rubric for video assignment

Video Project Rubric

Examples of Other Rubrics

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How to Create a Rubric to Assess Student Videos

Jul 25, 2022

Using video in the classroom helps to keep students engaged and add make your lessons more memorable. Students can even make their own videos to share what they've learned in a way that is exciting and fun . But what do you do when it comes to grading students’ video projects?

One of the easiest ways to show students what’s expected of them is to create a rubric breaking down the different elements of a video project. You may have already created rubrics for other class projects — ones that involved posters, labs, or group work. Rubrics for video projects are similar. The medium may be different, but the learning and thinking students do are still there for you to assess.

Ways to assess a video:

You can use video projects at many different levels. Some of the elements in your rubric are going to be the same, whether you’re assigning a video to a high school physics class or using Animoto for a fourth grade vocabulary project.

Here are some things to include when developing a video project rubric:

Content: Clearly state what information and how much of it students should include. For example, in a biography project, students might be expected to include five interesting facts about their person in order to get the highest number of points on the rubric.

Images: Make sure your rubric states how many images you expect in an excellent, good, average, and poor project. You might want to add that those images should be relevant to the topic (e.g. no skateboards in a butterfly video) and appropriate. If you want to emphasize research skills, you could also require they use public domain images or cite their image sources.

Sources While this may not be necessary for very young students, middle and high school student videos can and should include a text slide with their bibliography or an accompanying paper bibliography.

Length: Just as you would set a page limit for an essay, you should set limits on video length, especially if you want to share the videos with the class. That length depends on your project — a simple “About Me” video project can be a minute long, while a more involved science or English assignment could be two to three minutes.

The style and flair of the video itself should really take second place to the student’s process — how a student researched the project, chose images, and organized their information. When your rubric reflects that, you’re truly assessing what a student learned.

Video project ideas

Creating Animoto accounts for you and your students is completely free! Once you have your free account set up, there are endless ways to strengthen your lessons using video. Here are some of our favorites.

Digital scavenger hunt

Take your lessons outside of the classroom with a digital scavanger hunt ! Have your students find specific plants and animals, architectural landmarks, historical features, and even shapes in their real-world environments and photograph them as they go. Then, they can add them to an exciting video that can be shared with the class using our Educational Presentation template.

Video autobiography or biography

Have your students research important figures throughout history or even share their own life stories with a video ! The Self-Introduction template makes it easy to share the most important moments of one's life in a fun and engaging way.

Vocabulary videos

Put new vocabulary into action with a video! You can teach students new vocabulary words and then have students find real-world examples of them in real life. Or, let students share all the new words they've learned over summer break using the Vocabulary Lesson template.

Book trailers

Book trailers are a great way to get the story across in just a few short minutes. Whether starting from scratch on a brand new book or creating a summary of a favorite book, the Book Trailer template makes it simple.

Video presentations

Video presentations are a great way to showcase your learnings without the anxiety of a traditional presentation. They can be used in virtual classrooms or shared "IRL" to supplement student presentations. The Educational Presentation template is versatile, engaging, and easy to customize and share.

Sports recap

Extracurricular activities are part of a well-rounded education. Celebrate wins or even analyze your game with the Sports Recap template! It's a great way to increase school spirit and show students that you care.

Book reports

Hit your reading goals for the semester and make sure the lessons hit home with a book report! Rather than an extensive essay, the Book Report template hits on all the high-notes and most important elements of a particular book.

How are you grading your students’ Animoto videos? Let us know in our Facebook group, the Animoto Social Video Marketing Community .

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Video class assignment tips for instructors and students

• January 31, 2021
• Alex Martinez
• Digital Media / Kaltura (Video Management) / WeVideo

This article covers:

• For instructors
• For students
• Getting Started

Team Roles and Responsibility

Stock photos and graphics, video software, video tutorials, affordable and royalty-free audio clips.

Video assignments can be a research-intensive, collaborative, and highly engaging student activity. The video can demonstrate skills, knowledge, and communication strategies. View some student video projects to give you ideas for your next class assignment.

For Instructors

• Final videos should be between 2-5 minutes. A high quality 5-minute video can take about 5-10 hours to produce.
• Ensure that the project grade has the appropriate weight.
• Ensure that students keep you updated with their progress, require them to send you frequent project updates to avoid the project being done at the last minute.
• Create a “Group Planning” document for your student groups to help them plan, communicate, and organize. Spanish Skits ( http://goo.gl/hvaq4I ) Chemistry ( http://goo.gl/RpsPO2 ) B2B Marketing ( https://goo.gl/DsQef7 )  Why Make B2B Videos?
• For help with video assignments, contact [email protected] to get answers to your questions and support. We can give your students a workshop and a tour of the Digital Media Center.
• Give your students a few weeks to complete this project. Each week students should submit a progress report to ensure they are on track.
• Inform students that they can upload their videos into your Canvas course using My Media
• Create a video assignment in your Canvas course to make.
• Instruct students to submit their video assignments to make grading fast and easy using the Canvas speed grader tool.
• Science Communication Rubric
• Pecha Kucha Rubric (PDF)
• Infographic Instructor Grading Rubric
• Multimedia Science Activity Rubric
• Digital Storytelling Rubric
• Digital Video Project Rubric
• B2B Marketing Video Rubric

For Students

• Tips for students completing video class assignments (PDF)
• Spanish Skits
• Chemistry Educational
• B2B Marketing
• Take advantage of the DU Digital Media Center ; they have friendly staff and cool video software.
• Computer Screen Capture:  Jing (Free) and Skitch (Free)
• Prioritize recording high-quality audio. The further the microphone is from your presenter, the worse your audio quality will be. Recording indoor in quiet spaces or adding a voice-over track are the best options for capturing high-quality audio.
• Define a clear purpose and outcomes for the video .
• Establish teams and assign project roles and responsibilities.
• Research videos online that match your goals and expectations.
• Produce a video that is visually engaging to your audience. Scenes should be changing every 5-10 seconds.
• Create a storyboard shoot list and script .
• Create a project timeline and video team document to keep you organized.
• Tips for producing class assignment videos, “Before, During and After” .
• Have weekly team meetings.
• How to produce a video documentary by Adobe
• How to share final video securely to only class participants via Canvas Media Gallery
• Producer: Initiates and coordinates meetings and time management; has a high-level view of the project and timelines
• Script Writers: Responsible for creating the storyboard and script
• Researchers: Responsible for researching the topic, fact collecting and citations
• Videographer/Photographers/Audio Technicians: Responsible for video recording and still photos; ensures good lighting and audio quality
• Narrators: Provides audio or video commentary
• Illustrators / graphic artist : Responsible for drawing custom art work
• Video & Audio Editors: Responsible for video and audio editing software; will edit and share revisions with team members
• OpenVerse – 6 millions reusable objects
• Flickr Creative Commons
• DU Flickr Collection
• Science Images
• Archives.org
• Videvo.net – video b-roll clips
• ZOOM: Free video conference for all DU staff and students. Allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, interviews, and microphone. No editing features.
• Kaltura (Canvas My Media and DU MediaSpace): Free video conference for all DU staff and students. Allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone. Limited editing features. Kaltura is available within Canvas under My Media and DU MediaSpace .
• Kaltura Capture allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone.
• WeVideo – A web-based video editor designed for non-video professionals that’s easy to use. DU has a few student licenses.
• Adobe Creative Cloud software : DU Students, staff and faculty members now have access to this suite of Adobe software.
• iMovie – Mac 
• Camtasia Studio – Free video editor – 30 day trial for PC and Mac
• Blender : Free and open source 3D creation suite.
• PowToon – An online animated video software for both Mac and PC. Not free.
• Making a digital story video using iMovie
• Making a digital story video using WeVideo
• Vimeo Video School
• Video Story Guide
• Tips for marketing videos
• Videvo video clips
• YouTube Audio Library
• PartnersInRhyme
• Incompetech
• Global Sound Promotion
• Free Music Archive

The DU Digital Media Center has professional video and audio software for students. They are located in the Anderson Academic Commons and are normally open when the library is open.

Related Articles

Canvas kaltura important updates (4/2/2024), how to access zoom recordings in mediaspace, how to obtain a transcript file when conducting interviews using zoom, kaltura or a phone, kaltura – adding a single video to your canvas course, adding kaltura video on a du drupal page, wevideo tutorials & resources.

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Rubric Best Practices, Examples, and Templates

A rubric is a scoring tool that identifies the different criteria relevant to an assignment, assessment, or learning outcome and states the possible levels of achievement in a specific, clear, and objective way. Use rubrics to assess project-based student work including essays, group projects, creative endeavors, and oral presentations.

Rubrics can help instructors communicate expectations to students and assess student work fairly, consistently and efficiently. Rubrics can provide students with informative feedback on their strengths and weaknesses so that they can reflect on their performance and work on areas that need improvement.

How to Get Started

Best practices, moodle how-to guides.

• Workshop Recording (Fall 2022)
• Workshop Registration

Step 1: Analyze the assignment

The first step in the rubric creation process is to analyze the assignment or assessment for which you are creating a rubric. To do this, consider the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the assignment and your feedback? What do you want students to demonstrate through the completion of this assignment (i.e. what are the learning objectives measured by it)? Is it a summative assessment, or will students use the feedback to create an improved product?
• Does the assignment break down into different or smaller tasks? Are these tasks equally important as the main assignment?
• What would an “excellent” assignment look like? An “acceptable” assignment? One that still needs major work?
• How detailed do you want the feedback you give students to be? Do you want/need to give them a grade?

Step 2: Decide what kind of rubric you will use

Types of rubrics: holistic, analytic/descriptive, single-point

Holistic Rubric. A holistic rubric includes all the criteria (such as clarity, organization, mechanics, etc.) to be considered together and included in a single evaluation. With a holistic rubric, the rater or grader assigns a single score based on an overall judgment of the student’s work, using descriptions of each performance level to assign the score.

Advantages of holistic rubrics:

• Can p lace an emphasis on what learners can demonstrate rather than what they cannot
• Save grader time by minimizing the number of evaluations to be made for each student
• Can be used consistently across raters, provided they have all been trained

Disadvantages of holistic rubrics:

• Provide less specific feedback than analytic/descriptive rubrics
• Can be difficult to choose a score when a student’s work is at varying levels across the criteria
• Any weighting of c riteria cannot be indicated in the rubric

Analytic/Descriptive Rubric . An analytic or descriptive rubric often takes the form of a table with the criteria listed in the left column and with levels of performance listed across the top row. Each cell contains a description of what the specified criterion looks like at a given level of performance. Each of the criteria is scored individually.

Advantages of analytic rubrics:

• Provide detailed feedback on areas of strength or weakness
• Each criterion can be weighted to reflect its relative importance

Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:

• More time-consuming to create and use than a holistic rubric
• May not be used consistently across raters unless the cells are well defined
• May result in giving less personalized feedback

Single-Point Rubric . A single-point rubric is breaks down the components of an assignment into different criteria, but instead of describing different levels of performance, only the “proficient” level is described. Feedback space is provided for instructors to give individualized comments to help students improve and/or show where they excelled beyond the proficiency descriptors.

Advantages of single-point rubrics:

• Easier to create than an analytic/descriptive rubric
• Perhaps more likely that students will read the descriptors
• Areas of concern and excellence are open-ended
• May removes a focus on the grade/points
• May increase student creativity in project-based assignments

Disadvantage of analytic rubrics: Requires more work for instructors writing feedback

Step 3 (Optional): Look for templates and examples.

You might Google, “Rubric for persuasive essay at the college level” and see if there are any publicly available examples to start from. Ask your colleagues if they have used a rubric for a similar assignment. Some examples are also available at the end of this article. These rubrics can be a great starting point for you, but consider steps 3, 4, and 5 below to ensure that the rubric matches your assignment description, learning objectives and expectations.

Step 4: Define the assignment criteria

Make a list of the knowledge and skills are you measuring with the assignment/assessment Refer to your stated learning objectives, the assignment instructions, past examples of student work, etc. for help.

  Helpful strategies for defining grading criteria:

• Collaborate with co-instructors, teaching assistants, and other colleagues
• Brainstorm and discuss with students
• Can they be observed and measured?
• Are they important and essential?
• Are they distinct from other criteria?
• Are they phrased in precise, unambiguous language?
• Revise the criteria as needed
• Consider whether some are more important than others, and how you will weight them.

Step 5: Design the rating scale

Most ratings scales include between 3 and 5 levels. Consider the following questions when designing your rating scale:

• Given what students are able to demonstrate in this assignment/assessment, what are the possible levels of achievement?
• How many levels would you like to include (more levels means more detailed descriptions)
• Will you use numbers and/or descriptive labels for each level of performance? (for example 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or Exceeds expectations, Accomplished, Proficient, Developing, Beginning, etc.)
• Don’t use too many columns, and recognize that some criteria can have more columns that others . The rubric needs to be comprehensible and organized. Pick the right amount of columns so that the criteria flow logically and naturally across levels.

Step 6: Write descriptions for each level of the rating scale

Artificial Intelligence tools like Chat GPT have proven to be useful tools for creating a rubric. You will want to engineer your prompt that you provide the AI assistant to ensure you get what you want. For example, you might provide the assignment description, the criteria you feel are important, and the number of levels of performance you want in your prompt. Use the results as a starting point, and adjust the descriptions as needed.

Building a rubric from scratch

For a single-point rubric , describe what would be considered “proficient,” i.e. B-level work, and provide that description. You might also include suggestions for students outside of the actual rubric about how they might surpass proficient-level work.

For analytic and holistic rubrics , c reate statements of expected performance at each level of the rubric.

• Consider what descriptor is appropriate for each criteria, e.g., presence vs absence, complete vs incomplete, many vs none, major vs minor, consistent vs inconsistent, always vs never. If you have an indicator described in one level, it will need to be described in each level.
• You might start with the top/exemplary level. What does it look like when a student has achieved excellence for each/every criterion? Then, look at the “bottom” level. What does it look like when a student has not achieved the learning goals in any way? Then, complete the in-between levels.
• For an analytic rubric , do this for each particular criterion of the rubric so that every cell in the table is filled. These descriptions help students understand your expectations and their performance in regard to those expectations.

Well-written descriptions:

• Describe observable and measurable behavior
• Use parallel language across the scale
• Indicate the degree to which the standards are met

Step 7: Create your rubric

Create your rubric in a table or spreadsheet in Word, Google Docs, Sheets, etc., and then transfer it by typing it into Moodle. You can also use online tools to create the rubric, but you will still have to type the criteria, indicators, levels, etc., into Moodle. Rubric creators: Rubistar , iRubric

Step 8: Pilot-test your rubric

Prior to implementing your rubric on a live course, obtain feedback from:

• Teacher assistants

Try out your new rubric on a sample of student work. After you pilot-test your rubric, analyze the results to consider its effectiveness and revise accordingly.

• Limit the rubric to a single page for reading and grading ease
• Use parallel language . Use similar language and syntax/wording from column to column. Make sure that the rubric can be easily read from left to right or vice versa.
• Use student-friendly language . Make sure the language is learning-level appropriate. If you use academic language or concepts, you will need to teach those concepts.
• Share and discuss the rubric with your students . Students should understand that the rubric is there to help them learn, reflect, and self-assess. If students use a rubric, they will understand the expectations and their relevance to learning.
• Consider scalability and reusability of rubrics. Create rubric templates that you can alter as needed for multiple assignments.
• Maximize the descriptiveness of your language. Avoid words like “good” and “excellent.” For example, instead of saying, “uses excellent sources,” you might describe what makes a resource excellent so that students will know. You might also consider reducing the reliance on quantity, such as a number of allowable misspelled words. Focus instead, for example, on how distracting any spelling errors are.

Example of an analytic rubric for a final paper

Example of a holistic rubric for a final paper

Single-Point Rubric

More examples:

• Single Point Rubric Template ( variation )
• Analytic Rubric Template make a copy to edit
• A Rubric for Rubrics
• Bank of Online Discussion Rubrics in different formats
• Mathematical Presentations Descriptive Rubric
• Math Proof Assessment Rubric
• Kansas State Sample Rubrics
• Design Single Point Rubric

Technology Tools: Rubrics in Moodle

• Moodle Docs: Rubrics
• Moodle Docs: Grading Guide (use for single-point rubrics)

Tools with rubrics (other than Moodle)

• Google Assignments
• Turnitin Assignments: Rubric or Grading Form

Other resources

• DePaul University (n.d.). Rubrics .
• Gonzalez, J. (2014). Know your terms: Holistic, Analytic, and Single-Point Rubrics . Cult of Pedagogy.
• Goodrich, H. (1996). Understanding rubrics . Teaching for Authentic Student Performance, 54 (4), 14-17. Retrieved from   
• Miller, A. (2012). Tame the beast: tips for designing and using rubrics.
• Ragupathi, K., Lee, A. (2020). Beyond Fairness and Consistency in Grading: The Role of Rubrics in Higher Education. In: Sanger, C., Gleason, N. (eds) Diversity and Inclusion in Global Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

How to Evaluate Learning Videos with a Rubric

by Christopher Karel

Evaluating learning videos is easy with a rubric. Reflecting upon effectiveness is also easier if you use the same tool to measure all of your videos. Therefore, I offer you a method to evaluate learning videos using a rubric that will help you improve the KSB (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviors) of your learners.

FYI: I’m on a mission to help people make and use video for learning purposes. If you are making a learning video for yourself or for a client, then you are managing numerous moving parts. By always beginning with the end in mind (guided by a rubric), you will be on your way to creating video content that will boost the KSB of your learners. If you are managing a team and need to evaluate your video content, then using a rubric will help your entire team align their feedback around a common goal.

Let’s get to it!

The main purpose of rubrics is to assess performance. -ASCD

Using a rubric will help you set a consistent standard for your learning video content. By evaluating content the same way for every project, you will be efficient and objective – every time. Below, I offer an annotated path to evaluate learning videos with a rubric. Each section of the rubric is captured in a screenshot followed by a brief explanation and several questions you can ask yourself to aid in completing the said section. Download the rubric and use it with your existing content or on your new videos. Then, let me know how it goes. Feel free to modify the rubric to suit your needs and attribute the original rubric to Learning Carton.

The purpose is the first thing you want to identify in each video you evaluate. Ask yourself these questions and then circle the appropriate word.

• Knowledge : Is the video designed to create awareness on a topic? Examples: teach product knowledge, explain a process, share information about a topic
• Skills : Is the video designed to demonstrate a skill or show someone how to act (behavior modeling)?
• Behavior : Is the video designed to change the learner’s behavior by requiring the viewer to make informed decisions?

The purpose of the video should be clear and concise. Can you easily state the purpose in a single sentence?

Type of Video

Next, you should circle the type of video. What type of learning video is it? Check out The 6 Types of Video for Learning if you need a further explanation of the types. If you feel the video is not one of these six types, then it may not be a learning video at all.

As you start to deep dive into evaluating the learning video look for these seven categories. Read this section carefully before you watch the video and have the rubric on paper or a nearby screen as you watch. Your goal is to openly and honestly rank the video by answering these questions:

• Are facts and information up to date? Is it organized and clearly delivered?
• Does the video present value by offering information designed for the learning audience?
• Are the learning objectives clearly stated or easily accessible?
• Is the content free from bias?
• Is there a call to action that implores the learner to do something to extend their learning?
• Is there a story structure to the content? Beginning-middle-end.
• Is it clear how the video is meant to be shared with the audience?

Now it’s time to evaluate the video’s visual merits. This is the last thing you should evaluate; thus, this is the reason it is at the end of the rubric. Training and learning video is not made with Hollywood budgets. It’s not necessary! You can learn how to do something from a video someone made in their house using their cellphone! Learning video should adhere to professional skills in production, but it is not as important as the content and purpose. That being said, rank your video’s technical score with these questions:

• How is the overall look of the video? Is it pleasing to the eye?
• Is it easy to understand the audio? Is the volume consistent? Is the audio free from imperfections?
• Are the visuals composed nicely so that the program is engaging to look at for a long period of time?
• Does lighting enhance or distract from the subject in the video?
• Are there too many effects? Are graphics used to support the message?
• Is the video the same size throughout or do you see black bars and boxes on the sides or top?
• Is the video quality sharp?

Total Score

The total score is not a pass/fail or letter grade. Please don’t view your score as high praise or crippling criticism. Instead, I urge you to reflect upon the score so that you can alter the content in the video to make it more effective for your audience. Remember, your ultimate goal in making a learning video is to improve the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of your learning audience. This learning video rubric will help you evaluate learning videos so that you keep the KSB promise!

Now that you have the rubric and this annotated guide, it’s time to reflect upon your already made content or plan your next project. Try out the rubric. If you find that the purpose, type, content, and technical categories need a slight tweak, then make the change to the rubric so it suits your needs. This rubric is meant to support your learning as you strive to make better learning videos for your audience.

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McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning

Video assignments.

Video assignments comprise a wide range of possible assignment types from personal reflection videos in which students video-record themselves and upload those recordings to a shared space, such as Canvas, to assignments in which students are responsible for capturing, editing, narrating, and producing a polished product. Each type of assignment places more or less emphasis on either the production aspects of video or on the communicative, instructional aspects of video. Consider the following types of assignment that involve video production in some way.

Video documentary, video essay, or short film

Video is truly multi-media, providing oportunities to express oneself with visuals, sound, and text. The wide range of skills involved in capturing video, curating and editing video, possible adding narration, and the challenges of dealing with very large filesizes, mean that a video assignment can be quite daunting for students and for instructors. This wide range of tasks can also contribute to a valuable group assignment in with varied reponsibilities and roles.

News reporting or video interviews

Producing video-based news stories and capturing interviews, while quite different activities, both require students to carefully plan their work, including deciding on locations, topics of discussion, subjects, and pacing.

Video photo essay

A video photo essay takes advantage of the medium of video but may consist of recorded narration and music  over a series of still images.  This can be as impactful as actual video but may be more practical in some cases (consider historical imagery and the ‘ Ken Burns effect ’ or historical subject matter for which no video exists), or simply easier to construct, requiring less time for in-class training.

Personal reflection

Students can provide reflections on course readings, experiences related to coursework, or as a way to share their background knowledge of the course subject matter.

Instructional video

Video can of course by use to provide asynchronous instruction to students by capturing lectures or capturing and narrating screen/whiteboard recordings. These recordings can form the basis of an assignment in Canvas in which students submit their answers or other feedback. There is also, however the possibility of tasking students, or groups of students, with the creation of instructional video. Students could for example create recordings of themselves working through problems and demonstrating the process of arriving at their answers, thereby possibly helping to pinpoint areas of confusion, and perhaps leading to a repository of helpful videos for future students in the course.

Performance capture

The term performance may bring to mind a theater or music hall, but in terms of assignments, can also include any learning outcomes that are performative, such as public speaking, role playing, or foreign language oral practice.

Storytelling vs. Instruction

Some types of assignments, such as short documentary films, are creative, story-telling assignments that may involve not only learning to use the software but also in developing the skills of effectively conveying a story. Other assignments may use video more simply to capture students thoughts or performace. For these latter assignments, the video capture tools built into Canvas, Kaltura, and Panopto will suffice.

Assignment considerations

• Keep it short! Video editing can be a very time-consuming process. A two or three minute video can convey a lot of information and, when done well, can be a challenging assignment. Limiting the scope of a video project also introduces en element of information curation into the assignment process.
• Have students submit a storyboard as the first step of the assignment. A storyboard is simply an outline of the video with possible shots, scenes, and basic dialogue.
• A video assignment may be a new experience for many students. Consider outlining your expectations in a grading rubric to provide a scaffold.
• Video assignments can present more logistical problems than other types of activities, including choosing the cameras, the software, and potential very large files. If possible, work with the staff of McGraw’s Digital Learning Lab (DLL) to identify equipment and software students will use to complete the assignment. The DLL also offers ample storage space for video files.
• Video editing software such as Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and even iMovie, offer many options but may require training. For simpler assignments, software such as Keynote, Powerpoint, Zoom, and VoiceThread may be easier to learn and can be used to generate videos that combine image and voiceover narration.
• Simple videos, such as video reading responses or student interviews, that do not involve transitions, titles, and music can be recorded and uploaded directly within the Canvas learning management system.

Student preparation

Learning to edit video not only necessitates learning how to use video editing software, which can be quite complex, but also involves developing storytelling skills and how good stories are conveyed via scenes, shots, transitions, titles, dialogue, and characters. The results of all this work can be rewarding, but will require significant time in and out of class. A video assignment should, ideally, be a culmination of a series of assignments that involve script-writing drafts, revisions, hands-on practice in the use of the software, peer-review and discussion.

Possible tools

• Adobe Premiere
• DaVinci Resolve
• Keynote, Powerpoint
• VoiceThread

Rubrics and resources

• Sample Video Editing Assignment , University of Portland
• Video Essays and Virtual Animals: An Approach to Teaching Multimodal Composition and Digital Literacy , Christina M. Colvin, Georgia Institute of Technology, in the Journal of Interactive Technology & Pedagogy
• Digital Storytelling Rubric and Digital Video Project Rubric , Video class assignment tips for instructors and students . Denver University EdTech Knowledge Base
• Single Point Rubrics, Jennifer Gonzalez, Cult of Pedagogy Blog
• How To Write A Documentary Script , Helen Kantilaftis, New York Film Academy
• Pre-production . Student Multimedia Services, Oregon State University
• Six styles of classroom video projects , Free Tech for Teachers, freetech4teachers.com

Example podcasting assignments

• Innovations

The Ultimate Rubric for Video Assignments 1

When you are ready to embark on a video project in your classroom, creating the perfect rubric to grade your students work can at first look like a very technical task. In this article, we will share with you the ultimate rubric for video assignments.

Establishing a Coherent Set of Criteria for Students’ Success

A rubric is a “coherent set of criteria for students’ work that includes descriptions of level of performance quality on the criteria” ( ASCD ). The most important aspect of rubrics in our opinion is that they take away the guess work for our students by allowing them to self-assess their performance based on pre-determined criteria. Rubrics are particularly useful to offer guidance to students during the completion of extended projects. In many instances, you will want to create the rubric with the help of the students so they acquire a thorough understanding of the task at hand. Alongside exemplars of previously completed pieces of work, they are key to the success of your students.

Rubric for Video Assignments. Photo Credit CC Michael Porter via Flickr .

Video projects include technical phases for which you might not consider yourself an expert. Choosing amongst audio and video equipment for recording, filming techniques, editing methods, special effects and ways to share the final product present so many options that it would seem a daunting task to teach students every single option. The video project rubric that is presented here has the benefit of clearly establishing the qualitative criteria you are researching while not getting losing itself in the details of the production.

Criteria of our Rubric for Video Assignments

Our rubric for video assignments examines 4 levels of performance: exemplary, proficient, partially proficient, and unsatisfactory, across 8 different criteria:

• Content and organization
• Video Continuity and Editing
•  Audio Editing
• Camera Techniques
• Graphics, Special Effects and Animation
• Fair Use and Citation

Details of the Rubric

Peer over the details of each criteria in this Video Project Rubric  shared as a Google Document:

This rubric was adapted by Jessica Faivre from an original work by the University of Wisconsin, Stout

As always, leave your comment below so that together we can fine tune this work together.

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LX / Rubric decisions before you start your video assessment

Rubric decisions before you start your video assessment

This resource addresses the factors you should consider when you begin planning your video assessments.

On this page:

Why is it important to align video assessment criteria with cilos, slos and/or competencies, types of rubrics, codesigned rubrics, why a video assessment needs specific criteria.

This resource should be read alongside the Video assessment criteria categories resource .

Constructive alignment is an outcomes based approach to teaching where assessments and learning activities are designed to address what the graduate needs to attain at the appropriate standard. This alignment is a form of mapping the curriculum to the outcomes, attributes, and industry competencies at the course and subject level.

Even if you’re not creating a rubric for the first time, it’s good to r eview some guidelines for creating one. This may include making a decision about what type of rubric you want to use: Analytical or Holistic?  

Even better than building a rubric yourself, work with students to codesign one based upon what you both agree should be assessed. This reduces the gap between your expertise and what students understand. It also gives students a greater understanding of what the purpose of the assessment is and how they can produce their best work. ( Kilgour, Northcite, William and Kilgour, 2020 )

Peer feedback can be built into your video assessment rubric. The process of giving feedback can help the giver and the receiver with their own assessment. You can also help students understand and engage with your rubric by working with them to apply their rubric to an example of a video.

The ARTTs on the LX site also provide some guidance on how you can reposition students as partners. Peer feedback can be built into your video assessment rubric. The process of giving feedback can help the giver and the receiver with their own assessment. You can also help students understand and engage with your rubric by working with them to apply their rubric to an example of a video.

In a literature scoping study Snelson (2018) reviewed a total of 61 studies published between 2006 and 2017. These were selected and analysed through a systematic process. Findings suggest that video production projects were integrated in learning and teaching to meet information, performance, composition, literacy, or creativity learning outcomes. However, there was little found about assessment instruments used to evaluate student videos.

This tells us that there is still some inconsistency and lack of clarity around what can and should be assessed in video. In the Video assessment criteria categories resource, you’ll discover some frameworks and tools to help you assess students’ videos.

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Grading Rubrics

A rubric, or “a matrix that provides levels of achievement for a set of criteria” (Howell, 2014), is a common tool for assessing open-response or creative work (writing, presentations, performances, etc.). To use rubrics effectively, instructors should understand their benefits, the types and uses of rubrics, and their limitations.  

Benefits of Rubrics

The criteria identified in the matrix differs with the subject matter, the nature of the assignment, and learning objectives, but all rubrics serve three purposes.

• Rubrics help instructors identify standards for achievement. The process of creating a rubric leads instructors to think through, label, and determine grading weight on the major aspects of any assignment. This work can help instructors better align assignments to  learning objectives .
• Rubrics communicate expectations to students as well as others who assist with grading (e.g., teaching assistants) or who teach the same or similar classes. Students report that rubrics clarify instructors’ expectations and grading standards, helping them submit work that better matches the assignment requirements (Treme, 2017). This may explain why students can perform better when they are given rubrics (Howell, 2014).
• Rubrics facilitate more consistent and objective grading. For instance, using rubrics in grading has been shown to reduce grade inflation (White, 2018). Relatedly, using rubrics can reduce the time spent grading, since they streamline or eliminate many areas of deliberation in grading (Stevens and Levi, 2013).

Types of Rubrics

There are two basic types of rubrics.  Holistic   rubrics  provide an overall description of work at various levels of achievement. For instance, separate paragraphs might describe “A,” “B”, “C,” and “D” -level papers. A holistic rubric might help instructors communicate the interrelationships of the elements of an assignment. For instance, students should understand that a fully persuasive research paper not only has strong argument and evidence but is also free of writing errors. These rubrics offer structure but also afford flexibility and judgment in grading.

Holistic Rubric Template

Analytic   rubrics  provide more detailed descriptions of achievement levels of distinct components of the assignment. For instance, the components of thesis, evidence, coherence, and writing mechanics might each be described with two to three sentences at each of the achievement levels. Such rubrics help instructors and students isolate discrete skills and performance. These rubrics limit the grader’s discretion and potentially offer greater consistency.  

Analytic Rubric Template

Whether designing a holistic or analytic rubric, the descriptions of student achievement levels should incorporate common student mistakes. This saves time as it reduces the need for long-hand feedback that is time-consuming and often hard for students to read (Stevens and Levi, 2013). For either type of rubric, the achievement level may be indicated with evaluative shorthand (e.g., Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor) or grade labels (A, B, C, D). In many cases, rubrics also provide the point totals possible with overall level (holistic) or each component (analytic).

Using Rubrics

Developing a rubric requires identifying and weighing the different elements of an assignment. The relative weight given to any category should reflect the learning objectives. For instance, if the learning objectives focus on interpreting and using evidence, the weight of the grade should not fall on rudimentary skills, like grammar and syntax. At the same time, rubrics can help instructors articulate and implement developmental goals. For example, using the same elements for two or more iterations of an assignment, the rubric for an earlier submission can place more weight on writing mechanics, while more weight can be placed on higher-order skills for a later submission.  

Rubrics can be used as  summative   or  formative   assessment . Used as summative assessment, rubrics give concrete rationale for the grade that students receive. Used as formative assessment, rubrics help both instructors and students monitor the areas in which students are succeeding and struggling. For best use of rubrics as formative assessment, grading should be accompanied by clear, improvement-oriented  feedback  (Wylie et al., 2013). Additionally, instructors can require students to use the rubric as a checklist that they turn in with their work. This may help students better monitor the quality of their work before submitting it (Treme, 2017).

Technology can aid in developing and using rubrics. Canvas provides a rubric generator function that gives options for assigning point value, adding comments, and describing criteria for the assignment. To access it, go to the “assignments” page, click on the assignment, and select “add rubric.” A technologically-developed rubric like those in Canvas ensures greater consistency in assigning grades (Moyer, 2015).

Limitations

No rubric is a complete substitute for reasoned judgment. While instructors strive to remove arbitrariness in grading, expert discernment is always an ingredient in assessment. Despite their air of objectivity, rubrics involve significant subjectivity—for instance, in the decisions about the relative weight or the descriptions of elements of student work. Nor are rubrics a “silver bullet” for achieving high academic performance. Baseline knowledge and prior academic performance are still greater factors in student achievement (Howell, 2014: 406). Nonetheless, rubrics are a useful tool for promoting consistency, transparency, and objectivity and can have positive outcomes for instructors and students.

Howell, R. J. (2014). Grading rubrics: Hoopla or help?  Innovations in Education and Teaching International ,  51 (4): 400-410.

Kryder, L. G. (2003). Grading for speed, consistency, and accuracy.  Business Communications Quarterly ,  66 (1): 90-93.

Moyer, Adam C., William A. Young II, Gary R. Weckman, Red C. Martin, and Ken W. Cutright. “Rubrics on the Fly: Improving Efficiency and Consistency with a Rapid Grading and Feedback System.”  Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology , 4, no. 2 (2015): 6-29.

Stevens, D., & Levi, A. (2013).  Introduction to rubrics: an assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback, and promote student learning  (Second edition.). Sterling, Virginia: Stylus.

Treme, Julianne. “An Op-Ed Grading Rubric: Improving Student Output and Professor Happiness.”  NACTA Journal , 61, no. 2 (2017): 181-183.

White, Krista Alaine, and Ella Thomas Heitzler. “Effects of Increased Evaluation Objectivity on Grade Inflation: Precise Grading Rubrics and Rigorously Developed Tests.”  Nurse Educator , 43, no. 2 (2018): 73-77.

Wylie, Caroline and Christine Lyon. “Using the Formative Rubrics, Reflection and Observation Tools to Support Professional Reflection on Practice.”  Formative Assessment for Teachers and Students  (2013).

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Use Screencastify Submit to Successfully Hold your Talent Show Tryouts!

Maybe I’m biased, coming from a theatrical background, but who doesn’t LOVE a school-wide talent show?! They are an exciting opportunity for your students to showcase all of their unique abilities and passions. As fun as the end product can be, organizing tryouts can be logistically challenging, especially when trying to accommodate diverse schedules and ensuring every talent gets its moment in the spotlight. 

Please allow me to welcome to the stage, Screencastify Submit!  A powerful tool that simplifies the process of collecting video submissions. Here’s how you can use Screencastify Submit to create a seamless and efficient video assignment for talent show tryouts! ‍

Why Screencastify Submit?

Screencastify Submit is an easy-to-use platform that allows educators and organizers to collect video submissions from students without needing them to create an account or install software. This tool is particularly useful for talent show tryouts as it ensures:

• Ease of Use : Students can record and submit their tryout videos effortlessly
• Time Management : Judges and organizers can review submissions at their convenience
• Accessibility : Students can perform and record their talents in a comfortable environment to ensure they show off their best take

Step-by-step screenplay to setting up your video assignment:

First, you'll need to create the assignment where students will submit their videos. 

Here’s how:

1. Sign in to your Screencastify account. Go to the Submit tab (left side).

2. Click the ‘New Assignment’ button on the top right. 

3. Enter a title for your assignment, such as "Talent Show Tryout Submissions." In the instructions, provide clear guidelines on what students need to include in their video. (You’ll find an example you could use below!)

4. Choose whether students can record their screen, webcam, or both. For talent show tryouts, selecting the webcam option is usually the best choice.

🎉 Screencastify Talent Show Video Submission Instructions 🎉

Show us your talent by following these simple steps:

• Prepare Your Act : Practice your performance and keep it under 5 minutes.
• Record Your Talent : Use Screencastify Submit to capture your act. Ensure good lighting and minimal background noise.
• Introduce Yourself : Start your video with your name, location, a fun fact, and what talent you’re showcasing.
• Perform Your Talent : Show us your skills! Be creative, enthusiastic, and original. You’ve got as many takes as you want!
• Submit Your Video : That’s it! 

‍ How do folks find their light with Submit?

Once your assignment is set up, Screencastify Submit will generate a unique link for submissions. You can then easily share this link with your students through your school’s communication channels, such as email, a learning management system (LMS), or even a classroom newsletter. There’s also an option to create a QR code which you could post throughout the school buildings to really generate interest in auditioning for the show!

Why might this method be helpful & where did I leave my script?!

• As students submit their videos, you can receive notifications to let you know there are new talents to be viewed or experienced!
• Because the recordings are asynchronous, you and your panel of judges can watch each submission at your own convenience. You can watch the videos directly on the platform or download them.
• A great option is to use a rubric or evaluation sheet in order to provide consistent feedback for each performance you and your panelists see.

Tips for a Successful Tryout Process:

• Clear Instructions : Make sure your instructions are clear and detailed. Specify the maximum length of the video and any particular elements you’re looking for.
• Technical Guidance : Provide a brief tutorial or troubleshooting tips for common issues (e.g., camera not working, audio problems).
• Encouragement : Encourage students to practice before they record and remind them that multiple attempts are okay before the final submission. Perhaps you can even submit a video of YOUR talent to show them how it’s done! 

As we close the curtain…

Using Screencastify Submit for talent show tryouts can streamline the process, making it more efficient for both students and organizers. By allowing students to perform in a comfortable environment they will be able to submit their best work, and you’re likely to see a more diverse and polished set of performances. Happy organizing, and may the best talents shine!

Feel free to share this blog post with your colleagues or adapt it to fit the specific needs of your school or organization. With Screencastify Submit, managing video assignments has never been easier!

P.S. Have you heard? Submit is free for the 2024-2045 school year for individual education users. If you haven’t yet, what a great opportunity to try it out! Learn more here .

Always lending a helping hand to ensure your Screencastify experience is seamless