Based on the new ideas I've gathered about single point rubrics this week, I've decided to try developing one to use for tutor observations. In the past, we have used a published assessment, the TESAT, to monitor tutor performance in the second and third levels of their training. As I looked through this assessment yesterday, I realized that it doesn't always emphasize the same elements we focus on in our training/centre -- and in the past, I've noticed that the questions asked don't always connect well with the tutors.

So, with all that in mind, I decided to experiment with what a new rubric might look like for faculty/staff/peer observations of our tutors. Our training program is ungraded, so there are no marks indicated -- only criteria for what meets expectations. Because there are twelve steps in the tutoring cycle -- which makes for a long rubric -- I thought a single point design might be the clearest and most usable format.

Looking forward to your feedback on this! I've also attached a word document in case this is helpful.

Christina

Tutoring Excellence Rubric

Adapted from Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Institute. (1996). TESAT: Tutor evaluation and self-assessment tool. Cambridge Stratford Ltd.

Tutoring Cycle Step	Concerns (changes required to meet expectations)	Criteria for Tutoring Excellence	Exceeds Expectations
Greet the tutee		-Tutor introduces self or greets the tutee by name in a professionally friendly manner. -Sits side by side with the tutee.
Identify the task		-Tutor encourages the tutee to state the concern they bring to the session. -Asks clarifying questions to collaboratively identify the central concern.
Break the task into parts		-Tutor asks the tutee to identify the steps needed to complete the central session task and the time needed for each.
Identify the thought process		-Tutor asks questions to understand the tutee’s approach to learning course content. -Identifies the ways tutee uses course materials. -Asks tutee to describe how they would approach this or similar tasks.
Set the agenda		-Sets the agenda for the session collaboratively with the tutee. -Identifies time needed for each step in the agenda. -Confirms the agenda with the tutee.
Address the task		-Tutor does not offer lengthy explanations of content. -Tutor uses Socratic questioning whenever possible to encourage critical thinking. -Tutor uses appropriate wait time to allow the tutee to think and respond.
Tutee summary of content		-Tutor asks tutee to summarize content learned, allowing the tutee to self-correct as necessary. -Tutor evaluates tutees understanding, returning to the previous step if necessary
Tutee summary of underlying process		-Tutor asks tutee to summarize the underlying process used to complete the task (how they would do a similar task in the future). -Tutor evaluates tutee response, returning to the previous step if necessary.
Confirmation		-Tutor affirms tutee learning in the session. -All feedback, positive or negative, is focused on specific behaviour. -Tutor feedback is clear and professional
What’s next?		-Tutor asks questions to help the tutee identify their next steps and appropriate learning resources.
Arrange and plan the next session		-Tutor allows the tutee to decide if they wish to schedule another session -(If applicable) Identifies an appropriate time for the next meeting.
Closing		-Tutor ends on a positive note and with an appropriate closing.

Tutoring Excellence Rubric.docx

Re: Christina's Rubric

by Leonne Beebe - Wednesday, 19 September 2018, 11:29 AM

Christina,

The design of your 12 step rubric clearly states the expected behaviour and outcome for the tutor to follow. Your rubric also acts as a great follow-up summary guide to the lesson you likely taught the tutor about this process. The more the content relates to the learning, the more effective the rubric is. It may be useful to number each step to visually support the sequential process. Also, using the 14 font in your document makes it easier to read. Sometimes, using the smaller font to fit all the content on one page makes the document seem/feel like too much writing in too little a space. My students often tell me this about textbooks and handouts they get from other teachers.

Leonne

Re: Christina's Rubric

by Karen Liska - Wednesday, 19 September 2018, 8:12 PM

Wow! What a great rubric. I am interested in the one point rubric and I liked how visually appealing yours was. Each box was specific to the matching criteria and I liked how you broke down the criteria into even smaller steps within that middle column. I felt this made the expectations clear and allowed for specific feedback to be given at each step. I thought it was logical and flowed well from one point to the next. You mentioned you thought this rubric might be used by faculty/staff/peer observation and I think it could easily be adapted for whom ever was observing.

Thank you for sharing! This has given me some new ideas :)

- Karen -

Re: Christina's Rubric

by Doug Strable - Thursday, 20 September 2018, 10:21 PM

Hello Christina,

The new information on the single point rubrics caught my interest this week as well. For high level training and evaluation, I also feel the mentor approach would be more valuable to the tutors. The steps in the single point rubric you have made give me a good indication of the performance levels expected and I am able to evaluate my self as well.

This kind of feedback is very valuable - I hope you will find success with this new style.

Doug