Student Performance Evaluation Items by Category

EMERGING 

DEMONSTRATING 

EXCELLING 

Intermittently demonstrated engagement with the course content and activities 

Often demonstrated engagement with the course content and activities  

Consistently demonstrated engagement with the course content and activities 

Sometimes demonstrated a sense of value about the learning content and process 

Often demonstrated a sense of value about the learning content and process 

Consistently demonstrated a sense of value about the learning process 

Showed comfort engaging with previously encountered material, but did not extend class content to other concepts or content 

With some encouragement, extended class content to other concepts and content 

Consistently extended class content to other concepts and content 

Understood some core concepts of the class but did not make connections across subjects or with other concepts  

Made connections between course content and other subjects and concepts 

Frequently brought new ideas and connections from other subjects to course material 

Struggled to use knowledge from course content to support interpretations and conclusions 

Often used knowledge from course content to support interpretations and conclusions 

Consistently used knowledge from course content to support interpretations and conclusions 

Seldom contributed to class discussion 

Regularly contributed to class discussions 

Frequently contributed to class discussions 

Struggled to present ideas thoughtfully 

Often presented ideas clearly, thoughtfully, and articulately 

Consistently presented ideas clearly, thoughtfully, and articulately and worked to improve communication efficacy 

Needed support to participate productively in group learning activities 

Regularly participated productively in group learning activities 

Consistently took initiative to participate productively in group learning activities

Emerging 

Demonstrating 

Excelling 

Occasionally used higher order thinking strategies, such as analysis and critique, in working with class content  

Often used higher order thinking strategies, such as analysis and critique, in working with class content 

Consistently used higher order thinking strategies, such as analysis and critique, in working with class content 

At times demonstrated problem-solving skills 

Often demonstrated problem-solving skills 

Consistently demonstrated problem-solving skills 

Had difficulty persisting with challenging problems or tasks  

Often persisted through challenging problems or tasks 

Demonstrated a high level of persistence through challenging problems or tasks 

Did not address challenges directly 

Showed skill in addressing challenges and suggested solutions in problem solving 

Addressed challenges directly and articulated clear next steps in problem solving 

After identifying a wrong answer or miscalculation, unable or unwilling to proceed or ask for help to clarify the problem 

Sometimes identified a wrong answer or miscalculation as an actionable opportunity to learn or ask for help to clarify the problem 

Consistently identified a wrong answer or miscalculation as an actionable opportunity to learn or ask for help to clarify the problem 

Had difficulty sustaining effort when presented with challenging material or tasks 

Often demonstrated effort when faced with challenging material or tasks 

Consistently demonstrated sustained effort when faced with challenging material or tasks 

Needed help to distinguish sources as reputable or evidence-based versus unsubstantiated when completing research 

Cited some sources that were reputable and evidence-based and some from unsubstantiated sources 

Identified reputable, academic sources and used those in research to present sound, evidence-based ideas 

Had difficulty separating ideas of experts from their own interpretations and needed assistance generating original ideas 

Analyzed and applied ideas from academic authors and experts, generating some original conclusions from those ideas 

Demonstrated a high level of persistence through challenging problems or tasks 

Demonstrated minimal interaction with class technologies or digital tools  

Regularly used class technologies or digital tools beyond required use  

Demonstrated initiative to explore class technologies or discover new features of digital tools 

At times was unable to make progress with independent work 

Was often able to make progress with independent work 

Was consistently able to make progress with independent work 

Often failed to pay attention to details 

Usually paid attention to details 

Consistently paid attention to details 

Emerging 

Demonstrating 

Excelling 

Showed basic understanding of class content and concepts but did not apply analytical thinking skills  

Regularly showed understanding of class content and concepts, and typically applied analytical thinking skills  

Consistently showed understanding of class content and concepts, and applied analytical thinking skills in most or all cases 

Demonstrated little growth in understanding of core course concepts over the duration of the course 

Demonstrated expected growth in understanding of core course concepts over the duration of the course 

Demonstrated exceptional growth in understanding of core course concepts over the duration of the course 

Identified relationships between course concepts only with instructor prompting 

Identified relationships between class concepts with limited instructor support 

Demonstrated exceptional growth in understanding of core course concepts over the duration of the course 

Often relied on personal opinions and judgments and showed little application of course content when stating ideas 

Incorporated knowledge from course content to support interpretations and conclusions rather than stating opinions or judgments 

Appreciated, sought out and synthesized multiple content perspectives before stating and providing reasoning for an alternative position 

Applied learning to class activities, assignments and projects only with instructor support 

Applied learning to class activities, assignments and projects with limited instructor support 

Applied learning to class activities, assignments and projects with little or no instructor support 

Extended content understanding to new applications not discussed in class only with instructor support 

Extended content understanding to new applications not discussed in class with limited instructor support 

Extended content understanding to new applications not discussed in class with little or no instructor support 

Made little use of visual and mathematical representations such as graphs, maps, models and equations to explain topic, idea or content 

Made some use of visual and mathematical representations such as graphs, maps, models and equations to explain topic, idea or content 

Readily used visual and mathematical representations, such as graphs, maps, models, and equations, to explain topic, idea or content 

Made little use of different literary media, such as digital stories, online magazines, websites, or traditional written texts to explain topic, idea or content 

Made some use of different literary media, such as digital stories, online magazines, websites, or traditional written texts to explain topic, idea or content 

Readily used different literary media, such as digital stories, online magazines, websites, or traditional written texts to explain topic, idea or content 

Rarely revised work and struggled to incorporate instructor feedback  

Often revised work and incorporated instructor feedback 

Consistently revised and reflected on work and incorporated instructor feedback 

Inconsistently articulated evidence and reasoning for ideas and answers 

Usually articulated evidence and reasoning for ideas and answers using course content 

Consistently articulated evidence and reasoning for ideas and answers using course content 

Required support/guidance to complete projects with multiple components 

Managed class projects with multiple components with some occasional support 

Independently managed class projects with multiple components and completed tasks on time 

Class presentations were unclear, incomplete, or not submitted 

Class presentations were generally clear, complete and well presented  

Class presentations were complete, well prepared and well presented 

Emerging 

Demonstrating 

Excelling 

Frequently needed reminders and prompting to follow class rules in a positive way 

Needed few reminders or prompting to follow class rules in a positive way 

Rarely, if ever, needed reminders or prompting to follow class rules in a positive way. 

Was challenged to uphold group norms and participate productively in the class community 

Upheld group norms and participated productively in the class community 

Upheld group norms and empowered group members’ learning to create a positive community 

Infrequently adjusted behavior when requested by instructor 

Often adjusted behavior when requested by instructor 

Adjusted behavior when requested by instructor and maintained behavior adjustments 

Adapted behavior for different situations, such as discussion or small group only with support from instructor  

Generally adapted behavior for different situations such as discussion or small group work without support from instructor 

Consistently and effectively adapted behavior for different situations, such as discussion or small group work  

Frequently had difficulty managing emotions in class 

Demonstrated the ability to regulate emotions in class 

Consistently and effectively managed emotions in class 

Challenged by transitions from one kind of class activity to another 

Generally transitioned smoothly from one kind of class activity to another 

Consistently transitioned smoothly from one kind of class activity to another  

Needed frequent prompts about pacing and struggled to complete the course work 

Completed course work with minimal prompts 

Consistently stayed on or ahead of suggested pacing without prompting 

Struggled to manage course pacing and deadlines 

Showed skill in managing course pacing and deadlines 

Successfully managed course pacing and deadlines and took advantage of extension opportunities to further learning 

Rarely responded to instructor communications 

Often responded to instructor communications 

Consistently responded to instructor communications 

Didn’t initiate communication with instructor 

Occasionally initiated communication with instructor 

Frequently initiated communication with instructor 

Participated sporadically or failed to follow the course as designed 

Sometimes followed the course and sometimes submitted work on time 

Followed the course as designed and submitted work in a consistent fashion 

Emerging 

Demonstrating 

Excelling 

Did not share feedback with peers 

Offered limited feedback to peers 

Contributed constructively and generously to peer review 

Resisted or disregarded peer feedback on classwork and projects 

Open to peer feedback on classwork and projects and sometimes considered making changes to projects based on that feedback 

Actively listened to peer feedback on classwork and projects, and willingly considered making changes to projects based on that feedback 

Infrequently responded to peers in group discussions 

Regularly responded to peers in group discussions 

Actively and thoughtfully responded to peers in group discussions 

Seldom remained engaged and unable to work cooperatively in small groups 

Was generally engaged and worked cooperatively in small groups, with some reminders 

Was consistently engaged and worked cooperatively in small groups 

Struggled to demonstrate understanding and appreciation of others’ perspectives 

Generally demonstrated understanding and appreciation of others’ perspectives  

Consistently demonstrated understanding and appreciation of others’ perspectives 

Seldom able to manage disagreements with others or to keep others’ feelings in mind 

Typically managed disagreements with others and to keep others’ feelings in mind 

Consistently demonstrated skill in managing disagreements and keeping others’ feelings in mind 

Did not attempt to work with students of diverse viewpoints and backgrounds 

Worked well with students of diverse viewpoints and backgrounds 

Sought out strengths in individuals and actively reached out to students of diverse viewpoints and backgrounds 

Struggled to cite and recognize peers’ contributions to discussions and projects, and acknowledge their ideas 

Generally cited and recognized peers’ contributions to discussions and projects, and acknowledged their ideas  

Consistently cited and recognized peers’ contributions to discussions and projects, and acknowledged their ideas 

Required assistance to demonstrate leadership capacity within the group 

Showed awareness of personal leadership capacity and impact within group 

Showed awareness of personal leadership strengths and style, and impact within group 

At times worked to support other group members 

Contributed to group processes in ways that supported other group members 

Contributed in ways that supported group members and moved the group forward in their learning.