Edit feedback/rubrics for marking aid questions

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Overview

The ‘Edit Feedback’ option on the assignment settings screen allows administrators and programme owners to pre-configure feedback items, feedback groups, and essay rubrics for each question in a marking aid exercise.

Pre-configuring feedback improves the quality and consistency of marking, reduces the time tutors spend adding feedback during assessment, and enhances AI efficiency by supporting standardised feedback patterns.

You can pre-configure feedback from both the Programme builder in Aptem Classic, and from Aptem Console.

Key points

1. AI feedback assistant: Over time, the system learns from tutor feedback patterns for a specific exercise (not per learner). Once enough submissions are marked, it may suggest feedback items from the feedback bank with a confidence indicator. Suggestions always require tutor confirmation before being applied.
2. Shared feedback bank: The feedback bank is shared across all tutors marking the same exercise. Adding, editing or deleting feedback items affects all tutors and updates previously marked submissions. This supports consistent marking, so please make changes with care.
3. Pre‑configuring clear, reusable feedback items and well‑structured rubrics helps the AI recognise patterns. After approximately 10+ marked submissions of the same exercise, tutors may see AI feedback suggestions with a confidence indicator. Tutors always confirm suggestions before they are applied.

Before you start

• Marking aid must be enabled for your programme.
• Your learning plan components must be configured to use marking aid.

• You need admin/programme‑edit permissions for the relevant programme and components.

   

Types of feedback you can add

• Feedback items: Reusable comments tutors can apply to selected text.

• Feedback groups: Organise items into groups. You can optionally enforce a single‑selection rule (i.e., “choose exactly one”). Items can be dragged into or out of groups.

• Essay rubrics: Criteria with levels (e.g., Inadequate / Pass / Merit / Distinction) on a discrete or continuous scale. Band titles and descriptions are shown to learners and act as structured feedback.

Edit feedback

You can open Edit feedback in two ways:

• Programme Builder (Aptem Classic) → open the component → edit the marking aid exercise → open the question → Edit feedback.

• Aptem Console → navigate to the component → edit the marking aid exercise → open the question → Edit feedback.

Steps

1. Select ‘Edit Feedback’ next to the question where you want to add feedback items, feedback groups, or rubrics.
   
   
2. The feedback configuration screen is displayed. Click 'Add new' on the top right.
   
   
3. When you click ‘Add new’, you will see 3 options displayed: 
   - Feedback group
   - Feedback item
   - Essay rubric
   Choose which option you would like to add.
   

Add feedback item

1. Click Add new → Feedback item.

2. Enter the feedback text and choose 'Positive' or 'Constructive'.

3. You can enter a mark for internal tutor use. This will not be shown in the learning plan or on reporting screens.

4. Edit or delete items from the list as needed. 

   • Shared bank: Changes apply to all tutors/admins on this exercise and update previously marked submissions.

5. Click Confirm when you are done.

    

Add feedback group

1. Click Add new → Feedback group.

2. Name the group. You can enforce single‑selection if you want only one item to be applied from this group.

3. Drag items into/out of groups. You can reorder items within a group.

   • Shared bank: Group edits apply to all tutors/admins and update previously marked submissions.

4. Click Confirm when you are done.

Add essay rubric

1. Click Add new → Essay rubric.

2. Fill in the title and rubric description defining what metric you are assessing against

3. Choose the 'Discrete' or 'Continuous' scale and set the maximum marks.

4. Define the number of bands/levels (e.g., Inadequate / Pass / Merit / Distinction).

5. For each band, add a title and description that clearly explains the achievement level.

   • These titles and descriptions are shown to learners as feedback, communicating the level they have achieved and the reasons why.

6. Adjust the lower bound for bands if required.

7. Usage notes:

   • If a numeric value is required in marking but no mark should be awarded, tutors can enter 0.

8. Click Confirm when you are done.

Once the feedback/groups/rubrics have been added, click ‘Confirm’.

More detail on adding feedback/feedback groups/rubrics can be found within this page: Marking Exercises with Marking Aid.