With the Benchmark Assignment option in Deep Dives, instructors can now assess initial student writing ability in Packback and measure growth throughout their course. This will give instructors the opportunity to see how students perform before and after they are exposed to the feedback, chat, and works cited guidance that Packback provides.
The Benchmark Assignment option in Deep Dives was created to provide instructors with a clearer understanding of how Packback impacts student performance. In order to accurately measure student growth, it is beneficial to first capture a starting point so instructors can quantify the changes that occur in student performance throughout the year or term.
How to Enable Benchmark Assignments
When creating a Deep Dive writing assignment, instructors will have the option to create it as a Benchmark Assignment from the setting page. All you need to do is find the optional Add Benchmark Assignment category at the bottom of the page and toggle it ON.
PLEASE NOTE: The Benchmark Assignment option can be modified for an existing assignment until at least one student has begun drafting their essay. At that point, the benchmark option can no longer be changed in order to maintain a consistent writing experience for all students.
How will I know which assignment(s) is a Benchmark Assignment?
When viewing or grading student submissions, instructors will be able to see which Deep Dive assignments are marked as Benchmark Assignments from the assignment feed. A Benchmark Assignment will be indicated with both a Deep Dive and Benchmark tag.
Grading a Benchmark Assignment
When grading a Benchmark Assignment, instructors will be able to go through the standard Deep Dive evaluation experience, which includes the ability to:
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- Review and modify scores for AI-graded criteria
- Enter scores and comments for instructor-graded criteria
- Review alerts and Smart Highlights
- Provide comments on specific parts of the student’s essay
Instructors who have previously graded Deep Dives will find that the evaluation experience for Benchmark Assignments is identical to that for regular Deep Dives.