The accompanying table gives an overview of events in Laura's class. Laura used two measures in her class to assess student performance on the design project. The video clips below require Real Player.

The first was a stamp sheet , which served as a means to ensure time on task during class. Each group had one stamp sheet, and the group was responsible for storing the stamp sheet and making sure that they collect their stamps from Laura by the end of the class period. The stamp sheet was worth a total of twenty points, with five points available each of the four days students worked on their designs.

The main assessment measure for the design project was a grading rubric that was worth one hundred points, about the equivalent of one test grade. The module served as a culminating activity for a six-week unit and lasted about a week, which justified the value of the grade.

David used the Concrete Module with his regular level sophomore chemistry class. The module was used in the middle of the fall semester. The class met during first period and lasted 55 minutes. David had students work in pairs, and he changed pairing with each activity.

The rubric that David used to assess student performance during the Concrete Module's open design project was actually genarated by the students in his class. Prior to building their designs, David asked his class to brainstorm a list of categories on which they should be assessed. The final assessment categories are shown here. These represent David's refinement of several categories that the students generated during a 15-minute session following the start of the design project.

Listen to David explain why he feels that this rubric is an assessment measure that is fairer and that the students understand (Real Player Required).