Assessment Elements

For ease of grading, a Exercise Assessment should have a reasonable number of "Assessment Elements". Each element should cover a particular aspect of the assessment. Typically an assessment will have something between 5 to 15 elements for comments and grading, the actual number depending on the size and complexity of the assignment. A peer assignment with only one element is allowed and has a similar assessment strategy to the standard Moodle Assignment.

The type of elements dependent on the assignment's grading strategy.

Not Graded. The elements are descriptions of aspects of the assignment. The assessor is asked to comment on each of these aspects. As with all the grading strategies, there is also an area for general comments.

Accumulative Grading. The elements have the following three features:

1. The DESCRIPTION of the assessment element. This should clearly state what aspect of the assignment is being assessed. If the assessment is qualitative it is helpful to give details of what is considered excellent, average and poor.

2. The SCALE of the assessment element. There are a number of predefined scales. These range from simple Yes/No scales, through multipoint scales to a full percentage scale. Each element has its own scale which should be chosen to fit the number of possible variations for that element. Note that the scale does NOT determine the element's importance when calculating the overall grade, a two point scale has the same "influence" as a 100 point scale if the respective elements have the same weight...

   If custom scales are set up in the course, these can be used. Note, however, that this type of scale is used as a multi-point scale and that only the first and last items of the scale are shown. For example, if the custom scale "Very Wet, Wet, Damp, Dry" is created in the course, this can be used and it will be shown as a four point scale labeled "Very Wet" at one end of the scale and "Dry" at the other.

3. The WEIGHT of the assessment element. By default the elements are given the same importance when calculating the overall grade of the assignment. Weights can be assigned negative values, this is an experimental feature.

Error Banded Grading. The elements will normally describe certain items or aspects which must be present in the assignment. The assessment is made on the present or absence of these items or aspects. The teacher must all set of grade table which give the suggested grades when all the items are present, when one is absent, when two are absent, etc. If certain items are more important than others then those items can be given a weighting greater than one. Minor items can be given a weighting less than one. The overall "error count" is a weighted sum of the missing items. The assessor can always make a minor adjustment to these suggested grades.

Criterion Grading. The elements will give a set of "level" statements which can be used to rank the assignment. The statements may be cumulative or they may each be self contained. The assessor must decide which statement best fits each piece of work. The teacher must also relate each criterion statement with a suggested grade. These should normally be in order. The assessor can make a minor adjustment to these suggested grades.

Rubric Grading. This is similar to Criterion Grading but there is more than one criteria. The number of criteria is given in the assignment parameters. Within each criterion there can be up to five "level" statements. In a given assignment the number of levels can vary from criterion to criterion. When setting up a criterion a blank level statement signals the end of the level statements. Thus some criteria may have two levels, others have three, up to five levels. The criteria can be weighted. The levels are scored 0, 1, 2, up to 4. The grade for the assessment is a weighted sum of these scores.