Enhanced Rubrics: Progress and Looking Ahead

[RaviKoll]

We're thrilled to continue the conversation about the enhanced rubrics, following up on our initial release. Since the first phase , we've made significant progress in addressing your feedback and implementing new features to improve your grading experience. Today, we’re excited to share the latest updates and what’s coming soon!

SpeedGrader Usability: 

We are pleased to announce that the SpeedGrader usability issues, particularly regarding the rubric tray's fixed width and row height, have been resolved. In response to your feedback, we’ve removed the Tray and introduced the Enhanced Rubrics UI, which now sits within the sidebar. This improvement allows you to maintain a smooth workflow, even when working with more complex rubrics with five or more ratings. The traditional rubric assessment view will always be available, ensuring consistent grading no matter the rubric size.

This update is a major win for usability, especially on narrower screens, and marks a significant step toward making SpeedGrader a more intuitive and efficient tool.

Performance Enhancements and SpeedGrader Modernization

We know that some of you have experienced lag or slow performance when using rubrics in SpeedGrader. We're happy to report that these issues have been resolved! Furthermore, with the upcoming modernized SpeedGrader, you'll notice significant improvements in grading performance when using enhanced rubrics.

Rubric Import & Export: 

As promised, we’ve introduced the import and export functionality for rubrics directly from the Rubrics Landing Page. You can now upload a CSV file to create one or more rubrics simultaneously and download existing rubrics in CSV format. This feature is currently available, making it easier than ever to manage rubrics across courses.

Rubric Sharing: Copy To

We’ve also listened to your requests for an easier way to share rubrics across courses. The "Copy To" feature is now available, allowing instructors to select one or multiple rubrics from the Rubrics Home Page and copy them to another course. This functionality is currently available, ensuring consistency in grading across multiple courses and eliminating the need to recreate rubrics manually.

The New Rubric Experience in Assignments

The enhanced rubric experience is now fully integrated with the Assignments section. Whether you are adding or creating new rubrics, the new interface provides a more cohesive and streamlined workflow. This replaces the old interface, further improving the overall grading process. 

What’s Next?

We’re not stopping here! There are two major upcoming features that we’re actively working on:

• Bulk Rubric Download for Rubric Assessments : We're excited to announce that bulk rubric downloading for rubric assessments will be available for beta testing in December, with a full production release scheduled for January. This extended functionality will allow you to export rubrics based on specific criteria, offering an even more streamlined and efficient approach to rubric management.
• Student Self-Assessments: Scheduled for rollout to the Beta environment in January, this feature will empower students to self-assess their submissions using the same rubrics instructors use for grading, a valuable tool for fostering self-reflection and personal growth. 

As always, we deeply appreciate your feedback and are committed to delivering the best tools to support your educational needs. Your input has driven these improvements, and we’re excited to keep building on this progress.

Please continue to share your thoughts and suggestions as we move forward together on this journey. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being a part of this evolving process.