¶ Evaluation

Grading digital assignments can be challenging and can feel subjective if you have not articulated your expectations from the start. The following points will help you begin creating an evaluation criterion:

• Decide what is more important, the process students go through when conducting the assignment, the final product they create, or both. Based on what you decide, determine the weight you will give to each area. For example, the process could be 60%, and the product could be 40%.

• When evaluating the process component, determine how you will observe and measure it. Having students journal or write a longer essay about the process is one way. Having them present on it is another. When you scaffold an assignment, it is easier to keep an eye on how well students are following instructions and the care they are giving to each step.

• When evaluating the final product(s), determine what specific elements you will be grading. For example, in addition to grading the content, you can grade the writing quality, how well media is incorporated the interpretation and incorporation of data information organization, and the visual design principles applied. (See the "Student Project Checklist" for possible grading elements.)

• If students are working in groups, determine whether everyone will get the same grade or whether they will be graded individually. When you choose to grade students as a group, decide ahead of time how you will manage situations where students do not contribute enough to the project.