Authenticity/Agency Rubrics (Version 1)
Agency rubric
AGENCY is defined as “a fundamental principle of curriculum design whereby students learn primarily by engagement in real research projects, or projects which replicate the process of research in their discipline. Engagement is created through active collaboration amongst and between students and academics” (Neary et al, 2010).
| Component of Student as Producer framework | Criteria (1) | Criteria (3) | Criteria (5) |
| 1. Discovery Problem based learning | Students are presented with open ended problems to solve in my course assignments. | Students work in small collaborative groups. | Students are presented with an open ended problem to solve, and encouraged to take responsibility for their group to organize and direct the learning process with support from a tutor or instructor. |
| Inquiry based learning | I try to incorporate at least one “scenario” to provide context for learning, for example to introduce a module. | Students examine the resources they need to research a “scenario” or topic that I assign them. | Starting with a “scenario” and with the guidance of a facilitator, students identify their own issues and questions |
| Research-based learning | Generally, my course content does not require students to engage with research problems. | I use authentic research problems to provide context for class content and assignments. | The design of learning activities is based on authentic research problems in the public domain that involve engagement with the wider community. |
| 2. Technology in Teaching | Students use a learning management system (such as Moodle or Canvas) as required by the course activities. | Students are encouraged to complete educational tasks with basic tools such as Google Drive and the learning management system (such as Moodle or Canvas). | Students are introduced to and choose from a wide range of technology tools (blog, wiki, personal website, etc) appropriately in order to manage their educational tasks. |
| 3. Space and Spatiality | Students primarily work independently on activities and assessments. | Students engage with others in the class. | Students engage with the community outside of the campus. |
| 4. Assessment | I am primarily responsible for assessing student work in my class. | Students are involved in grading through peer assessment, group assessment and self-assessment, and giving feedback | Students are involved in the process of grading AND of designing assessments. |
| 5. Student voice | Students can choose from options in some content and activity topics. | Students have opportunity to support the learning of other students. | Students are given responsibility for the management and delivery of their own learning. |
| 6. Research and evaluation | I periodically reflect on the effectiveness of my teaching and learning methodologies. | My teaching is regularly informed by pedagogical research into the effectiveness of my teaching and learning methodologies. | I share my teaching-related research with colleagues, including ways in which this work could be used to apply for external funding. |
| 7. Research-based Learning | My class does not require student research. | I direct students to library resources to review resources on information literacy and research skills. | I invite university library staff to provide students with training on effective information literacy and research skills. |
| 8. Creating the Future | Students work primarily on independent projects. | Students work on projects in collaborative groups. | Students network and collaborate within AND outside of the class group. |
| Score | (50 possible points total) |
Authenticity rubric
AUTHENTICITY is defined as “...learning objects that are produced, curated, and consumed by students” and learning resources that “...represent a student’s authentic communication to an authentic audience” (Bass & Elmendorf, 2011).
| Component of Social Pedagogies framework | Criteria (4) | Criteria (7) | Criteria (10) |
| Engage with authenticity and difficulty | Students typically submit assignments directly to the instructor that are designed to increase understanding about course content. | Students typically receive peer feedback on authentic learning assignments that are designed for them to apply and analyze course content. | Students typically complete authentic learning assignments assignments with peers that are designed for them to evaluate and create new understanding about course content. |
| Value process and product of learning | Students typically do not refine ideas and knowledge throughout the course. They may feel uneasiness when asked to explain a concept or an idea which does not immediately make sense to them, or when presented with a question that does not have a clear black and white answer. | Students typically refine ideas and knowledge occasionally throughout the course through the use of peer feedback and discussion. They may engage in activities designed to stretch their discomfort when presented with unclear information and develop solutions to problems/issues without having complete information. | Students typically refine ideas and knowledge consistently throughout the course in order to communicate their newly gained knowledge and ideas for an external audience. They may feel more at ease in situations where information is ambiguous or they may not immediately have all of the answers to a problem/question/idea. |
| Represent knowledge for an authentic audience | Students typically do not have defined audiences for their assignments, or the perceived audience is the instructor. | Students typically have faculty and peers as the audience for their work. Students receive consistent peer feedback on their work during the course. | Students typically work with peers to create a collaborative project or create an individual project that will be reviewed by an external audience. |
| Participate in an intellectual community | Students typically do not/minimally engage in interactions designed to communicate knowledge about the course content. | Students typically simulate future professional interactions with peers to gain experience. Faculty provide guidance and model interactions within the classroom space. | Students typically communicate with external audiences to discuss topics of personal/professional interest or topics pertaining to the course content. |
| Connect the affective and cognitive | Students typically do not/minimally engage in reflection activities during the course. | Students typically engage in occasional reflection activities during the course, designed to increase their understanding and application of course content. | Students typically engage in reflection activities on a consistent basis during the course. Reflection activities are designed to increase both their understanding and application of course content & their thinking and communication efforts over the duration of the course. |
| Score | (50 possible points total) |
Framework details
Additional information about each of the frameworks can be found here:
Bass, R. & Elmendorf, H. (2011). Designing for difficulty: Social pedagogies as a framework for course design. Retrieved from https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/bassr/social-pedagogies/
Neary, M., Saunders, G., Hagyard, A., & Derricott, D. (2010). Student as producer: Research-engaged teaching, an institutional strategy. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/student-producer-research-engaged-teaching-and-learning-institutional-strategy