Big Question
This rubric is designed as a tool to assess activities aimed at student gains in the following learning outcome(s) for the Big Question (formerly I-Series) General Education Category:
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify the major question and issues of the Big Question course topic
Criteria and performance descriptions for the review of student work
Engages the Big Question course question
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement in the question is clear and concise, captures the central issue/s of the course, and reveals that the content has been internalized | Engagement in the question is accurate, the meaning is evident, and is not impeded by omissions. | Engagement in the question is mundane, rote and requires some interpretation and assumptions for full meaning to be evident. | Central question or concept is not engaged or is stated inaccurately. |
Reveals complexity of the Big Question course question
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
Discussion of issues: - Is comprehensive, insightful and creative - Synthesizes in-depth information from appropriate sources - Considers multiple perspectives (personal and scholarly) - Reveals how answers to the question reflect an assumed perspective - Recognizes enduring nature of the question | Discussion of issues: - Is adequate to provide the context of the question and to indicate multiple facets pertinent to the question - Presents in-depth information from relevant sources - States multiple perspectives (personal and scholarly) - Recognizes that the question does not have one right answer - Recognizes the relevance of the question | Discussion of issues: - Is simplistic, naïve or general - Presents information from relevant sources - Provides a superficial and or limited perspective - Suggests that the question does not have one right answer - Is narrow, presented a limited recognition of the relevance of the question | Discussion of issues: - Is missing or provides no relevant information - Does not include consideration of multiple perspectives or exploration of the complexity of the question - Fails to acknowledge the question |
Represents the disciplinary context of the Big Question course question
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accurately reflects the perceptions of the course discipline/s. Uses language of course discipline/s in a fluent manner. | Provides a context that generally reflects the course discipline/s. Uses course discipline/s terms appropriately. | Provides a context recognizable to the course discipline/s Uses course terms in an awkward, or imprecise, and/ or inappropriate manner. | Does not provide context or context is not recognizable as related to the course discipline/s. Does not use terms or inaccurately uses terms of the course discipline/s. |
The Big Question Rubric was developed by the Big Question Faculty Board, supported by the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment with the Big Question instructors upon review of the AAC&U VALUE rubrics and according to standards determined by the Big Question Faculty Board for student performance in the General Education Big Question courses. The rubric defines the standards for student performance in Big Question courses at the University of Maryland.