Can educators use a podcast rubric to evaluate student standards-based learning?The actual student learning of the academic standard often counted for 1/6 or less of the rubric grade. Therefore, educators cannot use such a podcast rubric to evaluate student standards-based learning. A non-weighted or non-refocused podcast grade means very little (or nothing) in terms of content learning.
An existing podcast rubric can be refocused by weighting or giving the academic standard element the most point value, such as 70%. The remaining 30% can be divided among all of the podcast items that support that standard. The teacher can reword the non-academic elements to show how they do support the standard. For example: Does the art work help convey the standard? Does the student voice quality help to emphasize key vocabulary in the standard? Does the introduction clearly state the standard learning? Sometimes a teacher weights a rubric, but still has all the non-academic elements add up to more than the academic ones; such weighting defeats the purpose of using weighting to emphasize the critical learning. By refocusing the point value in the rubric, the emphasis is on how all the non-academic factors contribute to showing how well the students can demonstrate the standard. Another approach is to rewrite the podcast rubric so it focus solely on the academic learning. If a teacher wants to assess other non-academic items, then the teacher can create a separate technology rubric. This writer offers the following social studies podcast rubric to measure standards-based learning. Each item is rated on a five point scale, with five being the highest. Each item measures a different aspect of standards-based in-depth learning. First, the rubric will be given and then an explanation of each component. Rubric:Demonstrate the standard by starting with an essential question, or starting with “How does” and a statement from the standard.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low) Do an in-depth analysis by using phrases that help to probe the “how” and “why.”
(Scale very high 5....1 very low) Provide a comprehensive analysis by connecting this standard learning to other essential standard vocabulary within the key component.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low) Connect the key component to other key components in the standard.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low) Connect the key component to another standard.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low)
Explanation of the rubric: Demonstrate the standard by starting with an essential question, or starting with “How does” and a statement from the standard. If students don't start with the standard, they include it in the very beginning of the podcast.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low)
As the students compare family conflicts to the causes of World War II, they may start with “How can family conflicts be like the conflicts that start wars?” When students state the learning goal, the listener becomes more focused on the purpose of the podcast. Do an in-depth analysis by using phrases that help to probe the “how” and “why” of the standard. Students may use phrases such as “the causes of,” “because of,” “the consequences of,” “the impact on,” “the present day implications,” “similar to,” and “compared to” during the podcast. The podcast goes much deeper than a repeat of facts, places, and names. The podcast creator uses Bloom's high-level thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation to provide in-depth learning for the listener. Provide a comprehensive analysis by connecting this standard learning to other essential standard vocabulary within the key component.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low)
For example, in doing a podcast about the Geography Standard, students use the critical vocabulary such as latitude, longitude, map scale. When students use numerous key vocabulary from the standard in the podcast, they show that they have a comprehensive understanding of the standard. Connect the key component to other key components in the standard.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low)
For example, they connect the key component of chronological thinking with historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research capabilities, and historical issues-analysis and decision-making from the National History Standards. Students show that they can go beyond a single standard's based component to other related component within that standard. They can present the bigger picture of the standard to the podcast listener. Connect the key component to another standard.
(Scale very high 5....1 very low)
For example, students can show the connection between the history standard of “changes in transportation over time” to the geographical standard and the economics standard. This part of rubric measures how well the podcasting students can connect this standard to other standards within the subject area; students need to have a global view of the standards to express these connections to the listener.
Such a refocused podcast rubric truly measures standards-based learning. When students' podcasts score high on this rubric, student learning will score high, as well.  Dr. Harry Grover Tuttle focuses on assessing and improving student learning through low- and high-tech tools.
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