Self- and Peer-Assessment of Product Creativity with a Rubric in a Collaborative Environment: A Research Study with Undergraduate Textile and Apparel Designers

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of a rubric instrument in students' self- and peer-assessment of product creativity in a collaborative design studio environment. Qualitative data was captured using focus groups and personal interviews. A product creativity rubric was created by faculty members in the textile and apparel design discipline. The rubric instrument was introduced to students in an undergraduate textile design studio as an educational intervention. A student focus group explored the impact of the rubric on students' perceptions of and behaviors using self- and peer-assessments of product creativity. The rubric was evaluated using a triangulation method. The textile design studio's instructor; faculty members in the textile and apparel design discipline, and experts in assessment reviewed and evaluated the product creativity rubric. Results reveal the product creativity rubric had a positive impact on students' perceptions and behaviors using peer-assessments. Students had a negative perception of self-assessments with the rubric when seeking creative inspiration. Results suggest that students in design studios use the rubric as a check-list for grading, and not as a formative assessment instrument as intended.;This study benefits the scholarship of teaching and learning; creativity definition and assessment research, and the use of rubrics as assessment instruments in collaborative environments. The study took place at a large south eastern U.S. university from October 2013 to October 2014. Sample populations were members of the participating university and included faculty members and undergraduate students in a textiles and apparel design program as well as experts in assessment and faculty development.;The study resulted in the development of a dual rubric for product creativity assessment; one a simplified version to be used as a student hand-out and instructor scoring and a second rubric with expanded scale levels, qualitative definitions and examples to be used by students as a formative assessment instrument.