‘Rubrics’ as a Tool for Holistic Assessment

Abstract

Assessment of the work done by students is an activity that is very important, and it needs to be carried out in a manner that is balanced, fair and does justice to the efforts put in by the students. At the same time, if the assessment mode is scientific and logical, it further adds value to the assessment result. Conventionally, teachers evaluate work submitted by students based on their own understanding and judgment, and despite the fact that it may not be considered as a completely objective process, the same has been followed across institutions globally. However, in the present times, owing to COVID-19 precautionary measures, as classes are being conducted only in the online mode, holistic assessment of student performance is a challenge that is being faced by most educators globally. Given this scenario, the concept of employing ‘Rubrics’ as a tool for the assessment of work submitted by students in the online mode has caught the attention of faculty as well as researchers worldwide. The present paper tries to look into the design issues and other considerations associated with employing Rubrics for assessment purposes in academics with the view of bringing about some enhancements in conceptual clarity of the term ‘Rubrics’, explore its potential as a tool for effective assessment and establish a platform for further discussions about this emerging trend in academics.