I can’t express in words how happy I am that it’s finally here. Google has added rubrics to Classroom assignments, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s still in beta as of this posting, but I’m sure it will be rolling out to all users soon. Here’s a quick overview of how to use rubrics in Google Classroom.
Create the assignment and attach a rubric
You’re going to create an assignment, just like any other you would do in Google Classroom. Give it a title, description, any attachments, etc. You’ll notice a new option on the page now, + Rubric. Click on this, and it will take you to the Criteria page.
Add in the criteria and descriptors
On the criteria page, you’re going to add all rubric elements that you’re using to grade the assignment. Add the criterion title and give it a point value. Then, add an optional level and descriptor if you want (for example, here in Georgia, we have 4 domain levels and descriptors for writing rubrics). Then, add the details and descriptions for each criteria.
Use the + button on either side of the criteria box to add more levels and follow the same procedure to fill in the details. You can add more criteria by clicking the “Add a criterion” button at the bottom of the page. Classroom rubrics allow you to have up to 10 different criteria for grading. After you’ve added everything, click Save, and the rubric will be attached.
Post the assignment
Once you’re done adding the rubric, you’ll just post the assignment as usual. When students open up the assignment, they’ll be able to click on the rubric and see all the descriptors. It’s really great for students to have this as they’re working on assignments for class.
Score the rubric in the grading window
If you’re already familiar with the Classroom grading tool, the rubrics work the same way. After students submit an assignment, click on their work to open the grading tool. You’ll see an icon for the rubric under the files icon and above the comments button for the rubric. Clicking on that will open the rubric criteria on the right side. You can toggle the details on or off. All you have to do is click on the descriptor that fits the student’s work. Input the grade as you normal would and return the work. It’s that simple.
This new rubric feature is a game-changer for me, and if you use rubrics a lot in class, I’m sure this will be super useful for you. No more wasting time at the copier only to have half of them left in my room. Now, they’ve got the rubric anywhere they have access to the internet. It’s in beta testing right now, so you’ll need to apply to use the beta, but I would definitely encourage you to try it out.
Using rubrics already? What are you thoughts? How have you used them or plan to use them? Let me know.
The Educator's Quest 