Rubrics are guides to grading or scoring students work. They can be used solely by the instructor but there are great advantages if used to provide guidance to the students in advance of their work and for offering detailed feedback that will help the student in future work. Usually you will have designed your Rubric on paper in advance. The following will walk you through the use of the Blackboard Rubric tool. Construct a Rubric The Rubric tool can be accessed through the Control Panel (Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubrics) Click on the Rubrics link to see all the Rubrics that are currently within your course and to create new rubrics. You can also export these Rubrics to use in a different course. You can associate a Rubric with most types of gradable assessments in Blackboard: Assignments (where students turn in a paper or other file), Discussion Forums, Wikis, Blogs, Essay Tests, etc. You can create the rubric by going directly to the Rubric tool in Course Tools or while you are creating the gradable assessment. You can re use rubrics for more than one assessment. Create a Rubric 1. After clicking the Rubric tool in Course Tools you ll see a screen that will show any existing Rubrics. Click on the Create Rubric button. 2. A window will open for you to create your Rubric. You begin with a default Rubric to edit and modify. Give your Rubric a Name and (optional) Description. Scroll down. Page 1 of 9
Rubric Detail The Rubric grid is where you enter your Rubric. Rubric Type: Rubrics can be constructed to reflect points or percentages. You can also choose Point Range or Percentage Range if you want more flexibility in grading. Even if you don t choose to use a Range you will still be able to modify the final grade. Criteria: Also known as Dimensions. These are the different criteria under which the student works will be evaluated. Levels of Achievement: Also known as Performance Levels across the grid horizontally are the columns which reflect different levels of proficiency for the different criteria. Modify Criteria or Levels of Achievement: Next to the labels for Levels of Achievement and Criteria you will find the circular links for menus to edit or delete columns and rows. Add Columns and Rows: The buttons for adding columns and rows are above the Rubric Grid. Weighting Criteria: If the scores for different levels of achievement are given as percentages you can also weight the different criteria to reflect their significance to the final grade. Page 2 of 9
Example: Usually it s best to create a Rubric in advance before entering into the Blackboard tool. Here is a simple Rubric for grading a short written Assignment: Response to the unit Organization, development of ideas Grammar, spelling Novice Getting There Good Excellent! Not related to the unit topic ( 0 pts) No new information, lacks coherence (0 pts) Grammar and/or spelling make piece difficult to read (0 pts) Somewhat related to prompt but relationship may not be clear, goes off on tangent ( 1-5 pts) Some new information but may be poorly organized, not well supported (1-3 pts) A number of grammar or spelling errors ( 1-2 pts) Responds to the unit prompt but may not develop ideas ( 6-10 pts) Contains new information, logical development with supporting evidence ( 4-6 pts ) A few minor spelling or grammar errors ( 3-4 pts) Responds to the prompt with original idea(s) ( 11-15 pts ) Compelling new information, well developed and strongly supported ( 7-9 pts ) Virtually no spelling or grammar errors ( 5-6 pts) Constructing the Rubric using the Blackboard Rubric tool 1. Create New Rubric and enter Name and (optional) description 2. Set the Rubric Type the Rubric above allows for a range of points so choose Points Range (Note this allows for more flexibility in grading. A fixed number of points may make grading more efficient you will still be able to adjust the final score. 3. The above Rubric has 4 Levels of Achievement so you will need to add an additional column using the button above the Rubric grid. 4. Use the circle/arrow menu to the right of each label to edit the labels for criteria and levels of achievement. You can enlarge the text entry box if you have a longer label by dragging on the lower right corner. Notice there is also a button which lets you re order the columns or rows. Repeat to relabel the Levels of Achievement Page 3 of 9
6. Next step enter the descriptions for the levels of achievement for each criterion. Enter the start and end of the Points Range Enter (or copy and paste) the description of the Level of Performance for each Criterion Click Submit (lower right) Attach the Rubric to an Assessment The following example shows how to attach a Rubric to an Assignment. Following similar steps you could attach the Rubric to a graded Discussion forum, Blog, Wiki, etc. 1. Go to the content area or folder where you want to post your Assignment. (Alternatively you could go to the Discussions to create a graded forum, etc.) 2. From the Assessment menu choose Assignment. We won t go over the details of creating an Assignment (tool for students to turn in a paper or other type of electronic document) but will focus on the grading section. Page 4 of 9
3. Scroll down in the Assignment options and you ll see the Grading section. Here is where you ll assign points (if needed for a points based Rubric the points in the Rubric will be used) and can add your Rubric to the Assignment. Click on Add Rubric 4. You ll have the options to re use an existing Rubric, create a new Rubric, or re use and modify an existing Rubric. For this example, choose Select Rubric 5. The window now shows the list of Rubrics within your course. Use button with two squares on it if you don t recognize it by name and description. 6. Check the square next to the one you wish to associate with this Assignment. Submit 7. Once the Rubric is associated with an Assignment, graded Discussion forum or other gradable assessment within Blackboard you have various options, as shown below Delete, View or Edit Rubric Use for grading (typical) or secondary evaluation (gives feedback but not a grade) Show Rubric to Students. The options are: o No (only the instructor sees the Rubric before grading) o Yes (with Rubric Scores ) will see Rubric before grading with scores o Yes ( without Rubric Scores) will see Rubric before grading but not scores o After Grading will see Rubric and scores only after grading The default is for the students not to see the Rubric before grading but many instructors will choose to show the Rubric to students before they submit the assessment in order that they to better understand what is expected of them. Page 5 of 9
Using the Rubric for grading and returning feedback When grading an Assignment you ll go to the Grade Center and begin grading as you normally would. For example, in the Full Grade Center you find the appropriate column, the row associated with the particular student then from the dropdown menu next to that cell choose View Grade Details then choose Grade Attempt. For a Graded Assignment you must first expand the cell labeled Attempt. Once the Attempt area has been expanded there are two ways to use the Rubric for grading Method One: Click on the underlined link that is the Title of the Rubric This will expand the ATTEMPT area further and allow you to grade inline. Checking theboxes for Show Description will display the descriptions for that criterion/level of achievement Checking theboxes for Show Feedback will provide a textbox which lets you give individual feedback for that criterion. Page 6 of 9
Method Two: Click on the button with two stacked squares to use the Grid View for grading. Within Grid View you can select the appropriate level of performance for each criterion. When you click within any cell on the grid you can select exact points or percentage (if a range is used) or give individual feedback Below the grid you have an opportunity to adjust the final score (points or percentage) and give overall feedback. List View provides an alternative view similar to the inline view shown previously. When you have finished grading each student remember to Submit!! Page 7 of 9
How students view the Rubric Students view the Rubric in multiple ways. They ll see it with the posted assessment if you allow them to view it in advance of when you ll of grading. This is recommended! Viewing the Rubric before they submit their work helps them know what to expect. Note that it is not the default and you ll have to turn it on in the grading options. Students view the Rubric (including before submitting their work if you ve allowed that): Within the Assignment When students open the Assignment they ll see a button that allows them to view the Rubric. Within a Discussion Forum Within a gradeable Discussion forum a button labeled Grading Information will also show them the Rubric. In this case the link to the Rubric is represented by a link that looks like a grid. They ll need to click there to view the Rubric. Within My Grades A link to the Rubric will be provided in My Grades for any assessment which has an associated Rubric. This will be visible before the assessment is submitted if you have allowed that, and after the assessment is graded in order for the student to view the criteria, their performance level and any feedback. Page 8 of 9
How students view your grades and feedback Students can view their scores and feedback either in My Grades or directly within the Assignment, Discussion forum, etc. (if it is still available). After grading they ll see the Rubric grid along with the chosen levels of performance and feedback Remember to instruct your students on how to view the Rubric before the assessment if you allow that then and after it is graded in order to see the scores and feedback that will help improve their performance. As instructor you can always use Student Preview in order to see the course site from your students point of view and practive submitting and Assignment, grading with a rubric and viewing grades and feedback. Page 9 of 9