Purpose of General Education
| SCORING | DISTINGUISHED | PROFICIENT | BASIC | BELOW EXPECTATIONS | NON-PERFORMANCE | |||||
| Critical Thinking Skills/Original Thoughts | Student applies relevant, professional, personal, or other real-world experiences in a manner that is rich in thought and provides valuable insight into the topic. | Student applies relevant professional, personal, or other real-world experiences to the discussion. Thought and analysis are present, but may lack depth or detail. | Student discusses professional, personal, or other real-world experiences, although these experiences may not be wholly relevant to the discussion topic. Student's post demonstrates an incomplete analysis of the topic. | Student poorly applies professional, personal, or other real-world experiences to the topic. Student's initial post is weak and lacks analysis of the discussion topic, and may miss the point of the discussion topic entirely. | Student demonstrates no critical thinking or original thoughts in initial post. Initial post is either non-existent, or severely limited. | |||||
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| Content/Subject Knowledge. | Student thoroughly addresses all elements of the discussion prompt, and demonstrates an advanced knowledge of the topic. Student makes strong and precise connections to previous and/or current course content, or to real-life situations, in initial post. | Student addresses all elements of the discussion prompt, and demonstrates Distinguished knowledge of the discussion topic. Student relates content in initial post to course content, or to real-life situations, though the connection may lack depth. | Student addresses most of the elements of the discussion prompt, and demonstrates a basic knowledge of the discussion topic. Student may not relate the content in initial post to course content, or to real-life situations. | Student fails to address a majority of the elements in the discussion prompt, and does not demonstrate basic knowledge of the topic. The student does not clearly relate the topic of the discussion to any course content, or to real-life situations. | Student demonstrates no content/subject knowledge in initial post. Initial post is either non-existent, or severely limited. | |||||
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| Participation | Student responds with thorough and constructive analysis to the required number of peers, relating the response to relevant course concepts. Student may pose pertinent follow-up thoughts or questions about the topic, and demonstrates respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. Student properly cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | Student responds substantively to the required number of peers, relating the response to relevant course concepts. Student demonstrates respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. Student properly cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | Student responds to the required number of peers. Peer responses lack adequate analysis, offering a superficial reaction to the peer's initial post. Student demonstrates respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. Student cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | Student responds to fewer than the required number of peers, and/or, student's peer responses are brief and lack substance. Student may fail to demonstrate respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners. | Student did not respond to any peers | |||||
| Coherence & Organization | Student effectively communicates a central idea or point that is weaved throughout the entirety of the post, in a coherent and logical manner. Post is easy to understand. | Student communicates a central idea or point that is weaved through most of the post in a coherent manner. Post is, for the most part, easy to understand. | Student communicates a main idea or point in the post, but may incorporate other unrelated topics, as well. Coherence and organization are somewhat visible in the post. | Student communicates several unconnected ideas or points in the discussion response, with no apparent pattern or coherence. | Student does not display any sense of organization or coherence. Initial post is either non-existent, or lacks any expression of ideas or points. | |||||
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| Mechanics | Initial post contains very few, if any, minor errors related to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. Post is easy to read and understand. Student properly cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | Initial post contains several minor errors related to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, but they do not distract the reader from the content of the post. Student properly cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | Initial post contains errors related to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. The errors do not distract the reader from the content of the post. Student cites resources (if applicable), per instructor expectations. | Initial post contains major errors related to grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and citations, which may distract the reader from the content of the post. | Initial post is either non-existent, or contains so many errors related to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, that it cannot be read or understood. | |||||
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