Diploma Plus Competencies
Scale Rubric
A rubric is an explicit set of criteria used for assessing a particular type of work or performance and includes a scale of
potential achievement for each criterion. The Diploma Plus Competency Rubrics are based on levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy to
identify different levels of thinking about a concept or skill. These levels of thinking are also identified as Declarative or
Procedural Knowledge. The Scale Rubric below shows how Declarative and Procedural Knowledge increases in rigor as
identified by Bloom’s Taxonomy. Each of the Diploma Plus Competency Rubrics was developed by using Bloom’s Taxonomy
as applied to both Declarative and Procedural Knowledge expectations.
Type of Knowledge
Declarative
Knowledge
Procedural
Knowledge
Emerging
Capable
Bridging
Proficient
Advanced
1
2
3
4
5
The student knows
basic facts and details
about the content.
The student makes
connections between
the facts and details
and how they fit
together.
The student
independently applies
knowledge to realworld contexts or to
other content areas.
The student analyzes
the connections,
implications or
influences of
knowledge.
The student uses
knowledge to make
and defend decisions
or solve problems and
justify solutions.
The student
demonstrates the
steps of specified
procedures.
The student
independently
chooses and performs
an appropriate
procedure in realworld contexts.
The student analyzes,
critiques, and justifies
the effectiveness of a
chosen approach.
The student adapts
procedures to new
situations.
The student knows
the steps to the
procedure.
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Diploma Plus Competencies
Diploma Plus Technology Competencies1
Competencies
T01. Creativity and
Innovation: Demonstrate
creative thinking,
construct knowledge, and
develop innovative
products and processes
using technology.
1
Emerging
1
Identify current
technologies.
Recognize or recall
technologies used to
create products.
Capable
2
Bridging
3
Proficient
4
Advanced
5
Describe how current
technology can be
used for creative
thinking, to construct
knowledge, and to
develop products and
processes.
Use current
technology for
creative thinking, to
construct knowledge,
and to develop
products and
processes.
Analyze current
technology for its ability
to support creative
thinking, to construct
knowledge, and to
develop products and
processes.
Use current technology
to solve problems.
The Technology Competencies draw directly from:
International Society for Technology in Education, National Educational Technology Standards for Students, 2007, June 2007 <
http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/NETSforStudentsStandards2007.doc>.
The rubrics for the Technology Competencies are closely aligned to including:
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, NETS for Students Achievement Rubric, March 2005, June 2007 < http://www.ncrel.org/tech/nets/p-12rubric.pdf>.
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Diploma Plus Competencies
Competencies
T02. Communication and
Collaboration: Use digital
media and environments
to communicate and work
collaboratively, including
at a distance, to support
individual learning, and to
contribute to the learning
of others.
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Emerging
1
Select appropriate
telecommunications
tools and online
resources for
collaborative projects.
Describe procedures
for safely and securely
using
telecommunications
tools.
Capable
2
Describe how digital
media and
environments can be
used to communicate
and work
collaboratively,
including at a
distance.
Explain how forms of
technology can
support individual
learning and
contribute to the
learning of others.
Bridging
3
Use
telecommunications
tools and online
collaborative
environments safely
and responsibly to
exchange data
collected and learn
curricular concepts.
Proficient
4
Compare
characteristics, uses,
and safety of
telecommunications
tools and online
collaborative
environments.
Advanced
5
Plan and implement
collaborative projects
using advanced
telecommunications
tools (e.g., groupware,
interactive Web sites,
simulations, joint data
collection,
videoconferencing) to
support curriculum
concepts or benefit the
local, regional, or global
community.
Recommend and justify
the use of
telecommunication
tools and online
collaborative
environments to meet
particular needs.
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Diploma Plus Competencies
Competencies
T03. Research and
Information
Fluency: Apply digital
tools to gather, evaluate,
and use information.
Emerging
1
Identify steps for
using technology
resources to locate
information.
Capable
2
Demonstrate the
steps for
using technology to
locate information
and guidelines for
evaluating
information from a
variety of sources.
Bridging
3
Proficient
4
Advanced
5
Apply digital tools to
gather, evaluate, and
use information.
Evaluate information
from a variety of
sources for accuracy,
bias, appropriateness,
and
comprehensiveness.
Create a hypothesis or
research question, and
select and use
appropriate
information and
communication
technology tools and
resources for collecting
and analyzing
information and
reporting results to
multiple audiences.
Perform advanced
searches using
Boolean logic and
other sophisticated
search functions.
Demonstrate how to
perform basic
queries designed to
process data and
report
results.
T04. Critical Thinking,
Problem-Solving &
Decision-Making: Use
critical thinking skills to
plan and conduct research,
manage projects, solve
problems, and make
informed decisions using
appropriate digital tools
and resources.
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Identify ways technology
has been used to address
real-world problems.
Demonstrate how to
use specific
information and
communication
technology tools to
collect and organize
information.
Implement procedures
for designing, creating,
and populating a
database.
Use information and
communication
technology tools and
resources to collect,
organize, and evaluate
information relevant
to a real-world
problem.
Critique information
from different sources,
evaluate findings,
determine the need for
additional information,
and draw conclusions
for addressing realworld problems.
Integrate technology
to define and analyze a
real-world problem,
design and implement
procedures to monitor
information, set
timelines, and evaluate
progress toward the
solution of a real-world
problem.
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Diploma Plus Competencies
Competencies
Emerging
1
T05. Digital Citizenship:
Understand cultural and
societal issues related to
technology and practice
legal and ethical behavior.
Identify common uses
of information and
communication
technology in the
community and in daily
life.
Describe how copyright
affects how one can use
technology systems,
information, and software
resources.
T06. Technology
Operations and
Concepts: Demonstrate a
sound understanding of
technology concepts,
systems and operations.
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Identify information and
communication
technology tools and
resources that can be
used to solve particular
problems.
Capable
2
Give examples of
issues related to how
information and
communication
technology supports
interactions and
learning.
Bridging
3
Practice legal and
ethical behavior when
using digital
technology.
Advanced
5
Investigate legal and
ethical issues related
to use of information
and communication
technology.
Develop and justify a
response to cultural
and societal issues
related to technology.
Analyze issues related
to acceptable and
responsible use of
information and
communication
technology, and
compare methods for
addressing these
issues.
Explain basic issues
related to
responsible use of
technology and
information, and
describe
personal
consequences of
inappropriate use.
Demonstrate the use
of information and
communication
technology tools and
resources.
Proficient
4
Apply appropriate
technology tools and
resources to solve a
specific problem or
make a decision.
Compare different
technology tools and
systems to apply prior
knowledge and to
differentiate uses.
Evaluate the
consequences and
costs of unethical use
of information and
computer technology.
Use technology tools
and resources to solve
problems or make
decisions.
Evaluate the
effectiveness of
technology tools and
systems used to solve a
particular problem.
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