| Hints for Writing Prompts | Include performance criteria in the prompt and let the AI tool know what level your course is (e.g., first-year, undergraduate, advanced). AI is able to create introductory rubrics for first year courses or, if specifically prompted to do so, more complex rubrics for upper-level or graduate-level courses. |
| Example Prompt | You are an experienced instructional designer. Create a rubric for participation in online discussions for a fully online environmental engineering course. Please include a criterion related to referencing readings and concepts learned in the course, interaction with peers, and depth of reflection in online posts. Use three levels of performance and format the rubric in a table. |
| Output (Copilot) |
Here is a rubric for participation in online discussions for a fully online environmental engineering course, including criteria for referencing readings and concepts learned in the course, interaction with peers, and depth of reflection in online posts. (See below.) This rubric is designed to assess the quality and engagement of students in online discussions. It encourages students to actively participate, critically engage with the course material, and interact with their peers in a meaningful way. The three levels of performance provide clear expectations and help students understand how to improve their contributions to the online discussions. Feel free to adapt this table to your specific course context, adjusting point values or adding/removing criteria as needed. |
| Criteria | Exemplary (3 points) | Satisfactory (2 points) | Needs Improvement (1 point) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Referencing Readings and Concepts | Consistently integrates course readings and concepts into posts with proper citations. Demonstrates a deep understanding of the material and its application. | Occasionally integrates course readings and concepts into posts with proper citations. Shows an understanding of the material but may lack depth. | Rarely or never references course readings and concepts, or does so without proper citations. Shows limited understanding of the material. |
| Interaction with Peers | Actively engages with peers in discussions, providing thoughtful feedback and posing questions that promote further exploration of the topic. | Interacts with peers by acknowledging their posts and providing basic feedback or follow-up questions. | Minimal interaction with peers or interactions that do not contribute to the advancement of the discussion. |
| Depth of Reflection | Posts demonstrate a high level of critical thinking and reflection, offering new insights and connecting personal experiences to the course content. | Posts show some reflection and critical thinking but may not offer new insights or make connections to personal experiences. | Posts lack depth, with little evidence of reflection or critical thinking. Responses are superficial or off-topic. |