Goals & Rubrics in Learn Ultra

Goals must first be imported or created in Blackboard for you to align with your course content. Aligning institutional and accreditation goals allows you to review relationships, coverage, and aggregated reports. Rubrics can be created and associated to assess assignments. Using rubrics helps students organize their efforts to met your requirements.

🏴This information applies only to Blackboard Learn Ultra.

Goals

Instructors can also align goals to the following course items:

• Assignments
• Tests, including individual questions
• Questions in banks
• Discussions
• Rubrics criterion
• Files
• Web links
• Teaching tools with LTI connection
• Documents
• Journals

Click the Settings icon to add, edit, and remove goals in a test, assignment, or discussion. Select Align with goals to open the Goals & Standards page. If the item has goals associated with it, the link shows the number of goals already aligned.

Goals & standards

On the Goals & Standards page, you can select goals to align with course content or remove goals that you added.

Goals that fit the criteria appear. Select the checkboxes for the goals that you want to add.

Select Submit. The selected goals are aligned with the item.

To remove a goal from course content, select the same link you used to align the goal. The link text displays the number of goals aligned with the item, for example, Aligned with 3 goals. Select the link to open the list of goals, and select the trash can icon next to the goal you want to remove.

To remove goals from an individual test question, open the test. Select the trophy icon next to a question. In the list of goals, select the trash can icon next to the goal you want to remove.

Align with Course Content

To align goals with an individual test question, open the test. Open the menu next to the question and select Align with goal. A trophy icon appears next to questions with aligned goals. Select the icon to edit or remove goals from the question. Select Align with goal again to add, edit, or remove goals associated with the question.

You can align goals with some items on the Course Content page, including links, teaching tools with LTI connection, files, and documents. To add, edit, or remove goals associated with these items, open the menu in the item's row and select Edit. In the panel that appears, select Align with goals. The Goals & Standards page appears. If the item already has goals associated with it, the link shows the number of goals.

Students can view information for the goals you align with tests, assignments, or discussions so they know your expectations.

Align with a Rubric

Inside a new or existing rubric, select the Align with goals link that appears under a criteria row to add, edit, or remove associated goals. The Goals & Standards page appears.

Rubrics

You can create a new rubric or associate an existing rubric with an assignment, test, or discussion.

Rubrics consist of rows and columns, the rows correspond to the criteria, and the columns correspond to the level of achievement that describes each criterion.

New rubrics have four rows and four columns. You can add up to 15 columns and rows, and you can delete all but one row and one column.

You can create fours types of rubrics: percentage, percentage range, points, and points range:

Percentage-based rubrics: For percentage-based rubrics, the criteria total percentage must equal 100%. You may only use whole numbers. You may add rows set to 0% as long as your total percentage amounts to 100.

If the percentages don't equal 100, a warning message appears at the bottom of the screen. Select Balance Criteria next to the message to auto-adjust the percentages so they equal 100. Or, you can manually update the percentages as needed.

For the levels of achievement, one column must have a value of 100%. You may only use whole numbers.

Percentage-range rubrics: For percentage-range rubrics, each level of achievement has a range of values. When you grade, you select the appropriate percentage level for a particular level of achievement. The system calculates the points earned by multiplying the weight x achievement percentage x item points.

Points-based rubrics: For points-based rubrics, the maximum possible points should be less than or equal to 99,999. You may only use whole numbers. You may add rows set to 0 as long as your total points are less than or equal to 99,999.

Points-range rubrics: For points-range rubrics, the maximum possible points should be less than or equal to 99,999. You may only use whole numbers. You may add rows set to 0 as long as your total points are less than or equal to 99,999. The point range for each criterion must go from a lower range to a higher range.

Create rubrics

You can create rubrics from an assignment, test, discussion, or from the gradebook. On the assignment, test, or discussion page, select the Settings icon to open the Settings panel. In the Additional Tools section, select Add grading rubric and Create New Rubric. In your gradebook, select the Settings icon. In the Gradebook Settings panel, existing rubrics are listed in the Grade schemas section.

From an assignment, test, or discussion

When you create or edit an assignment, test, or discussion, you can create a new rubric. You can also associate an existing rubric unless you've already graded the item. You may associate only one rubric to each assignment, test, or discussion.

• On the assignment, test, or discussion page, select the Settings icon to open the Settings panel.
• In the Additional Tools section, select Add grading rubric > Create New Rubric.

• On the New Rubric page, type a title with a limit of 255 characters. If you don't add a title, "New Rubric" and the date appear as the title.
• Select a Rubric Type: Percentage, Percentage Range, Points, or Points Range.

By default, four criteria rows and four achievement level columns appear. You can add, delete, and rename the rows and columns. Point to a cell to access the edit and delete icons. Select the plus sign wherever you want to add a row or column and type a title. If you don't want the new row or column, you can delete it.

When you add an achievement level, a percentage is automatically added. For example, if you add an achievement level between two levels listed at 100% and 75%, your new level is assigned 88%. You can adjust the percentages as needed. Click anywhere to save your changes.

For new and existing levels of achievement, you can add an optional description. Achievement titles have a 40-character limit. Criteria and description cells have a 1,000 character limit. You can't add HTML code to titles and cells. You can paste text from another document, but the formatting doesn't carry over.

When you press the Enter key, a new paragraph isn't started in a cell. The Enter key confirms you're finished. Your work is saved and you leave edit mode.

You can align goals with rows in the rubric if you want to measure achievement against goals set by your institution. Select Align with goals to get started. Students can't see the goals you align with criteria in a rubric.

From the gradebook

You can create, edit, copy, delete, and review existing rubrics from your gradebook. Rubrics are listed in alphabetical order.

• In your gradebook, select the Settings icon.
• In the Gradebook Settings panel, existing rubrics are listed in the Grading schemas section.

Associate rubrics to assessments

In the Additional Tools section, select Add grading rubric to view existing rubrics. Rubrics appear in alphabetical order.

• If you haven't used a rubric in grading, you can select the rubric title to make changes to the title, rows, columns, and percentages. You can also add or delete rows and columns.
• Select the Add icon to associate the rubric to the assessment.

When you associate a rubric and view a student's assignment or test submission, the grade pill displays a rubric icon.

Remove associations

You can remove a rubric from an assessment you've graded and the grades will remain. The grades are no longer associated with the rubric, but now appear as grades you added manually.

Return to the Settings panel and point to the associated rubric's title to access the Remove icon.

Manage rubrics

You have different options based on where you access a rubric. You can edit, delete, copy, export, archive rubrics or align a rubric with goals. You can access a rubric from an item's Settings panel and the Gradebook Settings panel.

Edit rubrics If you haven't used a rubric in grading, you can select the rubric title to make changes to the title, rows, columns, and percentages. You can also add or delete rows and columns.

Copy rubrics

From the Gradebook Settings panel, open a rubric's menu and select Duplicate to create a copy of an existing rubric.

The copied rubric opens with the date and "copy" added to the title. You can make edits as needed. Select Save to save the duplicate rubric.

If you've already used a rubric to grade an item, you can also copy the rubric and edit the duplicate version. From an item's Settings panel, open the rubric. Select Create a Copy at the bottom of the screen. When you create a copy of a rubric you used to grade a test or assignment, the new rubric is associated with the item. Any grades calculated with the original rubric are preserved, but these grades are converted to overrides. You can regrade these submissions with the new rubric.

Delete rubrics

You can permanently delete a rubric from your course even if you used it in grading and the grades will remain. The grades are no longer associated with the rubric, but now appear as grades you added manually. To permanently delete a rubric, open the Gradebook Settings panel in the Gradebook.

Copy rubrics between courses

You can copy rubrics between your courses. On the Course Content page, select the plus sign to open the menu and select Copy Content. Or, open the menu on the right side above the content list and select Copy Items. The Copy Items panel opens.

From the Copy Items panel, you can browse all the courses that you teach. Select the Rubrics folder from the desired course and use the check boxes to select the rubrics you’d like to copy. When you’re done, select Start copy.

Copied Rubrics appear in the Gradebook Settings area. Select Gradebook, select the gear icon in the top right-hand corner, and review all the rubrics in the Course Rubrics section.

More on how to copy rubrics between courses

Export and archive courses with rubrics

Rubrics are saved in export and archive packages. When you convert an Original course to Ultra, percentage-range and percentage rubrics are converted without descriptions. All other rubric types are converted to percentage rubrics, such as points and point range. All Original rubric settings are now set to the Ultra rubric defaults, such as display to students.

Student view of grading rubrics

Students can view a rubric before they open an assignment, test, and discussion and after they start the attempt. Students select This item is graded with a rubric to view the rubric.

Students can view the rubric along with the instructions. They can expand each rubric criterion to view the achievement levels and organize their efforts to meet the requirements for the graded work.

Grade Using a Rubric

On the student's submission page, the grade pill displays a rubric icon. Select the grade pill to open the rubric in a panel next to the student's work.

You can assign a performance level to each criterion by selecting the desired score pill. As you select a performance level, the rubric's grade pill updates. You can deselect a performance level and choose another if you change your mind while grading.

Use the arrow icons to collapse or expand any criterion. You can do this even if the criterion has already been scored.

Performance level descriptions are hidden by default. To view them, use the Show descriptions toggle switch.

You can navigate between rubric criteria using your keyboard's tab and select a performance level using the up and down arrows.

To provide individual criterion feedback, use the text box in each criterion.

The rubric score and feedback save automatically as you make selections. Select the X to close the rubric panel. The grade you assign with the rubric appears on the student's submission page and in the gradebook.

For percentage-range rubrics, each performance level has a range of values. When you grade, you select the appropriate percentage level for each performance level. The system calculates the points earned by multiplying the weight, achievement percentage, and item points.

Provide feedback on the overall attempt

On the student's submission page, select the feedback icon to open the Feedback panel. Type notes and feedback for the student and save them.

When you're ready for the student to view the grade, open the menu and select Post. If you want to give the student another attempt, select Delete, and the submission will be permanently deleted.

You can return to the item at any time to change the grade, even after you've posted it.

Override rubric grades

Override grades are grades you assign manually. For example, when you type in the grade pill in the Gradebook. An override label appears next to the grade. You can also override each individual rubric criterion.

In the grade pill, you can type a numeric value of no more than five digits. You can include two additional digits after the decimal point.

On the student's Submissions page, you can select Undo Override next to the grade pill and the override label is removed. The previous grade appears, or you can use the rubric to grade.

Associate a rubric after grading begins

Associating a rubric to and assessment after grades have been assigned will result in override grades. In the Gradebook, an override label will be displayed next to the grade. In the Rubric Details panel, you can choose to regrade any graded submissions with the newly associated rubric. When you select Regrade with the rubric, the rubric becomes active, and you can use it to provide grades. The new grades appear in the Gradebook, and the override label is removed.

Student view of graded rubrics

After you grade items and post the results, students can view their scores on their grades pages or in the activity stream. They can also access a graded item on the Course Content page to review their submissions, the rubric, your feedback, and their grades.

More on assignments and the activity stream

When students view their graded submissions, they can select the grade pill to open the rubric next to their work. Students can expand an individual criterion to review their performance levels. The awarded scores are highlighted.

Use your keyboard to navigate rubrics

You can use the arrow keys to navigate the rubric cells. The top-left cell is the initial focus of the rubric table. When you press Tab, you send focus in this order:

• First Add Column function
• First column heading cell, and so on
• Press Tab on the last Add Column function to send focus to the Add Criterion function at the top of the next row
• Criterion heading cell of the next row
• First achievement level on the row
• Then, across the row
• Add Criterion function on the next row, and so on

You can press Enter on any rubric cell to send focus to the Edit function for that cell. Press Enter again to start the editing action. Press Enter while in edit mode to exit edit mode and return focus to the cell you were editing.

When you edit a column heading, only that heading is editable. Tab/Enter exits the heading and returns focus to the cell.

When you edit a criterion heading, all criteria headings are editable. Tab focus moves vertically between the inputs. Tab moves from the last input to exit criteria edit mode and puts the focus on that cell.

When you edit any achievement level description cell, all achievement level description cells are editable for that criterion. Tab moves from percentage to description to percentage for the next level. Tab on the last input exits edit mode and return focus to the last cell in the row.

Move focus between the rubric and content

You can navigate between the rubric and the content you're grading, such as an assignment.

When the focus is on the last criterion heading, press Tab to move focus to a hidden anchor function near the top of the rubric panel that reads "Focus" and points to the content portion.

When the focus is on the "Focus" button, press Tab to move to the top of the rubric panel to the first tabbable element, close button.

Press Enter/spacebar to move the focus to the first tabbable element in the content portion.

When the focus is on the next-to-last tabbable element in the content portion, press Tab to move the focus to a hidden anchor button near the top of the content portion that reads "Focus" and points to the rubric panel.

When the focus is on the "Focus" button, press Tab to move the focus to the first tabbable element in the content portion.

Press Enter/spacebar to move the focus to the first tabbable element in the rubric panel.