Measuring Transparency: A Learning-Focused Assignment Rubric

Abstract

By combining recommendations for effective assignment design with principles of transparency and the value‐expectancy theory of achievement motivation, we developed a rubric capable of for assessing the quality and guiding the design of assignment descriptions. This rubric defines criteria characteristic of well‐designed assignments; breaks the criteria down into concrete, measurable components; and suggests what evidence for each component might look like. While the full rubric is valid for major, signature assignments, it can accommodate a diverse range. It can also provide summative, quantitative information to educational developers for research and formative, qualitative feedback to instructors for gauging the quality of their assignments.

When the sum is greater than the parts: Using a curriculum revision to enable improvements in undergraduate traditional instruction

“…The TILT project and the tenets of learner-focused assignment design provide a heuristic for faculty to improve student learning through teaching practices and learning assessments (Palmer et al, 2018;Winkelmes et al, 2016Winkelmes et al, , 2019. The research shows that courses do not have to be completely overhauled to make a difference in student learning.…”

Longitudinal Impact of Faculty Participation in a Course Design Institute (CDI) Faculty Motivation and Perception of Expectancy, Value, and Cost

“…We recommend, for ourselves and others, thinking more strategically about teaching faculty about efficiencies in course design-presenting "jewels" or "hacks" that facilitate student learning and the assessment of learning in novel ways. Transparent assignment design (see Palmer et al, 2018;Winkelmes et al, 2019) is among these gems, as are opportunities for faculty to embrace individual, peer, and community assessment (Fink, 2013). If course redesign doesn't attend to grading efficiency, the result may be idealized courses that cannot be implemented realistically.…”