Implementation of adaptable rubrics for CAD model quality formative assessment

Evaluation rubrics are helpful as formative tools to convey quality criteria from the beginning of the training period of future mechanical CAD users. But rubrics should provide feedback and evolve dynamically to adapt to different learning paces. Computer-Assisted Assessment (CAA) tools can easily provide automatic feedback, although they are sometimes linked to general purpose educational tools, which may be complicated, costly and non-customizable, thus preventing teachers from adopting them. Hence, our main concern is finding CAA tools easy-to-use and compatible with adaptable rubrics. In this paper, a prototype of a spreadsheet-based adaptable rubric is designed and tested in three experiments, which involved until 43 mechanical engineering degree students. Results are analyzed to conclude that spreadsheet forms are unpractical, as its implementation requires expertise in spreadsheet programming, and extracting information from the spreadsheet-rubrics is time consuming. But the main conclusion from this proof of concept is that adaptable rubrics can be implemented, and allow students to evolve at different pace. Rubrics structured around different dimensions which are progressively developed in increasing levels of detail can be efficiently implemented as adaptable rubrics, by simply folding the low level details and allowing the user to freely unfold them under request.