Within the Grade section, there are three types of grading methods, and so far, we have only used the default Simple direct grading option. However, there are two other types of grading methods: Marking guide and Rubric.
The simple direct grading option enables us to choose the grade options (such as number or a scale), and the teacher adds the grade that is awarded to the student. The alternative grading methods use a very different grading process. The teacher does not select the final overall grade but grades individual criteria instead, and the score for each of these is added together to create the final grade. When creating an assignment that uses Marking guide or Rubric, we need to identify the criteria that will be used to assess the assignment.
The marking guide's grading method allows us to add criteria and identify a top grade for each piece of criteria. When grading the assignment, the teacher will choose the grade to be awarded and can also add specific feedback. We will be setting up three criteria, two with a top mark of 5 and one with a top mark of 10.
If the student is graded with the top marks for each of the three criteria, they will receive the maximum grade of twenty. Let's add this together:
Assignment 4
).20
. Change Grading method to Marking guide using the drop-down list.Please note that the criteria does not need to add up to the maximum grade given for the assignment, as Moodle will convert the final grade received for the assignment to a decimal (by adding together the grade awarded for each criterion and dividing this by 100). This will be multiplied by the maximum grade set for the assignment. This is a normalization process that is explained in much more detail in Chapter 5, Using Calculations.
The next step is to set up the marking guide, where the screen will look like the following screenshot:
The previous screenshot lets us know that the advanced grading form is not yet ready and we have a choice between Define a new grading form from scratch and Create new grading from a template. If no marking guide is created at this stage, the assignment will make use of the standard direct grading method when the assignment is assessed.
Planning
.The presentation has been planned to include an initial overview plus as outline of each type of research
.To gain top marks the overview must be very clear including the research question. There needs to be at least three types of research. There are five marks possible and should be based on 1 point for each item (clear overview, research question, three types of research)
.5
. We now need to add some more criteria. Click on the Add criterion button and repeat the preceding process for the following criteria:
Criterion name |
Description for students |
Description for markers |
Maximum mark |
---|---|---|---|
Presentation |
The presentation is clearly and confidently presented |
The student presented confidently with evidence that he/she planned and practiced the presentation. The student presented without reading a script. The presentation aids were appropriate, clear, and had the information required for the project. |
10 |
Questions |
The questions are answered at end of the presentation |
The maximum points should be awarded if students were able to answer questions confidently, displaying understanding of their project. Lower points will be awarded if students were required to use their notes to answer questions or if they were unable to answer questions. |
5 |
Confidently presented
and Evidence of planning and preparation
.Your completed marking guide should look like this:
We will look at how to grade work using the marking guide in Chapter 4, Assigning Grades.
The second method of alternative grading is called Rubrics. Rubrics allow a set of criteria to be set up for the assessment along with descriptors that outline the different levels at which the criteria are met. Each descriptor has a value that enables Moodle to calculate a final grade for the assessment based on the criteria met. Rubrics are a more detailed version of the marking guide, and they make the grading process simple for the teacher and students.
When using the Rubric grading method, we will need to create a grading form in a similar way in order to create the marking guide. We will set up a rubric assignment together:
Assignment 5
).Core criteria of an assignment
.30
. Change Grading method to Rubric.Core assignment criteria
. You can also add a description to the Description box (this is useful when sharing rubrics or searching for your own rubrics in order to use them as templates).We will be completing the rubric criterion and level boxes, but first let's find out how rubrics are used and what these options are.
Within a rubric, there is at least one criterion, and each criterion has specific levels of grading. The criterion is an element of the assignment that needs to be met. The levels are the extent to which this criterion has been met. Statements are added and are used to assess the work, and when grading we can choose the relevant statement based on the extent to which this criterion has been met. For assignments that have multiple criteria, the points awarded for each criterion are added together to create the final grade.
The default setting within a rubric is for one criterion, with three points levels ranging from zero to two points. Additional criterion as well as additional grading levels for each criterion can be added (the number of grading levels can also be removed so that there can be fewer than three grading levels). The points awarded for each level can also be amended.
We will be setting up three criteria, each with a top grade of 10. If the student is graded the top marks for each of the three criteria, they will receive the top grade of 30 (we set 30 as the maximum grade when we added the assignment).
As with the marking guide, the criteria does not need to always add up to the maximum grade given for the assignment, as a normalization process will convert the grade. This will be explained in Chapter 5, Using Calculations.
You can see the criteria we will be using in the following table; we will be using the same point system for each level in this example:
Criterion |
0 points |
3 points |
6 points |
10 points |
---|---|---|---|---|
The assignment should be 1,000 words |
The word count is below 800 words or over 1,200 words |
The word count is between 800 and 1,049 words |
The word count is between 1,050 and 1,200 words |
The assignment is between 1,000 and 1,050 words |
At least 5 quotes should be used and be correctly referenced |
No quotes used or quotes used but not referenced |
Some quotes included but not fully referenced |
5 quotes included and partly referenced |
5 or more quotes included and correctly referenced |
The assignment brief met (4 elements) |
2 or fewer elements covered |
3 elements covered |
4 elements covered but more detail could be included |
All 4 elements covered in detail |
Let's add these criteria and levels to the course. We will add the first one together:
The assignment should be 1000 words
). You can make the text box larger by holding your cursor in the bottom-right section of the box and dragging the box to make it bigger.The word count is below 800 words or over 1200 words
). Make sure the points box reads 0
.1
points level). Type in the three points level statement from the table. Change the points number to 3
.6
.10
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