I don’t think it’s *quite* as simple as rubrics or a dartboard. Over time I’ve become less and less interested in rubrics as a generalized tool. I’ve come to think of them as most useful for specific, highly targeted assignments… collaboratively created if possible.

I have a lot less confidence in them– and a lot more worries about their effect– when they are used in a more generalized manner, or as the basis for repetitive assignments. That’s when the problems with rubrics (providing incentives for uniformity, lack of flexibility, lack of recognition of strong performance outside of given proportions, etc) become clearer.

I have students blog in most of my classes. I stopped using a rubric in most cases and instead explained that– like the real world– there is no magic word count or structure that will automatically score higher. A two sentence insight deserves recognition. So does a well-constructed and crafted discussion. So does a post that uses media in a way that enhances the content. You get the idea!