A rubric, in simple terms, is a tool that lists evaluation criteria for an assignment or an assessed piece of work. Rubrics can help students to organise their efforts to meet the requirements of an assignment. Instructors can use rubrics to explain their evaluations to students. A rubric clearly indicates marking criteria. It can be used for marking assignments, class participation, or overall grades.
About rubrics in Ultra
Rubrics in Blackboard Learn are made up of rows and columns. The rows correspond to the various criteria for an assignment. The columns correspond to the level of achievement expressed for each criterion. A description and point value for each cell in the rubric defines the evaluation and score of an assignment. There is no limit to the number of rubrics that can be created.
Example of a typical rubric
A typical marking rubric contains the assessment marking criteria, the level scale and the associated level descriptors. Marking criteria will elaborate on the module learning outcome(s) and will provide the finer detail of what is expected in submitted work. The associated descriptors will differentiate between levels of performance.
Criteria | 50-59% | 60-69% | 70-79% | 80-100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Spelling and grammar | Several errors | A few errors | Some errors | No errors |
Knowledge of | Demonstrates limited knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates some knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates considerable knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates thorough and insightful knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies |
Critical and creative thinking skills | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with limited effectiveness | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with moderate effectiveness | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with considerable effectiveness | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with a high degree of effectiveness |
Communication of information and ideas | Communicates information and ideas with limited clarity | Communicates information and ideas with some clarity | Communicates information and ideas with considerable clarity | Communicates information and ideas with a high degree of clarity and with confidence |
Rubric types in Blackboard
There are four types of rubrics in Blackboard Learn Ultra:
Percentage - Each category (column) is assigned a specific percent value, for example in the outline the Excellent column is assigned the value of 100%.
Percentage Range - Each category (column) is assigned a range of percentages, for example in the outline the Excellent column has a range of 100% to 75%. The instructor will be asked to select the specific value within that range when grading the submissions.
Points - Each category (column) is assigned a point value. The sum of the highest values should represent the total possible points that can be earned for an assignment or test.
Points Range - Each category (column) is assigned a range or point values. The sum of the highest values should represent the total possible points that can be earned for that assignment or test. Instructors will be asked to select the specific value within that range when grading the submissions.
A standard/ quantitative rubric in Blackboard uses Points and Percentage to calculate an overall grade.
Selecting 0 Points to provide a rubric with no scoring provides qualitative feedback only. This gives you a purely descriptive rubric, which does not assign a grade automatically, but allows you to indicate to students how well they have performed against each assessment criterion.
To date, there is no way to hide the 0 points value in this type of rubric.