Constructed Response

Assessment

Constructed Response Definition

A student-created response to a test item, as A student-created response to a test item, as an essay response.an essay response.

Assessment items requiring students to supply Assessment items requiring students to supply their own answers.their own answers.

A type of question that requires the A type of question that requires the respondent to compose an answer rather than respondent to compose an answer rather than select from a list of choices.select from a list of choices.

Task

A specific item, topic, problem, question, prompt, A specific item, topic, problem, question, prompt, or assignment.or assignment.

Item-Writing Guidelines:Item-Writing Guidelines:

Convey a clear idea to the students.Convey a clear idea to the students.

Explicitly describe the student’s task.Explicitly describe the student’s task.

Provide students with approximate time.Provide students with approximate time.

Do not employ optional items.Do not employ optional items.

Compose a possible response.Compose a possible response.

Response

Any kind of performance to be evaluated, Any kind of performance to be evaluated, including short answer, extended answer or including short answer, extended answer or essay, presentation, demonstration, or essay, presentation, demonstration, or portfolioportfolio

Short-answer items typically require

responses of one word to a few sentences.

“Fill in the blank” and “completion” questions are examples of short-

answer question types.

Short Answer

Extended Answer or

Essay Essays are useful in gauging a students ability to synthesize, evaluate, and compose

Evaluates composition skills

Rubric

The scoring criteria, scoring guide, rating The scoring criteria, scoring guide, rating scale and descriptors, or other framework scale and descriptors, or other framework used to evaluate responsesused to evaluate responses

Levels of potential achievement

An explicit set of criteria used to measure a specific type of work or performance

Know in advance

Reason for the numerical score

Parallel

Enable multiple scorers

Clearer understanding

Formative feedback

Examples

Examples of rubrics

Why should you use a rubric?

ResourcesScoring Rubrics - http://ericae.net/faqs/rubrics/scoring_rubrics.htm - Definitions & Construction

Rubric Basics - http://www.inov8.psu.edu/toolbox/RubricBasics.pdf - Definitions, types, purposes, learner involvement, learning enhancement and rubric use (Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning) .

Rubric Builder - https://www.e-education.psu.edu/facdev/id/assessment/rubrics/rubric_builder.html - An interactive web page rubric that can score and give item specific feedback Rubistar - http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ - Helps you construct online rubrics

Roobrix - http://roobrix.com/ - Converts your rubric scores into percentages.

Waypoint - http://www.subjectivemetrics.com/index.cfm - online, interactive rubrics that let you create tailored narrative feedback for students based on your rubric and, on a larger scale (multiple classes, programs, institution-wide) collect and analyze longitudinal data on student performance.

Types and Uses of Rubrics

TypesPurpose/Distinction* Focal Use View Samples

Holisticprovide a single score based on an overall impression of learner achievement on a task.

To provide overall evaluation guidelines that clarify how grades relate to performance/achievement, such as in course grades

Course grading rubric

Presentation Rubric

Analyticprovide specific feedback along several dimensions

To break assignments or scores down into separate components for grading (description, analysis, grammar, references, etc.)

Practicum Portfolio Rubric/Scoring Sheet**

Generalcontain criteria that are general across tasks

Designed to provide general guidance as to expectations, such as for grading of written assignments

Course grading rubric

Position Paper Scoring/Feedback Sheet**

Task-specific are unique to a task/assignmentDesigned to provide detailed guidance regarding a specific assignment or task

Practicum Portfolio Rubric

Research Paper Scoring/Feedback Sheet **

* adapted from Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning

Scorers

People who evaluate responses (sometimes People who evaluate responses (sometimes called readers, raters, markers, or judges)called readers, raters, markers, or judges)

Conclusion

The major payoff of all constructed-response items is The major payoff of all constructed-response items is they elicit student responses more closely they elicit student responses more closely approximating the kinds of behavior students must approximating the kinds of behavior students must display in real life.display in real life.

As a classroom teacher you want to determine if your As a classroom teacher you want to determine if your students have the skills and/or knowledge that can be students have the skills and/or knowledge that can be best measured by short answer or essay items.best measured by short answer or essay items.

You need to refresh your memory regarding how to You need to refresh your memory regarding how to avoid serious item construction or response scoring avoid serious item construction or response scoring errors.errors.