Building an Evaluation Matrix

An Evaluation Matrix is like a rubric used for assessing students in addition to narratives and assessments (e.g. A, B, C etc). It allows teachers some extra assessing capability to really hone in on the specific areas where a student has room for improvement, or is excelling. This is a great way to communicate learning goals to students and parents. A teacher can use as many Evaluation Matrices as they need for a single course. It's up to you how many you need for your assessments.

What is an Evaluation Matrix

Here is an example of an Evaluation Matrix

An Evaluation Matrix is comprised of Matrix Scales and Matrix Items. Each item represents a specific area of learning such as "Binder Organization." Matrix Items help students (and parents) know what specific areas they need to target in order to earn a stellar assessment.

Matrix Scales are just that, scales. They could be numbers 1-5, or "Awesome, Good, Okay, Needs Improvement, Poor." In our example, each matrix item uses the following scale:

• Excelling far above expectations
• Progressing at grade level
• Challenged, Progressing
• Challenged, Needs Support
• Not Applicable for this grade level or student

This article will cover the essential steps to build an Evaluation Matrix in BigSIS including:

Building Evaluation Matrix Scales
Creating a New Evaluation Matrix
Adding an Evaluation Matrix to a Courses and Courses Templates

Building Evaluation Matrix Scales

An Evaluation Matrix Scale is the scale in which you'll be assessing the student on individual Matrix Items. In the example above, "Binder Organization" is an Evaluation Matrix Item, and "Excelling far above expectation" is how the student was assessed (the scale item).

From the Dashboard:

1. Go to Course > Other > Evaluation Matrix Scales
   
   
2. Click the New button
   
   
3. Enter a Matrix Scale Title. Make your title something recognizable like "Grades Reading Scale"
   
   
4. Optional: Enter a description for Evaluation Matrix Scale (e.g. "To be used in assessing reading progress for all 1-5 graders."
   
   
5. Click the Save and Continue button
   
   
6. Now, add a new Evaluation Matrix Scale Item click the New button
   
   
7. Enter a Title such as "Excelling far above expectation"
   
   
8. Enter an Abbreviation, the Abbreviation is important because it will make the Evaluation Matrix look a lot cleaner on the report, see the above example for a look at how the abbreviations look
   
   
9. Enter an Order Number if needed
   
   
10. Enter a description for the Abbreviation, see the above example for a look at the description
    
    
11. Once you're finished, click the Save and Add Another button until all of your scale items are added
    
    
12. Click the Save and Back button

After you've created your scale, you can keep using this scale across multiple Evaluation Matrices if needed. You don't have to create a new scale each time.

Create a New Evaluation Matrix

From the Dashboard:

1. Go to Course > Other > Evaluation Matrixes
   
   
2. Click the New button
   
   
3. Enter an  Internal Matrix Scale Title, make your title something recognizable to your team like, "for AP Chemistry students only," this Title will not show up on reports.
   
   
4. Enter a Printed Matrix Title 
   
   
5. Select an Evaluation Matrix Scale, if you arrived at this step before designing a scale, click the combo box to add new  
   
   
6. Review the checkbox options:
   
   1. Active - uncheck this box to deactivate the matrix
   2. Hide Key On Report - check this box to hide the key on the report (meaning parents won't see it)
   3. Hide Key On Portal - check this box to hide the key in the portal (meaning teachers won't see it)
   4. Do Not Show Scale - hides the scale
   5. Is For Display Only - makes the matrix static so it can't be edited
      
      
7. The Public Description textbox is used to explain what the matrix evaluation and may appear on reports when you generate with matrices turned on
   
   
8. Click the Save and Continue button
   
   
9. Now, start adding Evaluation Matrix Items, click the New button
   
   
   1. Enter a Matrix Item Label
   2. Enter a Group if needed (see note below)
   3. Enter a Description if needed for the teacher if needed
   4. For the checkbox items, you can opt out of including the scale on the reports, Include a narrative box but hide it from the reports, include a narrative box to be displayed on the report (see below)
      
      
   A note on grouping: essentially you can create a matrix item that is a parent of other items, like subsections of that one item. You can also house narrative boxes underneath each item is the teacher wants to write additional comments about that specific item.

   

Adding an Evaluation Matrix to a Course or Course Template

Once you're created your Evaluation Matrix, it's time to attach it to the appropriate course(s) so teachers will have access to them in the portal.

Adding Matrix to a Course Template

If you attaching the Evaluation Matrix to the course template ensure that every time you generate courses, the matrix will remain attached.

From the Course Template:

1. Scroll down to the subtabs and select the Evaluation Matrix subtab
   
   
2. Click the New button
   
   
3. Select the Evaluation Matrix who want to attach
   
   
4. The Order governs the order in which the matrices will appear on reports and in the teacher portal
   
   
5. Click the Save and Back button

Adding a Matrix to Courses

1. Edit the matrix you want to add to courses
   
   
2. Click the Using this Evaluation Matrix subtab
   
   
3. You'll see a list of the courses currently using the matrix in the table, click the Add Course button to add more
   
   
4. The list of available courses displays. You can use the filters to narrow down your search results. Once you've made your selection, click the Select button