While student populations have become increasingly diverse, many groups, including first-generation, non-native English speakers, and individuals with disabilities, still face barriers and bias that can derail their success in college (Super et al., 2020). Traditional grading practices—including penalties for late work, writing in dialects other than standard English, and even plagiarism— are prone to bias and only perpetuate disparities, the research says (Feldman, 2019; Savini, 2021).
Gonser (2022) notes, “Bias has a way of seeping through the smallest cracks, imperceptibly influencing the way we perceive students, compromising accuracy in grading, and even altering a wide range of educational outcomes.” Whether that bias appears in the margins of student writing or other academic spaces, it inflicts harm. An instructor labeling the use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as “wrong” in a student’s essay is just one example (O’Quin, 2021). International students report that negative comments take a personal and academic toll
(Savini, 2021; UConn Writing Center, n.d.).
As tools for inclusive pedagogy, rubrics have multiple benefits, which include mitigating the impact of bias (Gonser, 2022). With an equity mindset, instructors can create rubrics that promote accurate, fair assessment of student work without sacrificing course rigor. Rubrics can also be shared with writing centers, increasing students’ access to academic resources. In addition, the rubric design process provides an opportunity for faculty to share their knowledge and experiences with others. In designing inclusive rubrics, faculty should carefully consider what elements to include and whether any will disadvantage certain groups of students, including individuals dealing with mental health concerns, family illnesses, and overwhelming work schedules; non-English speakers; and individuals with weaker subject-matter knowledge.
Find below some recommendations for designing and using inclusive rubrics.
Establish constructive criteria. Rubrics with clear, concise criteria and positive descriptors have been shown to increase student motivation and engagement (Leisen, 2022). If you use a 4-point grading scale, don’t overwhelm learners with a “fails to meet standards” column filled with negative descriptors, such as “no conclusion” or “incomplete citations.” Instead, include three levels of performance (2-basic, 3-competent, and 4-excellent). Then, write positive descriptors for each level that focus on outcomes (what students should be able to do) instead of deficits (what students missed).
Offer multiple opportunities to demonstrate knowledge. Rubrics are most effective as a learning tool when they are part of an equitable grading policy, which accounts for students’ prior subject-matter knowledge and separates behavior from academic capability. To achieve equity, rubrics need to build in multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge (Feldman, 2019). One option is to include a space on the rubric for marking the work product as a “work in progress” and to set a due date for revisions (Leisen, 2022). By allowing opportunities for improvement, instructors can not only support equity but also increase course rigor (Leisen, 2022).
Rethink penalties—and the red ink! Adopting an equity mindset requires alternatives to traditional penalties issued for behavior such as submitting late work and using non-SAE (Standard American English) dialects in writing. Deducting points for use of non-SAE (Standard American English) dialects assumes there is a singular, correct usage of English and devalues other cultures that may be represented in the classroom. Researchers have also found that marking errors in red ink culminates in lower grades and a more stressful experience for students (Perry, 2010). Instead, you might use blue pens and motivate students by asking guiding questions in the margins. You might also consider whether late penalties help or hinder accurate grading. If students have points deducted for late work, their final grades might not reflect their level of achievement (Feldman, 2019). Late policies can be more equitable when instructors are communicative and issue reminders about upcoming deadlines, enabling students with extenuating circumstances to negotiate extensions (Torres, 2019).
Intentionally support inclusion. Integrate rubrics with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (or a comparable learning framework) to promote inclusive classroom cultures. Super et al. (2020) describe seeing positive results after they created reflection questions that aligned with the UDL principles of multiple means of engagement (why?), representation (what?), and action and representation (how?). Reflection questions can be used before, during, and after lessons to gather critical feedback. Before a lesson, you might ask learners why the subject matter is important to them; after the lesson, you might ask learners to weigh in on whether they were able to demonstrate their knowledge in multiple ways. In addition to increasing instructional scaffolding and supporting inclusion for learners, these check-ins can provide vital insights for future revisions that center inclusivity (Super et al., 2020).
References
Feldman, J. (2019). Grading for equity: What it is, why it matters, and how it can transform schools and classrooms. Corwin.
Gonser, S. (2022, January 26). 4 ways to fight bias in grading. Edutopia.
Leisen, M. (2022). Make your rubric more than a wall of words: By streamlining organization and using positive descriptors, we can turn rubrics into tools that students really use. Educational Leadership, 79(7), 62–67.
O’Quin, C.B. (2021, April 16). The impact of linguistic bias in education. [Video]. YouTube.
Perry, S. (2010, May 21). Seeing red: The ink color used to correct papers may bias the final grade. Minnpost.
Savini, C. (2021, January 27). 10 ways to tackle linguistic bias in our classrooms. Inside Higher Ed.
Super, L., Hofmann, A, Leung, C., Ho, M., Harrower, E, Adrian, N. & Manesh, Z.R. (2020). Fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in large, first-year classes: Using reflective practice questions to promote universal design for learning in ecology and evolution. Ecology and Evolution, 11(8), 3464–3472.
Torres, F. (2019, March 25). Incentivize! Don’t penalize: Revisiting late policies for online students. [Online forum post]. California Community Colleges, California Virtual Campus Network of Online Educators.
UConn Writing Center. (n.d.). Conversations from the Margins. [Video]. University of Connecticut.