Real-time Feedback: SpeedGrader & Mobile Devices

dejonghed07 · ‎06-04-2017

Our Nursing Faculty are starting to use Canvas Rubrics to grade students in real-time on their mobile devices. They use the SpeedGrader app on their smartphones during clinicals, which even allows them to use speech to text when adding comments for students! I think it’s cutting edge, especially since the original process requires remembering what happens during the day and typing comments into an Excel document evaluation form whenever they are on a computer.

Based on faculty feedback, using mobile devices during clinicals saves time and may improve accuracy. Students also receive real-time information about their progress, which has resulted in immediate student improvement.

Everything is working smoothly except for the need to download and print completed rubrics at the end of each semester. At that point, faculty discuss the evaluations with students who then sign them. So, it’s great to read that https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1275-download-assignment-comments-and-completed-rubrics" modif... is currently in Product Radar!

Set-up

The rubric a faculty member uses depends on the nursing course/semester. So, first assignments with rubrics are created and exported separately (as separate .imscc files) from any development course area (such as a sandbox).

Then, the files are uploaded to a Canvas course that includes directions for faculty to download the appropriate file and import it into their own course. (We have a homepage with buttons and directions). Faculty are added to the course as students.

Printing

We tested various methods of printing completed rubrics that were mentioned in the Canvas Community, including: copying rubric information into Word, using a Chrome extension named Awesome Screenshot and using free software named Greenshot (see Print rubric‌, https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1275-download-assignment-comments-and-completed-rubrics" modif... https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/5788?sr=search&searchId=dee4c553-f6bd-4533-871c-6815c45a8129&s...). What we found is the most user-friendly for faculty and prints best is simply printing from the individual student view in the grade book:

Select Grades on the Navigation menu
Select a student name in the grade book
Click the rubric icon on the assignment to “See Rubric Results” and view the completed Rubric
Print once the rubric and comments are visible in the individual student view

Unfortunately, our rubrics are really long, and this print method results in printing a blank first page when using long rubrics. We look forward to the https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1275-download-assignment-comments-and-completed-rubrics‌ feature moving into Development. I notice others in the Canvas Community would like the feature to help with assessment or accreditation requirements.

A Similar Initiative

When I attended InstructureCon 2015, a similar initiative was presented by Mary Myers‌ and Karen Molumby from Florida Southwestern State College.
Using Canvas to Go Paperless

Some of my notes from their presentation:

Nationally-accredited Dental Hygiene Program

Moved a previously paper-based spreadsheet (daily) process online - resulted in 2800 scanned/stored forms a year

Faculty

Outcomes created then used to create rubrics

Also created a cohort colloquium class

Created assignments, then attached rubrics

Created assignment group to allow repetition of competencies
Set rules on the assignment groups to drop the lowest scores
Data collection - huge benefit (qualitative/objective measurements rather than subjective)

Student