Can the order of points within a rubric criterion rating be changed?

Question

I have a screenshot below from an earlier version of Canvas that has the criterion points WITHIN A RATING written from high to low (eg. 10 to >8.49pts).

When I create rubrics in the current version of Canvas (see below) it displays the points within a rating from low to high (eg. 8.5 to 10pts), which is less logical.

Was this a design decision by Instructure when they upgraded the rubrics or am I missing a setting?

Jeff_F · Accepted Answer

Hello @KenJohnson1,

Permit me to try on the shoes of a user interface designer. From that perspective, displaying point ranges from the minimum to the maximum reflects a consistent and predictable way of presenting numeric intervals across an interface. Ranges written low to high align with how users commonly encounter values in forms, filters, analytics, and system settings, which reduces cognitive load and supports pattern recognition. This approach also avoids implying priority or judgment through ordering and instead presents the range as a neutral mathematical boundary. While some of us (me included) naturally think in terms of highest performance first, a low to high format creates consistency across the product, improves accessibility for screen readers, and ensures that numeric information is conveyed in a clear and standardized way regardless of context.

But is this an issue?

* Students are not making grading decisions. They read the description and the score awarded. The ordering of the range is largely irrelevant to them.
* Instructors assign a rating, not a range. The rubric interface is designed to support selection of a rating level rather than evaluation of the underlying numeric interval.
* No instructional outcome is affected. Learning outcomes, rubric alignment, grade accuracy, and analytics are unchanged.
* No accessibility or compliance issue is introduced. Screen readers and rubric exports still convey the same numeric meaning.

This can reasonably be seen as an annoyance, but it is not a defect.

Best, Jeff

KenJohnson1 · Accepted Answer

Hi @Jeff_F. Thanks for the response.

Canvas allows you to change the "Rating Order" of rubric criterion from "Low>High" to "High>Low".

If you choose "Low>High" you get something like the following image, from 0 to the upper number. This aligns with what you've said in your answer about "consistent and predictable way of presenting numeric intervals". I think you're arguing that rubrics should consistently be created in this order.

In Higher Education in Australia (if not elsewhere) rubrics are commonly written highest to lowest. Perhaps someone else can explain why. In Canvas, if you choose "High>Low" you get the following image, which is NOT from the upper number to 0. My argument is that this is less logical, less readable and possibly less "accessible" than displaying the numbers from highest to lowest.

What surprises me is that Canvas used to support displaying upper number to 0 but now it doesn't. A simple setting could be added to allow this.

It's a smaller issue than some others in Canvas but poor interface design is often "death by a thousand cuts" so I'm just pointing out one of those cuts. :)