A few weeks back I linked to the Mozilla Foundation’s JetPack for Learning Design Challenge, and suggested that it might be good fun to assemble a team from the community of ProfHacker readers. Regular writers Jeff McClurken and Alex Jarvis, guest author Heather Whitney, and generally awesome people Thomas Brown, Mike Garcia, and Patrick Murrayjohn banded together to develop a proposal around the browser-based assessment of online work, which for now we’ve code-named Rübrick.
As we see it, Rübrick will have the following features:
- Grade right from your browser–no more switching apps, or even switching tabs
- Builds on familiar technology such as Google Docs, so should be robust and lightweight
- Fully customizable
- Cloud-based storage, so you can grade anywhere you can see the internet.
- Will make both faculty grading and peer- or self-assessment more structured, efficient, and easier to explain.
We’ve got mockups, plus a proof-of-concept screencast that shows it should be possible to build such a thing without too much sweating. The main goal in the next phase of the project would be making the interface simple and the entire thing stable.
What would you like to see in a browser-based assessment tool? Let us know in comments.
Follow Profhacker through your favorite RSS reader: 
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.
12 Responses to Assessing online assignments in the browser: Introducing Rubrick
Lisa - December 7, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I wonder, with cloud-based storage of academic records – would there be a potential FERPA issue? Otherwise, really useful!
Michael Willits - December 7, 2009 at 1:20 pm
This is an amazing, much-needed undertaking. The Google Docs integration is especially intriguing. If there’s anything I can do to help (beta test, rubric design, etc.), I’d be happy to contribute.
Sara - December 7, 2009 at 1:23 am
As an educator striving to integrate 21st century approaches to my teaching practices, I think this idea is Genius! The more streamlined my classroom practices can be, the better! An in browser rubric would also allow students to check the progress of their own work. Love it…please create this!
Aileen - December 7, 2009 at 11:14 am
Can you make it work with assignments submitted via a VLE, and Turnitin (usually as .doc)?
beth - December 7, 2009 at 1:12 pm
this would be great for our instructors! I’d love to see how something like this would work with an LMS
Brian Croxall - December 3, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Ammon - November 30, 2009 at 7:02 pm
This would be tremendously useful. Even though I use a rubric now, I must spend 25% of my grading time flipping between windows, downloading things, uploading back to students, formatting, etc…
Laura - December 1, 2009 at 11:52 am
Tablet pen interface. There just should be a way to do it.
Nicole - December 1, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I like this a lot! I’d encourage, if possible, the flexibility of letting folks split screens either direction, though. There are some things it would be easier to grade with a vertical split.
Is it possible to grade .doc type things using something like this? Via an interface with google docs, I presume?
Jason B. Jones - December 1, 2009 at 3:10 pm
We would like to make word processing files gradable with this tool also, yes indeed.
And I believe we’re going to have as many things customizable as possible, that are consistent with it being totally simple for us to develop and everyone to use.
Robert Wolff - December 2, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Love the concept!
Scott Walters - December 2, 2009 at 11:03 am
This would be wonderful! I hope you develop it!