Assessment criteria provide information about diverse aspects of an assessment task and are used to measure the learner achievement as to the intended learning outcomes; hence, making it clear to learners the factors that will be considered when assessing their learning. After defining the criteria, it is important to clarify the related performance indicators that are going to be considered, i.e., what will be the basis of the judgements of the learners’ achievements. Additionally, it may be helpful that educators define a preliminary version of the criteria and then negotiate the performance indicators with the learners within the framework of relevant quality considerations; this may lead to greater engagement of learners in the assessment process.
Teachers can define beforehand the points that correspond to each indicator. Alternatively, the educator can assign a certain number of points for each criterion and score the learner’s performance according to the collected evidence (participation in discussion forums, participation in collaborative work, etc.). Assessment criteria should include:
- evidence that is observable in the learner’s work;
- characteristics of the learning product;
- essential elements to demonstrate the learner has achieved the learning outcome.
Criteria are essential to design rubrics, which can be integrated into LMS-based activities.