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Inquiry Rubric

Authenticity

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
The scope of the study is determined by the mandated curriculum.The scope of the study, while determined primarily by the mandated curriculum, takes into consideration students’ interests and concerns.The scope of the study emanates from a question, problem, issue or exploration that is significant to the discipline(s), builds connections beyond the school, is mapped to the mandated curriculum and takes into consideration students’ interests and concerns.The scope of the study emanates from a question, problem, issue or exploration that is significant to the discipline(s) and the community locally, provincially, nationally or globally; is meaningful and relevant to students; and is mapped to the mandated curriculum.
The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study contain few roles that reflect a single perspective.The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study contain some separate roles that reflect a limited range of perspectives.The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study require a complex array of roles and diverse perspectives.The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study require students to engage with diverse ideas creating a dynamic environment in which contrasts, competition, and complementarity of ideas is evident, creating a rich environment for ideas to evolve into new and more refined forms.

Academic Rigor

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study provides only for the acquisition of factual or known information.
The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study facilitate the acquisition and application of a broader understanding.The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study requires students to reflect the ways of knowing that are central to the discipline(s) that underpin the problem, issue or question.The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study requires students to engage in ways of knowing that are central to the discipline(s) that underpin the problem, issue or question and students find academically, intellectually, and personally challenging.
The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study require students to memorize, and recall information and procedures.The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study require students to become proficient with using information and procedures and find relationships between and among concepts,The assignments, activities, and tasks within the study require students to find and understand relationships between and among concepts and transfer their understanding to unfamiliar contextsThe assignments, activities, and tasks within the study require students to develop and apply habits of mind that encourage them to ask questions of:
• evidence (how do we know what we know?)
• viewpoint (who is speaking?)
• pattern and connection (what causes what?)
• supposition (how might things have been different?)
• why it matters (who cares?)

Assessment Sponsors Deep Learning and Improved Instruction

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
Assessment is used to grade student work.


Assessment is used to grade student work and to a limited extent to guide teachers’ instructional planning.Assessment is dynamic woven into the design of the study from the onset providing timely, descriptive feedback and utilizing a range of strategies including peer and self-evaluation to move learning forward.Assessment is dynamic and embedded, guiding students’ learning and teachers’ instruction through which students have multiple opportunities to improve their work based on specific feedback, as well as contribute to the learning of their peers.
Students have a vague sense of the desired goal and limited or no knowledge of how to improve.Students understand the desired goal; have no evidence about their present position in relation to that goal, and no guidance on the way to close the gap between the two.Students understand the desired goal; have some evidence about their present position in relation to that goal, and limited guidance on the way to close the gap between the two.Students understand the desired goal; have evidence about their present position in relation to that goal, and guidance on the way to close the gap between the two becoming owners of their own learning.
The assignments, activities and tasks provide no opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.The assignments, activities and tasks provide limited opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.The assignments, activities and tasks provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.The assignments, activities and tasks provide multiple opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.

Adds Value Beyond School

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
The assignments, activities, and tasks students are asked to undertake within the study would not likely be tackled outside a school setting.

The assignments, activities, and tasks students are asked to undertake somewhat connect to the work of adults outside the school. The assignments, activities, and tasks students are asked to undertake address a question, exploration, issue or problem, relevant to curriculum outcomes, and are grounded in the life and work beyond the school. Adults outside of the school context are intrigued by the study. The assignments, activities, and tasks students are asked to undertake are recognizable to those working within the discipline(s), i.e., someone working within the discipline(s) or profession might actually tackle a similar question, problem or exploration and it addresses curriculum.
Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to connect within the classroom community. Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to connect with their community (locally, provincially, nationally and/or globally).Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to engage with their community (locally, provincially, nationally and/or globally). Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to contribute knowledge, products or services to their community (locally, provincially, nationally, and/or globally).

Students Learn with Digital Technologies

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
Digital technologies are used in perfunctory ways contributing little value to student learning.
Digital technologies are used in effective ways contributing to students’ enjoyment of learning. Digital technologies are used in ways that are appropriate to their use in the discipline(s), the world beyond the school, and add value to student learning.Digital technologies are used in ways that mirror their use in the discipline(s), the world beyond the school, and extend, expand, and deepen student learning.

Students Engage in Active Exploration

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to receive information about a topic.
Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to gather information about a topic to demonstrate motivation. Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to gather information about a topic and apply their knowledge in variety situations thereby demonstrating motivation and responsibility. Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to develop knowledge through the ways of working that are central to the discipline (i.e. field work, labs, interviews, studio work, construction, working with complex problems, etc.) to negotiate a fit between personal ideas and the ideas of others.

Connecting with Expertise

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
Students hear or read about relevant information from the teacher, or resources provided by the teacher. Students engage with speakers or interviews with experts from outside the classroom. Students observe and interact with adults with relevant expertise and experience in a variety of situations. Students engage with experts and professionals beyond the classroom to deepen their understanding and improve their performance and product.
The teacher designs the task in isolation (without input from external expertise). The teacher designs the task in consultation with expertise, either directly or indirectly regarding the topic for study. The teacher designs the task in collaboration with expertise, either directly or indirectly. The study requires adults to collaborate with one another and with students on the design and assessment of the study work. The teacher designs opportunities for students to improve their work as a result of connecting with experts/expertise.

Elaborated Forms of Communication

BeginningDevelopingEmergingAspiring
Students have little or no opportunity to discuss their work with others.
Students have opportunities to share their ideas with each other. Students have opportunities to share ideas and to negotiate the flow of conversation within small and large group discussions. Students have opportunities and are expected to engage in idea improvement; mirroring the work of disciplined thinkers in gathering and weighing evidence, and ensuring that explanations cohere with all available evidence.
Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to communicate what they are learning to a teacher audience (e.g. handing it in as an assignment). Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to communicate what they are learning with a classroom audience. Assignments, activities, and tasks provide opportunities for students to communicate what they are learning with an audience beyond the classroom. Assignments, activities, and tasks require students to communicate their learning with audiences appropriate to the discipline.
Forms of communication meet school requirements but are disconnected from the discipline. Forms of communication meet school requirements and somewhat resemble those used in the discipline. Forms of communication meet school requirements and resemble those used in the discipline. Forms of communication meet school requirements and effectively reflect those used in the discipline.