Using the analytic rubric as an evaluation tool in nursing education: The positive and the negative
Section snippets
Current evaluation tools in nursing education
For the past 30 years, there has been overwhelming evidence that new graduate nurses are not prepared to enter the workforce (Edwards and Cummings, 1982, Harkisn et al., 1983, Schoessler and Waldo, 2006). This issue is important to nursing because an unprepared new graduate can be perilous to patients' safety; setting them up for professional dissatisfaction. An effective evaluation process begins in education with reliable tools ensuring nursing students are competent and safe to enter into
History of rubric
Historically, rubrics have been utilized in secondary and higher education to evaluate specific assignments or tasks for decades dating back to the 1960s (Isaacson and Stacy, 2009, Rosa et al., 2009). Diederich, French, and Carlton are credited with developing the rubric. They conducted a study and found 94% or 300 student papers received grades that were not consistent, thus affecting inter-rater reliability. Following the study, Diederich, French, and Carlton developed the following list of
Analytic rubric
The analytic rubric provides separate components for each task of the assignment providing guidance to the student who may have difficulty with a specific area of the assignment. The components essential to the rubric include concise performance criteria, rating scale, and descriptions of the expected performance at each level (Montgomery, 2000, Suskie, 2009). The analytical rubric requires a careful design with clearly identified criteria that students must display to demonstrate proficiency (
The Rubric's positive qualities
The American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) promotes principles of good practice in undergraduate education such as contact between faculty and students; reciprocity and cooperation among students; active learning techniques; prompt feedback; using time well; high expectations, and respect for diverse talents and ways of learning (Astin et al., 1996, Chickering and Ehrmann, 1996, Lunney and Sammarco, 2009). Rubrics can assist in meeting some of these principles such as encouraging
The Rubric's negative qualities
Researchers have found limitations to utilizing rubrics when depicting performance expectations. Consequently, this creates issues with educator bias and unreliable scores (Gantt, 2010, Knight et al., 2010, Kohn, 2006). The issues of educator bias regarding what constitutes an acceptable performance can undermine the performance standard. Nash and Lewandowski (2010) found faculty who know and understand the students' emotional lives result in a productive learning environment. On the contrary,
Creating awareness of the Rubric's weakness
When educators are aware of the weaknesses of the rubric, adjustments can be made to enhance student learning and a cognizant effort can be made to limit bias. A recent in-depth study of professional preparation of nurses in the U.S., sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, identified a need for nursing educators to make clearer linkages between theory content and clinical practice (Lasater, 2011). A well-formulated rubric such as LCJR serves as a tool to help
Conclusion
Despite the concerns of using a rubric, a well-designed and formulated rubric can be an effective evaluation tool for nursing education. Our society demands high quantity care and highly competent nurses. However, the supply of educational tools to both our faculty members and students seems overdue. There is a pressing need for further nursing education research on using the rubric in order to best prepare students for professional practice (Lasater, 2011). The state of science in nursing
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