Rubrics in program evaluation

Abstract

Rubrics are well-established tools used in a variety of educational settings, such as student assessment, teacher performance, and curriculum review. This study investigates the extent to which and how rubrics are being used in program evaluation. After exploring the background, or etymology, of the word rubric, a review of literature is conducted. Results reveal that rubric use in program evaluation is relatively rare, although increasing. Rubrics are predominately used in education and health program evaluation to transform data from one form to another, to characterize organizational functioning, and to derive explicitly evaluative conclusions. Program evaluators use rubrics during data collection and data analysis study phases, and to synthesizing findings into conclusions. This paper is the first systematic study of the use of rubrics in program evaluation. It presents a picture of how program evaluation practitioners and scholars are using or discussing rubrics.