Every time I introduce rubrics to a group of teachers the reaction is the same - instant appeal ("Yes, this is what I need!") followed closely by panic ("Good grief, how can I be expected to develop a rubric for everything?").

With each Scratch project I assign to my high school students, I prepare a rubric. On one side, the project requirements are listed. These are generally listed in a short, bulleted list format which make them easier to follow.

How blogs are assessed depends on the assignment. You may assess each blog post (students respond to a given prompt) or you may assess all their entries together (students write regular entries without specific prompts, like a journal). Below are example rubrics for both types of blog assignments.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I'm doing some research and writing on the idea of "transfer of learning." As part of that research, I've been exploring online simulations that could "transfer" learning to different situations students might realistically encounter in classes or outside of school.

The Handbook of Research on K-12 Online and Blended Learning is an edited collection of chapters that sets out to present the current state of research in K-12 online and blended learning. The beginning chapters lay the groundwork of the historical, international, and political landscape as well as present the scope of research methodologies used.