Development and Usability of a Generic Quantitative Problem-Solving Rubric for Student Learning

An interdisciplinary group of faculty within colleges of engineering at the University of Idaho and Texas A&M University has developed a general purpose quantitative problem-solving rubricfor students and young professionals. The rubricis intended to promote reflective practiceof analytical problem solving, encourage more comprehensive solution documentation, provide formative assessmentin conjunction with selected homework assignments, and enable collection of accreditation data across courses and programs. This article describes the development of an assessment package (problem-solving rubriccombined with implementation tips and instructor resources) that is broadly applicable across multiple disciplines. The validity and usability of the assessment package is evaluated through a small-scale survey of faculty who teach mid-program courses involving multiple, calculation-based homework assignments. Based on survey input, the rubricwas revised to incorporate better customization and the assessment package was expanded to include an example of scored student work as well as a facilitation plan for introducing students to the rubric.