rubrics for discussion

SAMPLE DISCUSSION RUBRICS FROM : HIGHLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Above Standard Below standard 10 - 15 points 0 - 10 Initial Posting Initial Posting This excellent posting reflected that the student read This posting does not reflect that the student did or and understood the assigned material, referring understood the reading. This posting could have been specifically to assigned reading or related research. made without the student doing any reading or research at all. The posting has a clear purpose: to inform, persuade, or raise an interesting question. It may also provoke The posting has no apparent purpose other than conversation or offer an opposing view of the devil's meeting the assignment requirement. It does not advocate. move the conversation forward or offer a reasoned opposing opinion. When appropriate, the posting refers to outside sources in supporting its arguments. The posting fails to make appropriate reference to outside materials in supporting any arguments. The post meets the word requirement of 150 to 350 words and there are no are no proofing or spelling There are one or more proofing errors. errors. Post is made at the last minute or late. Post is made early in the assignment period, giving fellow group members plenty of time to reply. Replies Replies Replies are substantive and reflect that the student Replies lack substance and do not reflect any reading read and thought about the assigned reading and or thought about the reading or additional sources. additional sources posted by the person they are replying to. The reply does not move the conversation forward or answer a question presented. The reply moves the conversation forward or makes a reply to a question asked in response to their own Postings are made late on the day the assignment is posting. due so that it is difficult for others to respond. Replies are made over several days rather than all crammed into the due dates. http://id.highline.edu/online/online.discussions.php

FROM : CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY Score Knowledge Understanding Writing skills Application/ Peer Analysis responsiveness Outstanding Excellent Grasps inner Demonstrates an relationship of exceptional ability Comprehensive, ability to grasp mechanics, concepts, to analyze and Excellent use of a synthesize student 5 in-depth and concepts and sentence wide range of work, asks supporting meaningful wide ranging Relate theory to structure, and material extending questions practice organization High level of Demonstrates the Demonstrates ability to analyze good ability to ability to Significant and synthesize, analyze other independent student work, and 4 Up to date and conceptualize mechanics, analysis, ask meaningful relevant essential ideas structure and good use of a extending range of questions. and relate theory organization supportive material to practice 3 Relevant but not Some ability to Some Informed Some ability to comprehensive conceptualize grammatical commentary with meaningfully essential ideas lapses, uses some evidence of comment on and relate theory emotional genuine analysis; other student to practice response in lieu of some supportive work and ask relevant points materials used bridging questions 2 Limited superficial Limited ability to Poor grammar, Some Lack of ability to knowledge/respo draw out weak communi- observations, comment on nse concepts and cation some supportive other students relate theory to evidence used work and ask practice meaningful questions Demonstrates 1 Little Minimal Lack of clarity, Lacks evidence of poor ability to relevance/some awareness that poor presentation critical analysis, comment on accuracy external concepts of thinking poor use of other student exist supportive work, asks no evidence meaningful questions http://www2.csp.edu/SCS/Faculty_page/class.template_selfp.doc

FROM : NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY Criteria Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Exemplary Quantity and Does not submit at least Submits at least one initial Submits one initial response Timeliness one initial response early in response early in the early in the session and two or the session and/or does session, and at least two more thoughtful peer not submit at least two peer responses closer to responses early in the session, peer responses closer to the end of the session. and more than two peer the end of the session. responses closer to the end of the session. Spelling and Does not submit posts that Submits posts that have Submits posts that contain mechanics are in complete sentences one or more grammatically correct or two or more of the grammatically incorrect sentences without any complete sentences are sentences and two spelling errors. grammatically incorrect spelling errors. and have greater than 2 spelling errors. Demonstrates Post and responses show Post and responses show Post and responses show knowledge and little evidence of evidence of knowledge evidence of knowledge and understanding of knowledge and and understanding of understanding of course understanding of course course content and content and applicability to content and content and applicability applicability to professional practice, and applicability to to professional practice. professional practice. include other resources that professional practice extend the learning of the community. Generates learning Posts do not attempt to Posts attempt to elicit Posts elicit responses and within the elicit responses and responses and reflections reflections from other learners community reflections from other from other learners and and responses build upon learners and/or responses responses build upon the and integrate multiple views do not build upon the ideas of other learners to from other learners to take ideas of other learners to take the discussion the discussion deeper. take the discussion deeper. deeper. http://www2.nau.edu/d-elearn/support/tutorials/discrubrics/disc1.php

FROM : UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - STOUT Criteria Unsatisfactory Limited Proficient Exemplary Critical Analysis Discussion postings Discussion postings Discussion postings Discussion postings show little or no repeat and summarize display an display an excellent evidence that readings basic, correct understanding of the understanding of the were completed or information, but do not required readings and required readings and understood. link readings to outside underlying concepts underlying concepts references, relevant including correct use of including correct use of Postings are largely research and do not terminology and terminology. personal opinions or consider alternative proper citation. feelings, or without perspectives or Postings integrate an supporting statements connections between outside resource, or from the readings, ideas. relevant research, to outside resources, support important relevant research, or Sources are not cited. points. specific real-life application. Well-edited quotes are cited appropriately. No more than 10% of the posting is a direct quotation. Participation as Discussion postings do Discussion postings Discussion postings Discussion postings a Member of not contribute to sometimes contribute contribute to the class' actively stimulate and the Learning ongoing conversations to ongoing ongoing conversations sustain further Community or respond to peers' conversations as as evidenced by discussion by building postings. evidenced by affirming affirming statements or on peers' responses statements or references to relevant including building a There are no replies to references to relevant research or, asking focused argument questions or comments. research or, asking related questions or, around a specific issue related questions or, making an oppositional or asking a new related Discussion postings are making an oppositional statement supported question or making an at midpoint or later in statement supported by any personal oppositional statement the module or by any personal experience or related supported by personal contributions are only experience or related research. experience or related posted on the last day research. research. of the module. Discussion postings Discussion postings respond to most Discussion postings are respond to most postings of peers within distributed throughout postings of peers a 48 hour period. the module's time several days after the frame. Consistently initial discussion. responds to postings of peers within 24 hours. Professional Written interactions on Some of the written Written interactions on Written interactions on Communication the discussion board interactions on the the discussion board the discussion board show disrespect for the discussion board show show respect and show respect and and Etiquette viewpoints of others. respect and interest in interest in the sensitivity to peers' the viewpoints of viewpoints of others. gender, cultural and Written responses others. linguistic background, contain numerous Written responses are sexual orientation, grammatical, spelling Written responses largely free of political and religious or punctuation errors. include some grammatical, spelling beliefs. grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. The style of writing does or punctuation errors Written responses are not facilitate effective that distract the The style of writing free of grammatical, communication. reader. generally facilitates spelling or punctuation communication. errors. The style of writing facilitates communication. http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/discussionrubric.html

FROM : GEORGIA VIRTUAL TECHNICAL CONNECTION Outcome Not Acceptable Somewhat Acceptable Highly Acceptable Acceptable Assignment Submission & The student did not The student did not The student was slightly The student successfully post the successfully post the late with assignment successfully posted the Length assignment by the due assignment by the due post and/or was assignment on or date and did not date or did not adhere somewhat short with before the stated due adhere to the length to the length criteria as outlined assignment date; adhered to the criteria as outlined in outlined in the length. length criteria as the assignment assignment guidelines. outlined in assignment guidelines. guidelines. Use of Technology The student was The student was The students was able The student properly unsuccessful in posting unable to post the to successfully post the posts assignment in assignment in the assignment in the assignment in the correct location, proper location, was proper location, or had proper location, but responds to or sends unable to respond to difficulty in had slight difficulties. appropriate email or send email or responding/sending There may also have correspondence, and properly address email messages been difficulties with opens/sends attachments. and/or attachments. email and attachments as attachments. necessary. Grammar/Spelling The student used more The student used The student used The student used no than 5 incomplete between 3-5 between 2-4 more than 1 sentences and/or incomplete sentences incomplete sentences incomplete sentence more than 6 and/or between 4-6 and/or 3- 5 and/or 2 or more misspelled/improperly misspelled/improperly Misspelled /improperly misspelled/improperly used words while used word while used words while used words while completing the completing the completing the completing the assignment. assignment. assignment. assignment. Online Etiquette The student did not The student was not The student was The student always communicate respectful to others on somewhat insensitive communicated respectfully to others more than one to others while effectively and while participating in occasion while participating in online respectfully with others online course activities. participating in online course activities. during online course course activities. activities. Quality The student’s The student has The student’s The student’s comments are not difficulty making comments are comments are clearly clearly connected to comments that are somewhat connected connected to assigned readings, clearly connected to to assigned readings assigned readings, other course materials; assigned readings or and/or other course other course materials; does not address all other course materials; materials; usually addresses all required required elements in frequently does not addresses all required elements in the the assignment. address all required elements in the assignment; thoughtful elements in the assignment; somewhat and reflective posts. assignment. thoughtful and reflective posts. http://www.gvtc.org/Portals/34/Rubric%20for%20Discussion%20Forum%20Participation%20III%20%28JSCC%29.pdf

FROM : INTEL® TEACH ESSENTIALS ONLINE Dimensions Exceeds Meets Requires additional support Content Discussion promotes sophisticated Discussion promotes basic use of Discussion promotes uncertain or knowledge use of content content misguided use of concepts Connection Posts demonstrate participants’ Posts demonstrate participants’ Posts demonstrate participants have mastery of content knowledge. This adequate understanding of content not fully grasped content is evidenced by extensive use of knowledge. This is evidenced by use knowledge. This is evidenced with concepts and terminology across of concepts and terminology across little or no use of concepts and most or all posts/threads. some posts/threads. terminology across threads. Examples depict understanding of Examples depict understanding of Examples are correct with some concepts and are clear and concepts and are clear and details. accurate. Posts engage concepts accurate. critically. Posts connect to the Posts do not connect to the Posts connect to the assignment/ assignment/previous posts by assignment/previous posts and previous posts by addressing most addressing some of its components. address few or no components of or all its components, and linking to Relevant course topics are the assignment/previous post. course material or topics learned. mentioned with connections to Relevant course topics are course material or topics learned mentioned with very few Posts draw insightful links between with some details/ elaboration. connections to course material or course content and professional topics learned, or with no details or practice, with a detailed explanation Posts draw links between course elaboration. of participants’ own professional content and participants’ own practice. professional practice, with some The participants rarely or never elaboration still needed. mention own professional practice. Collaboration Discussion across the posts serves Posts mostly point to areas of Posts are disjointed to build new ideas or stimulate agreement or disagreement and further insight. asking clarification questions about previous posts. Timeliness Participants show high initiative by Participants show some initiative by Participants show little or no Conventions posting replies or comments within posting replies or comments within 1 initiative by posting replies or 2-3 days. week. comments after more than 1 week. Participants invite responses from Participants invite responses from Participants suggest few or no ideas colleagues, and engage in colleagues. that encourage responses. meaningful interaction in the discussions. Discussion comes to a close by Discussion among participants deadline. begins late or not at all (e.g., only Discussion comes to a close by a facilitator’s prompt present at the deadline (e.g., discussion finished time the module is over). by end of that Module). Overall participants follow online Overall participants follow online Overall, participants do not always conventions, extend courtesy conventions, extend courtesy follow online conventions, do not towards fellow participants by being towards fellow participants by being extend courtesy towards fellow respectful, polite and adopting a respectful, polite and adopting a participants, make curt responses or positive tone in posts. positive tone in posts. use overly critical tone in posts. Participants compliment and provide Participants often do not constructive feedback to previous acknowledge previous posts. posts. ftp://download.intel.com/education/Common/en/Resources/Evaulation/EO/EO_eval_resource_site/Discussion_Rubric.doc