How to use rubrics in your elearnin

Rubrics are an evaluation tool that defines learner expectations and provides objective criteria to quantify how well your learner did in your elearning.

When a rubric is used for grading, each criteria is assessed independently, and each one has a scale going from best to worst. Learners are given rubrics to understand how they will be evaluated. A good rubric clarifies expectations for both the learner and the assessor, so that anyone using the rubric for a performance review or product evaluation will end up with approximately the same score.

Rubrics used in educational settings are extremely useful for guiding peer reviews. An assignment that is evaluated by a small peer group ensures that the learner is given a fair grade.

Business applications for rubrics can include a self-assessment pretest and goal setting before taking an elearning course, a review tool included with a project, or a performance rating system for learners taking part in a training simulation.

Rubrics have 3 key parts.

Criteria

These define what is being reviewed. They must be observable, distinct, encompass a range of possible outcomes, and are appropriate to what is being assessed.

Descriptions

These define what the levels of performance look like on a scale, generally from good to bad. This tells your learner what work at each level looks like, and allows them to set goals to achieve any one of those.

Rating scale

This goes along with the descriptions of the levels of performance being rated. These use verbiage such as Excellent to Poor, or Expert to Novice, depending on what is being evaluated.

Rubrics can be very helpful as an accessory to your elearning. They provide a good way for learners to show what they know; they help learners see that they know what they think they know, and they help assessors give a fair evaluation for what your learners have accomplished.