Evaluation of Online Learning with Rubrics

Abstract

Degree completion dental hygiene students often find it difficult to adapt to a totally online environment because there is no face-to-face communication. How to study and “uncovering” material is very important in the computer-based environment. One method to enhance learning-centered teaching is the use of rubrics. A rubric is a scoring tool that provided the specific requirements for an assignment by describing the specific parts of an assignment and what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable levels of performance for each part. This poster will demonstrate sample rubrics for theory-based and service-learning within the online environment. The requirements for an effective rubric will be described. Rubrics can save teachers many hours of grading while providing meaningful and timely feedback to students. Students may use rubrics for self-evaluation of their own work before submission of their assignments. Rubrics provide a “fair” way of evaluating student learning. Rubrics have been shown to allow online students to adapt to the degree completion program and to have a better understanding of what is expected of them as critical thinkers and evidence-based learners.