This content was part of our Early Adopter Program and may not reflect the current experience. We're keeping it available to provide historical context and highlight how the feature has evolved.
What if creating rubrics didn’t take hours and actually improved the quality of your assessments?
Educators know that rubrics are essential for clear and consistent grading, but building them from scratch can be time-consuming. That’s why many instructors skip them entirely or reuse old templates, even when they don’t quite fit.
Introducing AI Rubric Creator, a new feature that helps educators quickly generate high-quality rubrics using the power of AI. Whether you're starting from a blank slate or refining your own criteria, AI Rubric Creator saves time and helps ensure your rubrics are aligned and easier to use for both you and your students.
Why We Built This Feature
We’ve heard from hundreds of educators who told us the same thing:
"I know rubrics are important, but they take too long to build."
In our research, only 34% of active courses in Canvas currently use rubrics. Educators cited lack of time and difficulty getting started as key reasons. Yet those who do use rubrics say they improve feedback clarity and grading fairness.
Our goal with AI Rubric Creator was simple: Make rubric creation faster, easier, and better.
And educators agree, beta testers told us:
“This took what usually takes me 30 minutes and got me 90% of the way there in under a minute.”
“I still edited a few things, but it was way better than starting from scratch.”
How AI Rubric Creator Works
Creating a rubric just got a whole lot easier. Here’s how:
1. Start from Assignment Details
- AI Rubric Creator generated rubrics based on your assignment and any additional information you’d like to provide.
- No need to manually copy/paste, just click "Generate Rubric" and go.
2. Editable, Customizable Output
- Review AI-suggested criteria and point values.
- Edit, add, or remove rows just like any rubric in Canvas.
You stay in control, AI gives you a head start.
4. Fast, Flexible Workflow
- Create multiple drafts and iterate quickly.
- Great for last-minute builds or structured department-level rubrics.
Use Case Example:
An instructor assigning a research paper can input a brief assignment description, and AI Rubric Creator will suggest categories like "Thesis Clarity," "Evidence & Support," "Organization," and "Mechanics," complete with point values and performance level descriptions. Within 2 minutes, the rubric is ready to go.
Meet the AI Rubric Creator User Group
Who is this for?
- Primary audience: Teachers and faculty at any level.
Secondary audience: Instructional designers and TAs assisting with assessment planning.
What pain points does it solve?
- Spending 30+ minutes per rubric
- Inconsistent quality of rubrics across courses
- Reluctance to use rubrics due to time constraints
- Confusion about where to begin or how to phrase performance levels
What have we heard so far?
- Time savings: Beta users reported a 30% reduction in rubric creation time.
- Repeat usage: Teachers who used the tool once were highly likely to use it again.
- Quality feedback: Early surveys show educator satisfaction with AI-generated rubrics at 4.0/5 or higher.
Conclusion
Whether you're a rubric pro or just getting started, AI Rubric Creator helps you build better rubrics. It saves time, improves consistency, and encourages widespread rubric use.
Try AI Rubric Creator today! Spend less time building rubrics and more time teaching.
Ready to try it out?
Enable AI Rubric Creator by going to Course Settings and enabling the following feature flags:
- Enhanced Rubrics
- AI Generated Rubrics
