Using Rubrics in Marking

WISEflow rubrics, available on all flow types, are designed to assist assessors in reaching grading outcomes and providing feedback to students in a structured and consistent way. There are various advantages to using rubrics in the assessment process and these are discussed further in the author section of this site as well as in our webinar series.

WISEflow rubrics come in two formats, the standard and the custom rubric. The standard rubric is a fixed format and is akin to a traditional scoring matrix with assessment domains on one axis and achievement descriptors across the other. The custom rubric is more flexible and allows authors to use any of WISEflow's test question types to construct bespoke scoring forms and feedback sheets.

Where a rubric has been enabled on the flow, use the Rubric button, shown below, to access it.

If you want to use rubrics as a marking method on FLOWseries flows, read through the information on FLOWseries Portfolio in this article (FLOWseries > Extra Features). Rubrics must be attached by the manager if rubrics-based assessment is enabled on FLOWseries.

Marking With a Standard Rubric

An example of the standard rubric is shown below:

1. Open the rubric
2. Close the rubric
3. Sharing options: Choose whether the completed rubric should be private, shared with participants or co-assessors (or both).
4. Rubric title
5. The assessment domain and its weighting
6. The scoring scale with achievement descriptors for each increment on the scale (visible as pop-ups when the cursor hovers over each descriptor); select the appropriate box to record your score
7. Text feedback area (if enabled)
8. Audio feedback area (if enabled)
9. Progress monitor: Displays how many assessment domains have been completed
10. Approve the rubric: this is greyed out until all assessment domains have been completed.

Marking With a Custom Rubric

An example of the custom rubric is shown below:

1. Open the rubric
2. Close the rubric
3. Sharing options: Choose whether the completed rubric should be private or shared with participants or co-assessors (or both)
4. Rubric title
5. Response fields: This may vary significantly depending on the design of the rubric and may show any combination of different fields. The above example shows a number entry field that corresponds to a question in the submission, as well as an open text feedback field. For more information on designing custom rubrics, please see here.
6. Progress monitor: Displays how many assessment domains have been completed
7. Approve the rubric: This is greyed out until all assessment domains have been completed

Approving the Completed Rubric

Once the rubric has been completed, the next step in the process is to use the scores generated in the rubric to confirm a final grade to be entered on the appropriate grading scale. This can be a manual or automated process, depending on the flow settings. WISEflow has a helpful tool called the grade scaler which, if enabled, can assist by automatically scaling marks generated via the rubric to fit the final grading scale (more information here).

There are three possible ways that this process can work:

1. A grade scaler is present on the flow and is enforced
2. A grade scaler is present on the flow but is not enforced
3. No grade scaler is present on the flow

A Grade Scaler is Present on the Flow and is Enforced

Once all assessment domains have been completed the approve rubric button will become available. Click the approve rubric button to generate the final score and grade.

Once the rubric has been approved, you can then enter the calculated grade.

1. Defines the score as calculated by the rubric
2. Defines the suggested grade as calculated by the grade scaler
3. Open the grade scaler to view the scale against which the original score is being converted into the final grade
4. Defines the final enforced grade as calculated against the grade scaler; this enforced grade cannot be changed
5. Enter the calculated rubric grade, ready to be submitted; alternatively, click the X to return to the rubric where re-approval will be required

Once the grade has been entered, the option appears to re-open the rubric or Go to grading. Once the grade window is open, the final grade can be submitted.

A Grade Scaler is Present on the Flow but is not Enforced

Where a grade scaler is not enforced, it effectively acts in an advisory capacity. The process of approving the rubric is very much the same as in the previous example, however, the assessor is subsequently able to change the grade that has been suggested and applied.

The above shows a grade awarded on a categorical grading scale. Where the final grading scale is numeric, a text entry box will be used instead.

Once the grade has been entered, the option appears to re-open the rubric or Go to grading. Once the grade window is open, it is still possible at this stage to amend the grade that has been carried across from the approved rubric by using the drop-down list of grades available on the grade scale.

Once the final grade has been chosen and entered, click the Submit button.

No Grade Scaler is Present on the Flow

Where no grade scaler is being used on a flow the assessor must manually enter the grade based on the score generated in the rubric. First, approve the rubric.

With no grade scaler, no grade is suggested once the rubric has been approved. A grade must therefore be chosen from the drop-down list.

The above shows a grade awarded on a categorical grading scale. Where the final grading scale is numeric, a text entry box will be used instead.

It is possible for assessors to submit an overall final grade using the marking overview without completing the assigned rubric.