MetaRubric

Why learn about rubrics? Most people recognize the limitations of standardized testing, but may continue to rely on it because they’re not sure what to do instead. Personalized learning and project based learning allow for more creativity and can lead to deeper learning experiences, but diverse deliverables can be confusing to evaluate. Rubrics to the rescue! Using rubrics can free learners to pursue diverse paths while still getting constructive feedback and credit for great work. But, how do we know what great work looks like? And what a useful rubric looks like? If only there were a game to help us explore the affordances and pitfalls of rubricking…

Created at the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, MetaRubric is a playful learning experience for current and future teachers, or anyone interested in innovative approaches to assessment. It is designed to show how complex, and even fun, rubric design can be. To do this, it gives players an experience creating and using rubrics for open-ended work. It starts with a creative mini-project, then asks you to identify what makes that project good, ultimately coming back around to evaluating your original project. It should give you a feel for what rubrics can do well, and perhaps also what they can’t!

Note: If you purchase a copy of MetaRubric, you will need to put the cards in order before starting the activity, as they will come shuffled.