1. The Value of a Self-assessment Rubric
in Online Discussion Forums
Dr. Rafi Davidson
Center of Educational Technology Initiatives
Dr. Annette Kahan
Communication & Information Educational Center
Kaye College of Education, Beer-Sheva, Israel
June 2007, Beer-Sheva, Tel-Aviv 25-28

2.  “Knowledge is located neither in the mind nor in any
representation of the mind. All of our understandings
are situated in complex webs of experience, action,
and interaction. Knowledge is a dynamic, evolving
phenomenon, a fabric of relations in which one
individual is fundamentally entwined with all others
in a community” (Martin Ryder , 1999).
 http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/reflect/enactivism.html

3. The Concept of Collaborative
Knowledge Building
 Knowledge building may be defined as “The
production and continual improvement of ideas of
value to a community, through means that increase
the likelihood that what the community accomplishes
will be greater than the sum of individual
contributions and part of broader cultural efforts”
(Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2003).
 The use of networked computers provides
alternatives to traditional teaching and learning as we
move from a single-classroom concept to the concept
of a knowledge-building community of learners.

4. The importance of online forums
in collaborative knowledge building
 Online discussion forums are one of the most
common and accepted tools for collaborative
learning in virtual courses.
 The forums are a shared online environment
that enables collaborative knowledge building
and supportive social communities (Harasim 1989).


5. But
 Mason and others (1993) point out that dialogue in
online forums is disappointing in many instances,
since the quality of the learning and the knowledge
building is poor.
So
 One of the greatest challenges is promoting
discourse and developing a high level of discussion
and critical thinking in the virtual environment, that
will produce meaningful learning, as comprehensive
as possible.

6. !1
The Importance of Self-assessment in
Teacher Education
 Use of the self-assessment rubric encourages
pre-service and in-service teachers to develop
the abilities of critical thinking, reflection and
evaluation, abilities that are very important in
the teaching profession.
 Self-assessment is very effective for learners
seeking to improve their knowledge and learning
strategies (Shaklee et al. 1997), particularly in a
collaborative learning setting.

7. !2
?What is our innovation
 Models for online discussion self-
assessment usually provide criteria for
the learners but do not require their
active decision-making and reflection on
the quality of the posts.

8. !3
Therefore we developed a rubric for
self-assessment
 To attempt to create a significant online learning
community.
 To encourage collaborative knowledge building.
 To assist learners in recognizing their commitment.
 To encourage re-organization of the discussion in a
relevant manner.
 To transfer the responsibility of evaluation to the learner.
 To develop the abilities of reflection and evaluation.
 To ease the lecturer’s workload.

9. The rubric was used in the following courses in a
college of education:
1. ICT in Teaching and Learning
2. Information Literacy in Education
3. Teaching Heterogeneous Classrooms

10. Stages in the Development of
the Self-assessment Rubric
Year of Final Grade % Evaluation and Evaluator
2000Un 5% - 10% (Participation (amount of posts
til Evaluation by lecturer only
2001 15% A few qualitative and quantitative criteria based on
-participation and contribution to learning
Evaluation by lecturer only
2002 20% Self-assessment rubric prepared by lecturer
Evaluation by lecturer only
2003 30% Self-assessment rubric improved - based on
students‘ comments
Self- evaluation by students with monitoring by
lecturer( (students determined their own grade
2004-20 30-60% Self-assessment rubric
06 Self- evaluation by students with monitoring by
(lecturer (students determined their own grade

11. !4
Steps in the use of the
rubric
 The rubric is presented to the students at the
beginning of the online courses.
 During the courses, the students collect their
own postings and evaluate their contributions
to the knowledge building of their fellow
students.
 The final grades in the courses are a
combination of the student's and the
lecturer’s evaluation.

12. !5
Rubric Categories
1. Personal opinion or idea - Offering a reasoned
opinion based on reliable sources.
2. Responding to others - Relevant and supported
response which adds to what others have said
3. Referral to reliable sources of information
4. Summarizing a topic or issue discussed on the
forum – based on the discussion and contribution
of others.
5. Helping peers to solve all kinds of problems
6. Asking challenging questions

13. !6
Rubric Categories (continued)
1. Taking personal initiatives in the forum.
These may include:
 Opening a new topic for discussion in a new
forum, writing a document on the topic
including sources which are presented to the
participants
 Opening a forum and directing the discussion
with peers
 Summarizing the discussion

14. Student's perspective on the value of
the self-assessment rubric
(Based on content analysis of students’
responses to the questions on the value
of the self assessment rubric)

15. !7
Student's perspective on the
value of the self-assessment
The students referred to the following contributions:
 Motivation
 Transparency and Fairness of Assessment
 Collaborative Knowledge Building
 Self Directed Learning
 Life Skills
 Professional Development as Teachers

16. Motivation
 “Gives the student a huge motivation to learn”
 “Gives the student a clearer picture of the amount of
his participation and his contribution to learning"
 “The rubric is a way to give students a push to learn
and to evaluate the process they are going through.“

17. Transparency and Fairness of
Assessment
 “I realized that I have been very active in the
various forums.”
 “… know where I stand, and if I have done what
was expected of me.”
 "The student understands exactly why (and how)
he got this grade.”
 “I very much like the idea of ranking within each
criteria “

18. Collaborative Knowledge
Building
 “In this way it is possible to find out the
extent of our participation in the various
forums and our contribution to other
students’ learning”

19. Self Directed Learning
 “Working with the rubric is a process that
causes us to look at ourselves critically.”
 “Self-assessment changes the status of the
student and makes him an active participant,
who is held responsible for his contribution.”
 “… It is obvious that the rubric is a necessary
tool for learning, especially in self-learning.”

20. Life Skills
 “Once they acquire the skill of self-
assessment in learning, they can apply it
to life in general.”

21. !8
Professional Development as
Teachers
 “The rubric is an excellent opportunity to learn
more about our pupil - his real ability to
assess himself, his self-confidence…”
 “I hope that most of us will try, and also
succeed in implementing (self-assessment) in
our future classrooms as teachers "

22. Difficulties Expressed by
Students using the Rubric
 It takes a long time and a lot of effort to use
the self-assessment rubric.
 Having the rubric in mind while participating
in the forums makes the discussion “forced”
– it doesn’t flow freely.
 The rubric restricts creativity and free
choice.

23. !9
Conclusions
 Students believe that the self-assessment rubric
contributes to their knowledge building and their
training to be teachers, increases social support,
and allows greater visibility as to how they are
evaluated in the courses.
 Preliminary research of content analysis of forum
posts shows that the tool raised the level of
discussion and increased critical thinking and
collaborative knowledge building.

24. ?Where do we go from here
 Adapting the rubric to the needs of other
online courses and student populations.
 Developing online tools to facilitate the self-
assessment process.

25. It is important to continue
research in the following areas:
 Research on the effect of the rubric on
learning and motivation of students.
 Research on the effect of the rubric on
change in the role of the instructor.
 Research on the development of concepts
during discussion in forums.

26. Maximum Maximum
Number of contributions number of number of
Each contribution is worth a certain number points for points for
Category of points, based on its quality each post each category
Personal .1 I II III
opinion/idea Contributing Contributing a Contributing a
a relevant relevant relevant
(in the
idea/opinion reasoned reasoned
opening
idea/opinion idea/opinion points 3 points 12
message of the or one based on and basing it
forum, not in a reliable source on reliable
response to sources
(others 1 point 2 points 3 points
IV V VI
Relevant Relevant and Same as V but
response- supported adding to
Responding .2
without response which responses of
to participants explanation adds to what others and also
and others have said including
justification (like an example referral to
or information additional points 3 points 12
from experience) source/s
1 point 2 points 3 points

27. Maximum Maximum
Number of contributions number of number of
Each contribution is worth a certain number points for points for
Category of points, based on its quality each post each category
3. Adding a VII VIII
post that refers Referral to Referral to
to reliable relevant relevant online
sources of online source source with
information without comments points 2 points 8
description
1 point 2 points
4. IX X XI
Summarizing a Summarizing Summarizing a Summarizing
topic discussed a topic topic discussed a topic
in the forum – discussed in in the forum discussed in
based on posts the forum and the forum and
including including points 8 points 16
additional additional
information information
covered in the from outside
course sources
3 points 5 points 8 points

28. Maximum Maximum
Number of contributions number of number of
Each contribution is worth a certain number points for points for
Category of points, based on its quality each post each category
Asking .5 XII XIII XIV
challenging Asking a Asking a Asking a
questions question question which question that
connected to received at least received at
the course one answer least two
and its from peers responses
points 3 points 9
purposes from peers
1 Point 2 Points 3 Points
Initiating a .6 XV XVI XVII
new discussion Raising a Raising a topic Raising a
forum topic for for discussion topic for
discussion and moderating discussion,
the discussion moderating
points 10 points 30
the discussion
and
summarizing
the discussion
4 Points 6 Points 10 Points

29. Maximum Maximum
Number of contributions number of number of
Each contribution is worth a certain number points for points for
Category of points, based on its quality each post each category
Helping .7 XVIII XIX
Providing a Providing a
peers to
solution or solution or
solve idea to help idea to help
problems – resolve a resolve a points 2 points 6
technical simple complex
and problem problem
course-
1 Point 2 Points
related