[Rubrics] More Color Options for Non-Scoring Rubrics

Non-scoring rubrics were introduced to Canvas on July 14, 2018.  When a non-scoring rubric is used in the SpeedGrader for grading (assuming there are only three values to choose from...such as Full Marks, Partial Marks, No Marks), there are only three corresponding color options: green, orange, and red.  An example of this is shown in the Non-Scoring Rubrics section of the Release Notes.  However, what if there are more than three possible ratings in a rubric row?  The only colors available are green, orange, and red (described by Pat Fellows ... thanks  @pfellows !)  In my own testing, depending on how the cells were added to a criterion row, you may get different results for colors when grading via the SpeedGrader.

 

If there are greater than three values for a given row in a rubric, I would like to see more color options available.  Or, maybe allow us to pick a color palette that we could use throughout the rubric...keeping in mind that some rows may have three values, but some rows may have four or five values...all within the same rubric...all dependent on the type of assignment being graded.

19 Comments
Tasha_Biesinger
Community Contributor

I believe the rubric colors are connected to the Learning Mastery proficiency ratings that can be modified by your Canvas Admin: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-14976-4214937608 

This does mean that people using Learning Mastery would no longer see the different gradations of color in the Learning Mastery gradebook.

acook4
Community Explorer

That worked! I knew I could change the colors in the Learning Mastery, but wasn't certain if that was triggering the colors in the rubrics as well. Thanks,  @Tasha_Biesinger ! 

pcallil
Community Participant

Colour coding in principle is a reasonable idea in that colour helps to draw attention from mere black and white.  But red is so 1980s....  As an English teacher correcting hand written work, I'll always use a green or black or even sometimes an orange for that reason.

, red and orange are too similar with both having negative connotations. I get why red was chosen but in this day and age, 1/5 is now more of an opportunity to see where improvement is needed rather than an error that needs to be penalised.  

When this was introduced, a teacher crossed the yard to express her outrage about red and orange suddenly being imposed!

To summarise, colour is good to draw attention but I'll be looking at changing the colours in Learning Mastery.

tmckamey
Community Explorer

Unfortunately, there are two posts on this same topic...don't know if that's been "splitting" the votes. I am wondering why this has not been solved since 2018!

Kevin683
Community Member

Agreed! These colors are a terrible idea. Instructors should be able to disable them or change the colors.

huttonj
Community Member

I'm sharing another vote for customizable color-coding in rubrics, please. Color is an important part of how students view instructors' rubric-based feedback. Please let us avoid sending the wrong message to students about their work and progress. 

KristinL
Community Team
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EmmaPower2
Community Member
Problem statement:

There are colours associated with rubric levels that create a negative experience for students and make no logical sense. If there are three levels, only the first level is green, the second is orange and the final THREE levels are all red. Negative impact: It deters educators from using the full spectrum of responses in fear of offending students AND/OR students are more likely to challenge grades and become discouraged upon seeing their marks and rubric scores - even when they have submitted a paper that "meets expectations"

Proposed solution:

Please remove these colours or, at least change them so that for a 5 point scale: the first dark green, then light green, the middle yellow, then orange, then red. Why? - sends a visual message to students that is in line with the rubric level they have been given - avoids students misinterpreting their feedback and becoming discouraged upon seeing their RED rubric scores, even when they have submitted a paper that "meets expectations" - enables educators to use the spectrum of marks without fear of sending the wrong message to a student (e.g. this would reduce mark inflation)

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instructor,student,ta,designer