Canvas recently introduced the Enhanced Rubrics Feature Preview to provide visual and functional enhancements to rubrics across Canvas. Feature previews are course feature options still in active development. Users who opt in to the feature may join the Community user group can help improve the feature through direct feedback but should understand that your course may receive updates to Rubrics as soon as the updates are released.
This enhancement is available as an opt-in feature option to enable in your course and focuses on improving usability, flexibility, and the overall user experience, making rubric creation and management more intuitive and powerful. Recent functional additions include improved viewing options and usability within SpeedGrader and rubric import and export capability. Future functional features are planned to add student self-assessments, rubric download, criteria repository, and multiple assignment rubrics.
Key features of the redesign include:
- A new rubric criteria builder
- Rubric sorting by rubric name, total points, criterion, and location used, and rubric search
- Drag-and-drop editing to re-order criteria
- A list of courses and assignments where a rubric is used
- The ability to archive rubrics for future use or to restrict their use
- Rubric CSV export and import
- Multiple display modes offering vertical, horizontal, and traditional views. Please note:
- Traditional view is the default view.
- The traditional view will not be available if the rubric contains more than five ratings.
- To deselect a rating, double-click the selection.
- Points must be submitted to save.
Note: The Assignment Enhancements feature option must be enabled in the course for students to view the updated rubric.
Review the release video for a preview:
Enabling Enhanced Rubrics
If you would like to enable Enhanced Rubrics in your course, you must enable the “Enhanced Rubrics” feature option in course Settings. Click the Feature Options tab.
Use the feature state icon and choose Enabled. The feature should display a green checkmark.
If you would like to explore the redesigned interface outside your production course, it is enabled in the Canvas@UD beta environment (udel.beta.instructure.com) of your courses. If you are unfamiliar with the Canvas beta environment, please review the Canvas guides, What is the Canvas beta environment? and How do I access the Canvas beta environment as an instructor?
For more information, please review the following Canvas resources:
- Enhanced Rubrics User Group
- Canvas Product Blog 12-08-2024: Enhanced Rubrics: Progress and Looking Ahead
- Canvas Product Blog 08-21-2024 : Enhanced Rubrics Phase 1 Released and Future Enhancements
- Canvas Release: Enhanced Rubrics Phase 1 (2024-07-20) Release Note
- Canvas Product Blog 11-22-2023: Embarking on a Journey of Transformation: Upcoming Rubrics Redesign
- Canvas Enhanced Rubrics Instructor Guide
If you have any questions about the changes or about how to use Canvas effectively, IT-Academic Technology Services staff is always available at the IT-ATS Welcome Bar or you can send your questions to canvas-info@udel.edu.
| Date | Change Log |
| 1/7/2025 | initial post |
