The Blackboard Rubric tool both allows the instructor to list evaluation criteria for an assignment and, if shared with students, helps them understand the requirements of an assignment.
Create a Rubric
To create a new rubric start by navigating to the Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubric.
From this rubrics page, select Create Rubric, then:
- Enter a title that identifies the rubric.
- Enter a description of the rubric to make it easier to associate it to relevant assignments.
You’ll see that the rubric, by default, has three rows and three columns. All of these elements can be edited. The rows correspond to the criteria and the columns correspond to scores for each of the criteria.
Rubrics to Download for use in Blackboard
These rubrics are developed and shared by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Click on any of the following zip files to download it to your computer. Do not un-zip it! To view the rubric, you’ll next have to import it to Blackboard. To do this go to your course Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubrics > and click Import Rubric. Then click browse your computer, locate and select the file, and click Submit, then Okay.
(If you want to see a pdf of the rubric first, you’ll need to create a login to the AACU website to access them, but then they are free.)
The following links are to download zip files that can be imported directly to Blackboard’s Rubric import function. If they are unzipped, they won’t be usable.
- ValueRubricCivicEngagement.zip
- ValueRubricCreativeThinking.zip
- ValueRubricCriticalThinking.zip
- ValueRubricEthicalReasoning.zip
- ValueRubricGlobalLearning.zip
- ValueRubricInformationLiteracy.zip
- ValueRubricInquiryAndAnalysis.zip
- ValueRubricIntegrativeLearning.zip
- ValueRubricInterculturalKnowledge.zip
- ValueRubricLifelongLearning.zip
- ValueRubricOralCommunication.zip
- ValueRubricProblemSolving.zip
- ValueRubricQuantitativeLiteracy.zip
- ValueRubricReading.zip
- ValueRubricTeamwork.zip
- ValueRubricWrittenCommunication.zip
Edit a Rubric
You will most likely need to edit the rubric, to enter your own feedback and scoring:
- Click Add Row to add a new criterion at the bottom of the grid.
- Click Add Column to add a new level of achievement to the grid.
- Select Show Points to enter a single point value for each Level of Achievement.
- Select Show Point Range to enter a high and low value to create a point range for each Level of Achievement. (Only one option can be selected.)
- Click Edit from the contextual menu of the labels identifying rows and columns to change their names.
- Enter a point value or range of values for each cell.
- Enter a description defining the criteria and the associated Level of Achievement.
Note: There is a 1,000 character limit for each cell. Rows and columns can also be reordered by clicking the reordering icon.
Copying a Rubric
You may wish to make a copy of an existing rubric for use with another test or assignment. This will allow you to keep the settings and simply rename the rubric. Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubrics and hover over a rubric to activate the arrow button for the contextual menu. Choose Copy.
To change the rubric name and settings, choose Edit from the contextual menu.
Applying a Rubric in the Grade Center
From the Grade Center, rubrics can also be associated to any column and can be viewed during the grading process. To do this, go to the Control Panel > Grade Center > Full Grade Center.
- Find the column you would like to associate your rubric with. Click the action button at the top of the column and from the contextual menu that appears, select “Edit Column Information.”
- In Section 1, click “Add Rubric,” and select the rubric (or create a new one) and choose whether the students will have access to the rubric or not.
- Click Submit.
Grading with a Rubric
The steps to using a rubric for grading are somewhat different, depending on whether you’re grading a test, assignment, blog, journal, wiki, or manual column. In each of these interfaces, if you have associated a rubric with the instance you’re grading, you will see a button to access it. You can grade according to the criteria you’ve set in the rubric, and it will calculate the student’s overall grade for the activity.
How to Export/Import a Rubric to Use in Another Course
To export a rubric:
- Go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubrics.
- Put a checkmark next to the rubric and click the light gray “Export” button.
- With “Export to Local Computer” checked, click Submit. The file may go to your Downloads folder or Desktop.
To import the rubric to a different course:
- In the course to which it’s to be imported, go to Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubrics.
- Click the dark gray “Import Rubric” button.
- Choose “Browse My Computer”, select the file, and click Submit.