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Rubric for the 6 Facets of Understanding

 

Ratings

Overall Rating:

4.25 stars
Content Quality: 4.25 stars
Effectiveness: 4 stars
Ease of Use: 4.75 stars
Reviewed: May 14, 2008 by Teacher Education
Overview: A rubric published in a larger work demonstrates the categories and levels of assessment for observations made on student understanding. Designed to be used in curriculum development. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, authors of Understanding by Design offer this rubric for the Six Facets of Understanding.
Learning Goals: The rubric gives assessors indicators for each of the six facets of understanding.
Target Student Population: Users must be familiar with the Wiggins/McTighe approach to curriculum design and with the six facets of understanding.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: Knowledge of the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework.
Type of Material: A sample rubric lifted from a text. The text is a tutorial for students in higher education.
Recommended Uses: Any college level educational course in curriculum design. I can see how this might also be used in an assessment course as a rubric for observations on student understanding.
Technical Requirements: None

Evaluation and Observation

Content Quality

Rating: 4.25 stars
Strengths: As a rubric this is well constructed. The measurable categories are appropriate for the assessment target. The levels of assessment are accurate and are applicable to the assessment of understanding. For students and professors familiar with UbD, this is an excellent resource.
Concerns: The rubric may have limited usefulness outside the UbD design framework.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating: 4 stars
Strengths: As a tool for instruction in alternative assessment this rubric is a prime example of what works most effectively. It is particularly useful within the UbD framework.
Concerns: The usefulness may be limited to a specific approach to curriculum design.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating: 4.75 stars
Strengths: This rubric appears to be developed to be used only as an instructional tool. If it were to be used in an actual observation of performance it would need a format that allows the observer to record their choices.
Concerns: Only if the rubric were to be used in an actual observation. It would need to be formatted so that the observers choices can be recorded.

Other Issues and Comments: none
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