Kathleen Watts

Rubrics should not contain too many criterion or grade a quantitative behavior. It should be based on a certain learning objective rather than on how many times a student makes eye contact or uses a certain term.

Rubrics are a great way to give definition to a project. They allow students to follow a guide throughout a project to help them focus on elements which will lead to a successful assignment. Rubrics are not needed for every project especially those that focus more on an artistic view.

Rubrics can help students formulate answers which are on task with course objectives. This leads to better grades, better retention of knowledge and better future application of skills.

Objective tests should be given feedback even if they are automatically graded. This allows students to know why the answer was wrong. This feedback could be given orally or written. I usually go over all tests after they are closed for this reason.

The concept of the muddiest point or 1-2-3 allows the instructor to gauge what knowledge has been retained and what could use a review. I will be sure to implement this into my teaching.

Online assessments must be varied in order to evaluate different learning styles. One type of assessment may not work for the entire group. By varying tests we can ensure that learning has occurred.

I have learned that consistency is key to student learning. By keeping modules similarly organized, students will have less questions and technical errors.

Both synchronous and asynchronous methods should be used within an online curriculum. This will keep the student engaged while allowing some independence throughout the course.

We have many options of online tools to enhance learning. It is important that we use the correct tool for the presentation that we are going to give and it suits our teaching style. 

Positivity is the key to students’ success.