Module 4: Critical Thinking Rubrics - Forum

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What should go into a rubric for assessing your students' critical thinking skills?

By now you have examined a few sample rubrics and considered which aspects of them could work in your teaching context (and which aspects would not work in your context). You have also examined some specific strengths and weaknesses of two other examples, through the quiz. Now it is time for you to write the first draft of your critical thinking rubric!

Use this space to post a first draft of your critical thinking rubric. (There are more activities later to help you refine this rubric, as writing rubrics is difficult! But worth it!)

 (Links to an external site.)

First, decide what task or activity it is for. Describe the task or activity briefly, so that your readers have the necessary context.

Include at least 3 skills. These should be three or more skills that are part of critical thinking, and that your students should be able to do.

Write in a way that your students could understand. Word the rubric in the first person. Say "I" instead of "The student." This practice makes rubrics more comprehensible to students. Also, because your rubric will be used to assess your students’ performance on a specific task or activity, make sure your rubric describes what the student has done, not just what they could do. For example,

• "I thoroughly assess the quality of information, separating fact from opinion."

Describe observable behavior. Rubrics help us assess student performance based on solid evidence, instead of assessing student performance on our feelings. Behavior we can observe is solid evidence. A statement such as,

• "I minimize bias in my argument."

describes a good practice, but it does not describe anything we can observe. Because there is nothing to observe, the teacher’s assessment using this item would still be very subjective. Now, consider this version:

• "I present more than one point of view and examine the evidence to support each one."

This second version provides us with a straight-forward decision: did we see this happen or not? This is the kind of wording that makes a rubric strong.

Describe at least three levels of mastery for each skill. Possible names for these levels include "Exemplary / Satisfactory / Developing," "Distinguished / Proficient / Basic," or even 1, 2, and 3 smiley faces. Each level should describe different behavior that corresponds to different levels of mastery or performance.

Where possible, make statements that relate to not only critical thinking, but culture as well.

Also, please comment on which of these skills your students can already do, and which they need to learn more about.

Please note that in this course, you are expected to use your own words and ideas, and to acknowledge any sources you use to gather ideas. Plagiarism is not allowed in OPEN courses.

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