobservations; the conclusions make sense and show that I understand how tothink about and combine specific information and observations to come tointeresting general conclusions.

3 I make general conclusions from the specific pieces of information or obser-vations; the conclusions generally show I have used the information orobservations in a way that makes sense.

2 I make conclusions from the specific pieces of information or observations anddescribe how I used the information, but some conclusions and descriptionsdon't make sense.

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1 I make conclusions that don't make sense, and I can't really describe how Iused the information and observations.

REASONING STRATEGY 4: DEDUCTION

a. I select an important and useful general statement in information I am analyzing.

4 I select an important general statement in the information that adds to theunderstanding of the information in a way that goes beyond the obviousmeanings others see.

3 I select an important general statement that helps to explain the informationI am analyzing.

2 I select an important general statement that is related to the information Iam analyzing, but does not really help to explain it.

1 I select a general statement, but it is not related to the information or addsnothing to the understanding of the information.

b. I accurately explain the meaning of the general statement.

4 I accurately and clearly explain the meaning of the general statement andshow how it can be used in ways that may not be obvious to others.

3 I accurately and clearly explain the meaning of the general statement.

2 I explain the meaning of the general statement, but make some errors.

1 I explain the meaning of the general statement, but make major errors.

c. I accurately explain how the general statement applies to other information.

4 I accurately explain how the general statement applies to other information.I find ways to accurately apply it that other people generally miss and showhow applying it in these new ways will add to the understanding of the entiresubject that is being analyzed.

3 I explain, with minor errors, how the general statement applies to otherinformation; the explanation provides a useful way of thinking about thesubject that is being analyzed.

2 I explain some important ways of applying the statement to other informa-tion, but I make some errors or include ways of applying the information thatare not useful.

1 I explain some ways of applying the statement, but they do not make senseor do not relate to the subject.



REASONING STRATEGY 5: ERROR ANALYSIS

a. I find and describe major errors in information I read or hear, or when watchingsomeone do something.

4 I accurately find and describe all errors in the information or process I amanalyzing; I clearly describe each one and tell why it is clearly an error; I evenfind minor errors that many people miss.

I accurately find and describe all important errors in the information orprocess I am analyzing; I describe each and tell why it is an error.

2 I miss some important errors when I am analyzing information or a process,or sometimes I describe errors and find out they are not really errors.

1 I don't find important errors or I frequently describe errors that I find out arenot really errors.

b. I accurately describe how the errors affect the information or process I amanalyzing.

4 I accurately and completely describe how the errors affect or cause problemsin the information or process; I explain the major effects or problems that areeasy to see, but I also explain little things that could happen because of theerror.

3 I accurately describe, with some details, how the errors affect or causeproblems in the information or process.

2 I describe how the errors affect or cause problems in the information orprocess but I leave out some important effects or problems, or my descriptionis not entirely accurate.

1 I do not accurately describe the effects or problems the errors cause in theinformation or process, or I describe effects or problems that do not reallyexist.

c. I accurately describe how to correct the errors.

4 I describe workable and creative ways of correcting the errors so all possibleeffects or problems will be taken care of; my ideas for correcting the errorsshow that I have used my knowledge about the information and process andhave thought about more than one workable way of correcting the errors.

3 I describe workable ways of correcting the errors; my ideas take care of themajor effects or problems the errors cause.

2 I describe some ways of correcting the errors but I my ideas sometimes do nottake care of the effects or problems the errors cause.

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1 My ideas for correcting the errors are not workable or would not take care ofthe effects or problems the errors cause.

REASONING STRATEGY 6: CONSTRUCTING SUPPORT

a. I accurately make a statement that needs to be supported with more information.

4 I accurately and clearly make a statement that needs to be supported withmore information; this statement may have been mistaken by others as afact, but I recognize that it needs support.

3 I accurately make a clear statement that needs to be supported with moreinformation.

2 I make a statement that needs to be supported with more information, butsometimes I add too much to the statement and confuse it with other typesof information.

1 I make a statement that needs no support.

b. I provide enough information to support the statement.

4 I clearly and accurately present all the available information that stronglysupports the statement. I describe how important each piece of informationis to the support of the statement. I also explain what information is notavailable and what problems the missing information might cause.

3 I clearly and accurately present all the important information that stronglysupports the statement.

2 I present some important information that supports the statement, but I don'tprovide enough information or I leave out necessary information.

1 I don't present information that supports the statement.

c. I explain situations where the statement does not apply.

4 I accurately explain situations where the statement does not apply. Myexplanation shows that I have carefully thought about the statement andunderstand where it does and does not apply. It also helps support thestatement and provides a way of understanding the statement from a differ-ent point of view.

3 I accurately explain situations where the statement does not apply. Myexplanation helps support the statement.

2 I explain some situations where the statement does not apply, but I leave outimportant points or do not explain them accurately.

1 I don't explain situations where the statement does not apply.

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REASONING STRATEGY 7: ABSTRACTING

a. I select a significant situation or meaningful information that has within it anidentifiable pattern. I identify that pattern and then compare it with the relation-ships or patterns in another situation or in other information.

4 I select a significant situation or meaningful information that has within itan interesting general pattern that could be compared to a pattern in othersituations or in other information; the information or situation I select is notsomething others typically would choose, but I explain how I see it in adifferent way and why I think it would be a good topic for abstracting.

3 I select a significant situation or meaningful information that has within ita general pattern that could be compared to patterns in other situations orin other information.

2 I select information or a situation that has a general pattern that could becompared to other information or situations, but the information or situationI select is not really very useful or important.

1 I select information or a situation that is not very important or useful. It alsodoes not really have a general pattern that could be compared to other specificinformation or situations.

b. I find a general pattern in the specific situation or information.4 I find a general pattern that includes the important parts of the situation or

information and also helps show the interesting ideas and meanings in thesituation or information. The general relationship or pattern will clearly helpme compare patterns in other specific situations or information.

3 I find a general pattern in the specific situation or information that isaccurate, includes the important ideas, and could be used to compare patternsin other specific situations or information.

2 I find a general pattern in the specific situation or information that includessome important ideas, but it is not completely accurate or it leaves out someimportant parts of the situation or information.

1 I don't find a general pattern that is accurate and includes important ideas.

c. I accurately explain how the general pattern in the specific situation or informa-tion is the same as the general pattern in another situation or set of information.

4 I select another situation or set of information and describe how it has apattern that is the same as the pattern in the first situation or set ofinformation. The second situation or set of information is interesting and isn'twhat most people would typically select. My comparison of the two situationsor sets of information brings out many ideas that help show new andinteresting ways of looking at both situations or sets of information.

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3 I select a second situation or set of information and describe how it has apattern that is the same as the pattern in my first situation or set ofinformation. The second situation or set of information is important, and mycomparison of the two is useful and interesting.

2 I select a second situation or set of information that is only a little bit similarto the first situation or set of information. The two situations or sets ofinformation don't really have matching patterns.

1 I select a second situation or set of information that is not at all similar tothe first situation or set of information.

REASONING STRATEGY 8: ANALYZING PERSPECTIVES

a. I find and describe a topic on which people disagree and explain the areas ofdisagreement

4 I find and accurately describe a topic on which people disagree. I explain theobvious and specific areas of disagreement, but I also find and explain lessobvious causes of disagreement.

3 I find and accurately describe a topic on which people disagree and explainthe areas of disagreement.

2 I find a topic on which people disagree, but I make errors in explaining thespecific areas of disagreement.

1 I find a topic on which people disagree, but I do not find or describe any specificareas of disagreement.

b. I state an opinion on the topic and explain the reasons for that opinion.

4 I clearly state an opinion on the topic and explain the reasons for that opinion.I also describe the thinking that might lead to the opinion, and I explain thestrengths, weaknesses, and errors in that thinking.

3 I clearly state an opinion on the topic and explain some of the importantreasons for that opinion. I do not explain the thinking that might lead to theopinion.

2 I clearly state an opinion on the topic, but I do not clearly explain the reasonsfor that opinion.

1 I do not state a clear opinion.



c. I state an opinion different from the first one and explain the reasons for thatopinion.

4 I clearly state a detailed opinion different from the first one and explain theimportant reasons for that opinion. I describe the thinking that might leadto that opinion, and I explain the strengths, weaknesses, and errors in thatthinking.

3 I clearly state an opinion different from the first one and explain the impor-tant reasons a person might have for that opinion. I do not describe thethinking that would lead someone to that opinion.

2 I clearly state an opinion different from the first one, but I do not clearlyexplain the reasons for that opinion.

1 I do not state a clear opinion different from the first one.

REASONING STRATEGY 9: DECISION MAKING

a. I identify important and useful choices for my decision-making task.4 I identify all the important and useful choices for my decision-making task

and describe them with details.

3 I identify and describe the most important and useful choices for my decision-making task.

2 I identify some choices that are important and useful to the decision-makingtask, but I also identify some that are not very important or useful.

1 I identify choices that are not at all important or useful for the decision-making task.

b. I identify important criteria to use when I evaluate my choices.4 I identify and describe important criteria to use when I evaluate my choices.

My criteria show that I have thought about and understand the decision andhave carefully considered each criterion before selecting it.

3 I identify and describe important criteria to use when I evaluate my choices.

2 I identify some important criteria to use when I evaluate my choices, but Ialso identify some criteria that are not very important or I leave out somevery important criteria.

1 I identify criteria that are unimportant or unrelated to the decision-makingtask.

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c. I accurately describe how each choice relates to each criterion.

4 I accurately describe, with details, how each choice relates to each criterion.For some of the criteria, I even compare the choices to clearly show thedifferences among the choices.

3 I accurately describe how each choice relates to each criterion.

2 I do not describe how each choice relates to each criterion or I make somemistakes when I relate the choices to the criteria.

1 I do not describe how the choices relate to the criteria or I make many errorswhen I describe how the choices relate to the criteria.

d. I select the choice that meets my criteria and answers the question that createdthe need for a decision.

4 I select a choice after carefully considering how the choices match the criteria.I can explain why my choice effectively answers the question that originallycreated the need for a decision. I also explain any important and interestingideas that occurred to me or other things I learned during the process ofmaking this decision.

3 I select the choice that best matches my criteria. The choice provides asatisfactory answer to the question that originally created the need for adecision.

2 I select a choice that matches some criteria, but it may not be the best choicebecause I ignored or did not see a better match.

1 I select a choice without giving much thought to how it matches the criteria,or I cannot explain how my choice matches the criteria.

REASONING STRATEGY 10: INVESTIGATION (DEFINITIONAL, HISTORICAL, AND PROJECTWE)

a. I find and explain the information that everyone agrees is clear or is known aboutthe concept I am defining (definitional investigation), the past event I am describ-ing (historical investigation), or the future event I am predicting (projectiveinvestigation).

4 I find and accurately describe as much as possible about what is already clearor known about the topic. I check my information carefully to make sure it iscorrect. I even find information that very few people know and show why itis important to my topic.

3 I find and accurately describe the important information that is already clearor known about the topic I am investigating.

2 I find some important information that is already clear or known about thetopic, but I miss important information or inaccurately describe my topic.

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1 I find little or no information that is already clear or known about the topic.

b. I find and explain the things about the concept I am defining (definitionalinvestigation), the past event I am describing (historical investigation), or thefuture event I am predicting (projective investigation) that cause people to beconfused, unsure, or in disagreement.

4 I find and explain, with details, all the important things about the topic thatcause people to be confused, unsure, or in disagreement. I even find thingsthat other people often do not see.

3 I find and explain the most important things about the topic that cause peopleto be confused, unsure, or in disagreement.

2 I find and explain some of the things about the topic that cause people to beconfused, unsure, or in disagreement, but I leave out some important ideas.

1 I do not find any important things about the topic that cause people to beconfused, unsure, or in disagreement.

c. I suggest and defend a way of clearing up or settling the things that cause peopleto be confused, unsure, or in disagreement.

4 I suggest and defend a detailed explanation of the topic that clears up orsettles the things that cause people to be confused, unsure, or in disagree-ment. My explanation makes sense and shows that I understand the problemand have thought about it carefully; it even gives people a new way of lookingat the topic.

3 I suggest and defend an explanation of the topic that clears up or settles thethings that cause people to be confused, unsure, or in disagreement. Myexplanation uses information accurately and makes sense.

2 I suggest an explanation of the topic that tries to clear up or settle the thingsthat cause people to be confused, unsure, or in disagreement, but I do notdefend it very well or I use some inaccurate information.

1 I suggest an explanation of the topic that does not clear up or settle things,that I cannot defend, or that does not make sense.

REASONING STRATEGY 11: PROBLEM SOLVING

a. I accurately recognize and describe the limits or barriers that make it difficultfor me to achieve my goal.

4 I accurately recognize all the important limits or barriers that make itdifficult for me to achieve my goal. I describe, with details, how they make itdifficult. I even recognize and describe lesser limits or barriers that make itmore difficult to achieve my goal.



3 I accurately recognize and describe the major limits or barriers that make itdifficult for me to achieve my goal.

2 I recognize and describe some of the major limits or barriers that make itdifficult for me to achieve my goal, but I miss some important ones orinaccurately describe them.

1 I describe what I see as limits or barriers but do not recognize or describe anyof the major limits or barriers that make it difficult for me to achieve my goal.

b. I suggest workable and effective solutions for dealing with the limits or barriersso I can achieve my goal.

4 I suggest a number of interesting and workable solutions for dealing with thelimits or barriers so I can achieve my goal. My suggestions show I havethought carefully because some of my ideas are very different from whatothers might suggest; the solutions relate directly to all of the specificproblems caused by the limits or barriers.

3 I suggest a number of workable solutions for dealing with the limits orbarriers so I can achieve my goal. My suggestions will help me deal with theproblems created by the limits or barriers.

2 I suggest several solutions for dealing with the limits or barriers, but someof them do not help solve the important problems created by the limits orbarriers.

1 I suggest solutions for dealing with the limits or barriers, but my suggestionsdo not relate to the problems created by the limits or barriers.

c. I select and try out the best solution.

4 I decide which of my ideas is probably going to be the best solution and setup a way of trying it out to see if it works. I use a method of testing the solutionthat I know will give me a complete idea of how well it helps me deal with allof the problems created by the specific limits or barriers. I also see if thesolution has other unexpected effects that help me achieve my original goal.

3 I select what seems to be the best solution and try it out in a way that willtell me if it works. The test I use helps me decide if the solution is a good onefor dealing with the limits or barriers in my problem.

2 I select what seems to be the best solution and try it out, but the way I setup the test does not really tell me how well it works. I still won't know if thesolution is a good one for dealing with the limits or barriers.

1 I select what seems to be the best solution, but I do not try it out in a situationthat gives me any usable information about how well it works.


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d. When I try other solutions besides my first choice, I explain the reasons they werenot my first choice and describe how well each of them helps me deal with thelimits or barriers in my problem.

4 I explain clearly and with details why I am testing other solutions besidesmy first choice. I describe the criteria I used to put the solutions in order ofimportance and tell how the solutions meet the criteria. I then explain howwell each solution worked to help me deal with the limits or barriers in myproblem.

3 I explain the process I used to put my other solutions in order of importance.The process is clear and makes sense. I also describe how well the solutionshelped me deal with the limits or barriers in my problem.

2 I explain the process I used to put my other solutions in order, but the processis not very clear or has some errors; or I do not describe how each of thesolutions worked.

1 I explain the process I used to put my other solutions in order, but it makesno sense. I do not describe how well any of the solutions worked.

REASONING STRATEGY 12: EXPERIMENTAL INQUIRY

a. I use accurate and important information to suggest an explanation for somethingI am studying.

4 I suggest a clear explanation for something I am studying. My explanationincludes accurate and important information from a variety of sources. Icheck my information carefully to make sure it clearly explains what Iobserve.

3 I suggest a clear explanation for something I am studying. My explanationincludes accurate and important information.

2 I suggest an explanation something I am studying. I include some inaccurateinformation or leave out important information that would have made theexplanation clearer.

1 I suggest an explanation for something I am studying, but I include inaccu-rate or unimportant information and leave out important information.

b. I make a prediction about what would happen if my explanation is correct.

4 I make a prediction about what would happen if my explanation is correct.The prediction can be tested and is based on the information in my explana-tion. I even add more information to show that I am increasing my knowledgeof what I am studying.

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3 I make a prediction about what would happen if my explanation is correct.The prediction is based on the information in my explanation and can betested.

2 I make a prediction about what would happen if my explanation is correct,but the prediction is based on the incorrect use of information in my expla-nation or is a prediction that would be difficult to test.

1 I make a prediction that cannot be tested.

c. I set up and carry out an experiment (or activity) to find out whether myprediction is accurate.

4 I set up and carry out an experiment that tests all aspects of my prediction.The experiment also produces other useful information and gives answers toother questions related to my prediction. I carefully plan every step of theactivity or experiment so that the results are accurate, clear, and usable.

3 I set up and carry out an experiment that does a good job of testing theprediction. I get some accurate, clear, and usable results.

2 I set up and carry out an experiment that tests some parts of my predictionbut does not give me complete information. Some of the results are difficultto use in finding out whether my prediction is accurate.

1 I set up and carry out an experiment, but it does not test the prediction. Theset-up of the experiment is sloppy and my results are inaccurate or not usable.

d. I accurately evaluate the results of the experiment (or activity) and decidewhether my original explanation of what I am studying is correct.

4 I accurately evaluate all the results of the experiment to decide whether myprediction was accurate and the results support my original explanation ofwhat I am studying. I discuss how accurately I used the important informa-tion in my original explanation. I also describe what I learn or understandbetter as a result of doing this experiment.

3 I accurately evaluate the important results of the experiment to decidewhether my prediction was accurate. I explain how well the results supportmy original explanation.

2 I describe some important results of the experiment, but I leave out someimportant results or have trouble explaining how the results relate to myoriginal explanation.

1 I describe some results, but I make many errors and do not relate the resultsto my original explanation.

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REASOMNG STRATEGY 13: INVENTION

a. I suggest a process that could be improved upon or a product that could becreated.

4 I suggest a process or product that could be improved upon or created. Myidea is unusual and extremely useful. It shows that I have studied andthought carefully about what it takes to come up with an idea that willimprove people's lives by meeting a specific need.

3 I suggest a process or product that could be improved upon or created. Myidea is new and useful.

2 I suggest a process or product that is somewhat useful, but will not reallyhelp meet a specific need.

1 I suggest a process or product that is not related to a specific need.

b. I set clear and important standards that my invention will meet.

4 I set clear and useful standards that my invention must meet. I make surethe standards are high enough so that my invention will be the best.

3 I set clear and useful standards that will be my guide to quality as I work onmy invention.

2 I set clear standards, but some of them are not very useful for this type ofinvention or are not high enough to help me do quality work.

1 I set standards that do not really relate to my invention or are so low that itlooks like I do not plan to do quality work.

c. As I work on my invention, I make detailed and important changes when neces-sary.

4 As I work, I study my invention carefully to identify small changes that mightmake it better. I always go back and think about the need my invention issupposed to meet, and my changes definitely help it better meet that need.My goal is to keep making changes until my invention is the best it can be.

3 As I work, I make important changes when necessary so the invention willmeet the need that it is supposed to meet.

2 As I work, I make changes, but only when absolutely necessary.

1 As I work, I make almost no changes. I stick with my first try, even if it doesnot work very well.

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d. I work on my invention until it is complete and has met the standards that I set.4 I work on my invention until it completely meets or exceeds the standards

that I set. The final process or product serves its intended purpose and evengoes beyond what I had originally planned.

3 I work on my invention until it meets all the standards that I set. The finalproduct or process serves its intended purpose.

2 I work on my invention only until it barely meets some of the standards I set.It partially serves its intended purpose.

1 I quit work on my invention before it meets the standards I set. The inventiondoes not serve its intended purpose.

Information Processing Standards

A. I find meaning in information and then combine and organize informationto make it useful for my task.

4 I find useful and accurate meaning in information I gather for my task. Iunderstand meanings in information that other people do not see. I thencombine and organize information in my own way to express certain ideas.

3 I find useful and accurate meaning in the information I gather for my task,and I combine and organize the information so that it makes sense.

2 I make errors when I look for meaning in information that I gather for mytask, and I combine the information inaccurately or in a way that makes itconfusing.

1 I make major errors when I look for meaning in information that I gather formy task, and I do not combine or organize information.

B. I use a variety of methods and resources when gathering information for my task.

4 I use important information resources and useful methods when I gatherinformation for my task. I even find resources that other people don't thinkof or don't know about. My methods are unusual but effective.

3 I use important information resources and useful methods when I gatherinformation for my task.

2 I miss some important information resources and fail to use some of the bestmethods when I gather information for my task.

1 I do not use important information resources or the best methods when Igather information for my task.

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C. I accurately determine how valuable specific information may be to my task.

4 I accurately determine how valuable specific information may be to my task,explaining in detail how and why the information would be useful andwhether it is believable. My explanation shows that I understand well thekind of information needed for my task.

I accurately determine how valuable specific information may be in my task.I explain how it would be useful and whether it is believable.

2 I make some errors when I determine how valuable specific information maybe to my task and explain how useful and believable it is.

1 I do not determine how valuable specific information may be to my task, or Imake many major errors when I explain how the information may be usefulor whether it is believable.

D. I recognize when more information is needed and explain how the new informationwould improve the completed project.

4 I recognize when more information is needed, even when other people maythink the project is fine. I explain how the completed project would benefitfrom additional information and I describe exactly what information isneeded. I then find the information.

3 I recognize that more information would make the completed project betterand explain how additional information would improve it. I then find theinformation.

2 I do not recognize when a project needs more information. Even if I decidemore is needed, I do not find the needed information.

1 I do not try to recognize when a project needs more information.

Effective Communication Standards

A. I communicate ideas clearly.

4 I communicate ideas by making sure I have a strong main idea or topic andcarefully organized details that explain or support the idea or topic. I makesure the details help make the bigger ideas useful and interesting.

3 I communicate ideas by making sure I have a clear main idea or topic andenough details to explain or support the idea or topic.

2 I communicate some important information, but I do not organize it wellaround a main idea or topic.



1 I communicate information in unorganized pieces.

B. I communicate well with different audiences.

4 I present information to various audiences in a way that makes the most oftheir specific knowledge and interests.

3 I present information to various audiences in a way that suits their specificknowledge and interests.

2 I present information to various audiences in a way that does not completelysuit their knowledge and interests.

1 I present information to various audiences in a way that conflicts with theirknowledge and interests.

C. I communicate well using a variety of media.

4 I use many methods of communication and I follow the correct processes anduse the accepted standards of those mediums. I also use the mediums in newand different ways.

3 I communicate using two mediums and follow the correct process and use theaccepted standards for both of those mediums.

2 I try to communicate using two mediums, but I make errors in the processesand misunderstand the accepted standards of the mediums I am using.

1 I do not even try to communicate in more than one medium.

D. I communicate well for different purposes.

4 I clearly explain the purpose of my communication by selecting and usingvery effective and original methods. My explanation goes beyond just statingthe purpose; it adds meaning to the information I am communicating.

3 I clearly explain the purpose of my communication by selecting and usingeffective methods.

2 I try to explain the purpose of my communication, but I make errors in theexplanation or leave out information that would make it clear.

1 I do not try to explain the purpose of my communication or I don't really havea clear purpose.

7/MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 124


Collaboration/Cooperation Standards

A. I work to help achieve the goals of the group.

4 I participate actively and even help lead the group in setting goals. I do thejobs assigned to me better than anyone expects.

3 I participate in group discussions and show that I care about the group goals.I complete the jobs assigned to me.

2 I participate in group discussions and show that I care about the group goals,but I do not do the jobs assigned to me.

1 I don't participate in group discussions or show that I care about the groupgoals; or I actually work against the goals.

B. I communicate well with the other group members.

4 I encourage good communication among the group members and try to makesure everyone shares their ideas. When I share my ideas, I show that I careabout other people's feelings and ideas, and I encourage everyone in the groupto do the same.

3 I participate in group discussions without being asked to. When I share myideas, I show that I care about other people's feelings and ideas.

2 I participate in group discussions when I am asked to. When I share my ideas,I don't clearly show that I care about the feelings and ideas of others.

1 I do not participate in group discussions, even when asked to. I share ideasin a way that shows I don't really care about the feelings and ideas of others.

c. I help make sure the group works well together.

4 I encourage the group to evaluate how well we are working together. I try toget everyone involved in thinking of ways to make changes when we need toimprove. When we decide to make changes. I try to make sure the changeshelp us work better together.

3 I participate in discussions of how well we are 'working together and helpdevelop suggestions for changes when we need to improve. I work on makingthe changes that we agree to.

2 I participate in discussions of how well we are working together only when Iam asked to, and I don't have ideas for ways to change. When we decide tochange, I put little effort into making those changes.


1 28


1 I do not participate in discussing how well we are working together. Whenthe group decides to change, I refuse to help work on the changes.

D. I perform a variety ofjobs in my group.

4 I perform many jobs in my group and do them all well.

3 I perform two jobs in my group and do both well.

2 I try to perform two jobs in my group but don't perform both well.

1 I don't even try to perform any more than one job in my group.

Habits of Mind Standards

A. I am aware of my own thinking.

4 I describe in detail the steps of my thinking when I am solving a problem ordoing other kinds of mental tasks. I explain in detail how thinking about mythinking helps me improve my work and how it helps me be a better learner.

3 I describe how I am thinking when I am solving a problem or doing otherkinds of mental tasks. I explain how thinking about my thinking helps melearn and helps me improve my work.

2 I don't include very much information when I try to describe how I amthinking when I am solving a problem or doing other kinds of mental tasks.I explain only small benefits that can be gained from thinking about my ownthinking.

1 I describe my thinking when I am solving a problem or doing other kinds ofmental tasks, but my description is confusing. I do not describe how thinkingabout my thinking affects how I learn or do tasks.

B. I plan carefully before I begin to work.

4 I set clear goals and describe each step I must take to achieve them. I makea detailed schedule for each step and closely follow the schedule.

3 I set clear goals and describe some steps I must take to achieve them. I makeand use a schedule.

2 I begin working with only unclear goals. I describe few of the steps I musttake to achieve my goals, and I make an incomplete schedule.

1 I begin working and just let things happen as they happen. I do not describethe steps I must take and I do not make a schedule.

9NM Copyright @ 1993 McREL Institute 126


C. I am aware of available resources that could help me complete a task.

4 I describe in detail all the resource's I think I might need before I start workingon a task. I search for the resources available to me and, if something I needis not available, I describe other places I might get this help or information.I also predict what parts of the task will require the use of the most resources.

3 I list the most important resources I might need before I start working on atask. I review the resources that are available and describe other resourcesthat I may have to find.

2 I begin working on a task and look for resources when I need them. This slowsmy work because I have to keep stopping to find the resources. When aresource is not available, I do not find other resources that might help.

1 As I am working on a task, I use resources only if they happen to be readilyavailable. I do not use many resources that are available.

D. I listen to and evaluate feedback to decide if I need to change my approach to a task.

4 I find and listen to information about how I am doing on a task. I change myapproach when the feedback convinces me that what I'm doing isn't working.I seek advice from sources I know will give me good information about howmy task is going. I study the information, no matter where it came from, anddecide whether it is useful.

3 I listen to important information about how I am doing and decide if it willhelp me with my task. I change my approach to the task when the feedbackconvinces me that what I'm doing isn't working. I listen to advice and decidewhether it is useful.

2 I listen to information about how I am doing only if the information is easyto get. If I don't like the source of the information, I don't listen. I don't likelistening to advice from others.

1 I don't listen to most information that tells me how I am doing on a task. Irefuse to accept information that tells me I should change my approach to thetask.

E. I evaluate how well I am doing.

4 I evaluate, in detail, how well I am doing by looking at my performance frommy own point of view and by making sure I find out how others would evaluatemy work. I describe the effect my work has right now and what effect it mighthave later. I explain how I can learn from my successes and my failures.

AWL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute130

127


3 I evaluate how well I am doing and describe the effect my work has right now.I try to find out how others would evaluate my work. I explain how I can learnfrom what I do well on the task.

2 I evaluate how well I am doing, but I use only my own opinion. I don't describethe effects of my work and don't explain how I can learn from what I am doing.

1 I don't try to evaluate how well I am doing.

F. I am accurate in my work.

4 I pay close attention to details. I check every useful source to make sure mywork is completely accurate. when I find errors , I quickly correct the errorsin a way that improves the value of the entire project.

3 I pay attention to details when I work. I check other sources to make sure mywork is accurate. I find and correct major errors.

2 I try to pay attention to details in my work, but miss some important ideas.I check some sources to see if my work is accurate, but miss important placesI should check. I miss important errors and fail to correct others.

1 I don't check to make sure my information is accurate. I make little effort tofind and correct errors.

G. I am clear in my work.

4 My work has no confusing parts.

3 The most important parts of my work are free of any confusion.

2 My work has some confusing parts that affect the whole.

1 My work has many confusing parts.

H. I am open-minded.

4 I try to find ideas that are different from mine and evaluate them to decideif they make sense even when the ideas are unusual.

3 When I come across ideas that are different from mine, I try to understandthem.

2 I understand that other people have ideas different from mine, but I don't payattention to these different ideas.

1 I believe my ideas are the only ideas worth listening to and I don't listen topeople who have different ideas.



I. I avoid acting without thinking.

4 I evaluate a situation carefully and seek advice from other sources to decidewhether I need more information before I act. When I decide more informationis needed, I look for sources that might help and study them to find importantinformation.

3 I evaluate a situation to decide if I need more information before I act. WhenI decide more information is needed, I look for that information.

2 I do only a quick evaluation of a situation to decide whether I need moreinformation before I act. When I decide more information is needed, I look forsome additional information only when it is easy to obtain.

1 I do not evaluate the situation to decide whether I need more informationbefore I act.

J. I state my ideas or opinion if the issue or situation warrants it.

4 I state my ideas or opinion about an issue or situation when I believe I canshed light on the issue or situation. I give important information and providea valuable and new way of looking at the issue or situation. I explain theimportant information that supports my ideas or opinions.

3 I state my ideas or opinion about an issue or situation when I believe I cangive important support to a way of looking at the issue or situation. I explainthe reasons for my ideas or opinion.

2 I state my ideas or opinion about an issue when comments are not reallyneeded. My comments may simply repeat what has already been said or Imay not clearly explain the reasons for my ideas or opinion.

1 I state my ideas or opinion in a way that is harmful to the situation. I cannotsupport my ideas or opinion.

K. I am sensitive to the feelings, knowledge, and abilities of others.

4 I evaluate situations to make sure I understand the feelings, knowledge, andabilities of others. I use this understanding when I communicate, and Iencourage people to show respect for the different feelings, knowledge, andabilities of others.

3 I communicate well with people who have different feelings, knowledge, andabilities. I encourage people to show respect for the feelings, knowledge, andabilities of others.

Afflia Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute1 32

129


2 I try but don't really understand the different feelings, knowledge, andabilities of others well enough to communicate effectively with them. I dolittle to encourage others to show respect for these differences.

1 I don't communicate well with people who have different feelings, knowledge,and abilities. In fact, I communicate that I don't care about their differences.

L. I work hard on tasks even when the answers or solutions are difficult to find.

4 I show that I will not give up, no matter how difficult it is to find the answersor solutions. I evaluate how hard I am trying and I use a variety of techniquesto keep myself on task.

3 I show that I don't give up when I am trying to find the answers or solutions.I keep myself on task.

2 I try to complete tasks when the answers or solutions are difficult, but I giveup when I have to try too hard. I don't have good techniques for keeping myselfon task.

1 I give up quickly on difficult tasks.

M. I push myself to try things that I'm not sure I can do.

4 I look for tasks that I'm not sure I can do and stick with them until I'veaccomplished them or until I have learned all I can.

3 I try tasks that are given to me even when I'm not sure I can do them, and Istick with them until I've accomplished them or until I have learned all I can.

2 I try tasks that are given to me even when I'm not sure I can do them, but Igive up before I accomplish them or before I have learned from them.

1 I avoid tasks that I'm not sure I can do.

N. I create, trust, and use standards for evaluating my own work.

4 I create and trust standards for evaluating my own work. The standards I setare high enough to make me produce something of high quality. I make suremy final product meets those standards.

3 I create and trust standards for evaluating my own work. I make sure myfinal product meets those standards.

2 I create and trust standards for evaluating my own work, but I don't makesure my final product meets those standards.

1 I do not create standards for evaluating my own work.

1 3



0. I find new ways of looking at situations that are different from the usual ways inwhich people look at them.

4 I use time and resources creatively to find as many ways as possible to lookat a situation. I evaluate these ways to see how useful they might be. My waysare very different from the ways of others, but often they are more useful.

3 I find a variety of ways of looking at a situation and evaluate how useful theyare. Some of the ways I find are new and different.

2 I describe different ways of looking at a situation, but my ideas are common.

1 I look at a situation in only one way, and that way is one of the most common.I don't look further, even when it is clear that it would be helpful to do so.

3 4


9

Blank Forms

Throughout this book, we have shown samples of forms that may be usedto support the assessment process. This chapter contains blank ver-sions of those forms, which we encourage teachers to photocopy and

use in their classrooms:

Student Record Part IStudent Record Part IIStudent Record Part IIITask Evaluation FormGrade Book Form

135


BLANK FORMS

Student RecordPart I

Student

CONTENT STANDARDS Summary Validations

Afflia Copyright C) 1993 McREL Institute 133

Student RecordPart II

Student

COMPLEX THINKING Summary Validations

1. Effectively translates issues and situations into manageable tasksthat have a clear purpose.

2. Effectively uses a variety of complex reasoning strategies.

INFORMATION PROCESSING Summary Validations

1. Effectively interprets and synthesizes information.

2. Effectively uses a variety of information-gathering techniquesand information resources.

3. Accurately assesses the value of information.

4. Recognizes where and how projects would benefit fromadditional information.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Summary Validations

1. Expresses ideas clearly.

2. Effectively communicates with diverse audiences.

3. Effectively communicates in a variety of ways.

4. Effectively communicates for a variety of purposes.

5. Creates high-quality products.

13 7MEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 134

Student RecordPart III

Student

COLLABORATION/COOPERATION Summary Validations

1. Works toward the achievement of group goals.

2. Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills.

3. Contributes to group maintenance.

4. Effectively performs a variety of roles in a group.

HABITS OF MIND Summary Validations

1. Is aware of own thinking.

2. Makes effective plans.

3. Is aware of necessary resources.

4. Is sensitive to feedback.

5. Evaluates the effectiveness of own actions.

6. Is accurate and seeks accuracy.

7. Is clear and seeks clarity.

8. Is open-minded.

9. Restrains impulsivity.

10. Takes a position when the situation warrants it.

11. Is sensitive to the feelings and level of knowledge of others.

12. Engages intensely in tasks even when answers or solutions arenot immediately apparent.

13. Pushes the limits of own knowledge and abilities.

14. Generates, trusts, and maintains own standards of evaluation.

15. Generates new ways of viewing a situation outside the boundariesof standard conventions.

NIEL Copyright © 1993 McREL Institute 135

Student

Task Evaluation Form

STANDARDS EVALUATION

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1 41

About the Authors

Robert J. Marzano is Deputy Director of Training and Development,Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory, 2550 S. Parker Rd., Suite500, Aurora, CO 80014.

Debra Pickering is Senior Program Associate, Mid-continent RegionalEducational Laboratory, 2550 S. Parker Rd., Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014.

Jay Mc Tighe is Director, Maryland Assessment Consortium, c/o FrederickCounty Public Schools, 115 E. Church St., Frederick, MD 21701.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank John Kendall for his early work on the rubrics in thisbook. They also thank Jo Sue Whisler, Diane Paynter, and FranMayeski for their work on the performance task examples.

142

138

Assessing StudentOutcomesPerformance Assessment Using

the Dimensions of Learning Model

Performance assessment and learner-centered education come together inthis latest extension of ASCD'sDimensions of Learning programDimensions of Learning is an instruc-tional framework based on the best ofwhat research and theory say aboutlearning

Marzano, Pickering, andMc Tighe explain how the Dimensionsof Learning model relates to the newlifelong learning standards and con-tent standards being developed inmathematics, science, and other sub-tects and include practical suggestionsfor assessing performance They offerextensive examples of classroom tasksthat help students achieve deep learn-ing and promote active constructionof knowledge, and suggest ways toscore performance assessments andtrack achievement at the classroom,school, and district levels

Robert J. Marzano is Deputy Directorof Training and Development,Mid-continent Regional EducationalLaboratory Debra Pickenng is SeniorProgram Associate, Mid-continentRegional Educational LaboratoryJay McTighe is Director, MarylandAssessment Consortium

Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development

Founded in 1943, ASCD is anonprofit, nonpartisan, internationaleducation association with headquartersin Alexandria, Virginia

The ASCD mission statementASCD is a diverse, international continuallyof educators forging covenants in teachingand learning for the success of all learners

4 3

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