RSD News

Using RSD in Introduction to Tourism at Monash University

I am currently using Research Skills Development (RSD) marking rubrics for the Introduction to Tourism unit at Monash University.  I trailled the RSD rubric on one of the course assignments in 2008, and the benefits, structure and consistency it provided made the decisions to use it on all three assignments in 2009 an easy one.

Feedback from my students suggests that they have gained a lot from using the RSD rubrics.  They get a clearer indication of requirements for their assessment development, proof-reading and self-assessment prior to submission.  Students also see clear indications of where they need further improvement, and this is reflected in their later assignments.

The initial benefits I saw from using the RSD rubric were in marking: it took less time, as there were quite specific and clear indicators of what was most important, and  meant that markers had to write fewer comments.  The rubric increased consistency between markers, and provided very good, structured feedback for students.  Sessional tutors also stated that the rubric made the process of marking and responding to student queries easier for them.

Broader benefits have also become evident in that my expectations for assignments, previously often implicit, are now made explicit, and this makes them easier for students to achieve.

Glen Croy

Introduction to Tourism, Monash University