Learning Management System Website Evaluation

Website Evaluated:
Criteria

Nexus, Nexus/VOD and Khan Academy

Poor
(1 point)

Fair
(2 points)

Good
(3 points)

Excellent
(4 points)

Multimedia tools
are not used to
accommodate a
variety of
learning styles
and ability
levels.

Multimedia tools
are used to
accommodate
more than one
learning style or
ability level.

Multimedia tools
are used to
accommodate a
small variety of
learning styles
and ability
levels.

Multimedia tools
are used
extensively to
accommodate a
variety of
learning styles
and ability
levels.

The textual
content of the
website is not
strictly
educational, and
its intent to
teach learners is
not made
obvious through
materials and
visuals
provided.

The textual
content of the
website is
somewhat
educational, but
its intent does
seem solely
dedicated to
teaching
learners based
on the materials
and visuals
provided.

The textual
content of the
website is
mostly
educational, and
its intent seems
largely
dedicated to
teaching
learners based
on materials
and visuals
provided.

The textual
content of the
website is
strictly
educational, and
its intent to
teach learners is
obvious through
materials and
visuals
provided.

Visual Rhetorical Strategies

Viewers & Readers
1.Accommodatio
n of Learning
Styles

Content & Purpose

2. Content
Purpose

Score

Notes

Learning Management System Website Evaluation

Website Evaluated:
Criteria

Nexus, Nexus/VOD and Khan Academy

Poor
(1 point)

Fair
(2 points)

Good
(3 points)

Excellent
(4 points)

3. Learner
Involvement

No multimedia
tools are
incorporated in
the course to
actively involve
the learner.

Minimal
multimedia tools
are incorporated
in the course to
actively involve
the learner.

Some variety of
multimedia tools
is incorporated
in the course to
actively involve
the learner.

A wide variety
of multimedia
tools are
incorporated in
the course that
requires the
learner to
remain actively
involved.

4. Engagement
of Online
Community

Multimedia tools
are not used to
facilitate
learning by
engaging the
online learning
community in
course content.

Multimedia tools
are not used to
their full extent
to facilitate
learning by
engaging the
online learning
community in
course content.

Multimedia tools
could be utilized
more (or more
creatively) to
facilitate
learning by
engaging the
online learning
community in
course content.

Multimedia tools
are used to
facilitate
learning by
engaging the
online learning
community in
course content.

5. Participation
Expectations

Guidelines
explaining
required levels
of learner
participation are
not posted.

Guidelines
explaining
required levels
of learner
participation are
posted, but are
vague and
difficult to find.

Guidelines
explaining
required levels
of learner
participation are
posted but not
very detailed.

Detailed
guidelines
explaining
required levels
of learner
participation are
posted, and
easy to find.

Score

Notes

Learning Management System Website Evaluation

Website Evaluated:
Criteria

Nexus, Nexus/VOD and Khan Academy

Poor
(1 point)

Fair
(2 points)

Good
(3 points)

Excellent
(4 points)

6.
Communication
Expectations

Expectations
regarding the
quality of
communications
(e.g., what
constitutes a
"good" answer)
are not posted,
nor is a rubric
provided if
assessment is
attached to
communication.

Expectations
regarding the
quality of
communications
(e.g., what
constitutes a
"good" answer)
are posted, but
are vague, and
no rubric is
provided if
assessment is
attached to
communication.

Clear
expectations
regarding the
quality of
communications
(e.g., what
constitutes a
"good" answer)
are posted, but
no rubric is
provided if
assessment is
attached to
communication.

Clear
expectations
regarding the
quality of
communications
(e.g., what
constitutes a
"good" answer)
are posted, and
a rubric is
provided if
assessment is
attached to
communication.

7. Instructional
Strategies

Instructional
strategies do
not provide
learners with
skills needed to
achieve course
goals and
objectives.

It is not clearly
explained
(through text,
or multimedia)
to learners how
the instructional
strategies will
help them
achieve course
goals and
objectives.

Instructional
strategies are
designed to help
learners to
reach course
goals and
objectives,
although this
relationship may
not be clearly
explained
(through text,
or multimedia)
to them.

It is clearly
explained
(through text,
or multimedia)
to learners how
the instructional
strategies will
enable them to
reach course
goals and
objectives.

Score

Notes

Learning Management System Website Evaluation

Website Evaluated:
Criteria
8. Site
Navigation

Nexus, Nexus/VOD and Khan Academy

Poor
(1 point)

Fair
(2 points)

Good
(3 points)

Excellent
(4 points)

Navigation of
the site is not
intuitive, and
the flow of
content is
unclear to the
learner.

Navigation of
the site is only
occasionally
intuitive, thus
the flow of
content is
sometimes not
easily
determined by
the learner.

Navigation of
the site is
somewhat
intuitive, but
some
"exploring" is
required by the
learner to
determine the
flow of content.

Navigation of
the site is
intuitive, and
the flow of and
organization of
the content is
easily
determined by
the learner.

Font choice
(including style,
size, and colour)
is difficult to
read, and font
choice changes
often
throughout the
site without
determined
meaning
(headings,
linked texted
etc.).

Font choice
(including style,
size, and colour)
is sometimes
easy to read,
but the
differences are
confusing
without easily
determined
meaning
(headings,
linked texted
etc.).

Font choice
(including style,
size, and colour)
is usually easy
to read, and
differences in
fonts are not
overly confusing
with some
meaning
(headings,
linked texted
etc.) associated
with the
differences.

Font choice
(including style,
size, and colour)
is consistently
easy to read,
and differences
in fonts are
minimal (2-3
different fonts),
and differences
have meaning
(headings,
linked texted
etc.).

Design
9. Font Design

Score

Notes

Learning Management System Website Evaluation

Website Evaluated:
Criteria

Nexus, Nexus/VOD and Khan Academy

Poor
(1 point)

Fair
(2 points)

Good
(3 points)

Excellent
(4 points)

10. Scannable
Text

Scannable text,
including
highlighted
keywords,
meaningful
subheadings,
and bulleted
lists are not
included.
Information
does not follow
the inverted
pyramid style
(information
flows from
conclusion to
increased level
of detail). The
most important
information is
not included in
the first two
paragraphs.

Minimal use of
scannable text,
including
highlighted
keywords,
subheadings,
and bulleted
lists are
included.
Information is
not presented in
an inverted
pyramid style.
The most
important
information is
not necessarily
included in the
first two
paragraphs.

Scannable text,
including
highlighted
keywords,
subheadings,
and bulleted
lists are
included, but
sometimes used
for unclear
reasons, or not
used to draw
your eye on a
path that
follows the
inverted
pyramid style.
The most
important
information is
included in the
first two
paragraphs.

Scannable text,
including
highlighted
keywords,
meaningful
subheadings,
and bulleted
lists are used
well to draw
your eye on a
path that
follows the
inverted
pyramid style.
The most
important
information is
included in the
first two
paragraphs.

11. Visual Design

Colours used on
the foreground
and
background,
lighting choices,
and textures

Colours used on
the foreground
and
background,
lighting choices,
and textures

Colours used on
the foreground
and
background,
lighting choices,
and textures

Colours used on
the foreground
and
background,
lighting choices,
and textures

Score

Notes

Learning Management System Website Evaluation

Website Evaluated:
Criteria

Nexus, Nexus/VOD and Khan Academy

Poor
(1 point)

Fair
(2 points)

Good
(3 points)

Excellent
(4 points)

used are not

complementary,
are overpowering, or are
not appropriate
for a
professional
learning
environment.

used can be
either noncomplementary,
or overpowering. They
may not be the
best suited for a
professional
learning
environment.

used are
complementary,
not overpowering, but
may not be the
best suited for a
professional
learning
environment.

used are
complementary,
not overpowering, and
are appropriate
for a
professional
learning
environment.

Score

Notes

Total

Sources used to develop rubric:

Blackboard Exemplary Course Program Rubric. Blackboard Community Programs. 2012. PDF.
Visual Rhetoric/Visual Literacy: Crafting and Evaluating Websites. Writing Studio: Duke University. n.d. PDF.
Website Evaluation Rubric. Pearson Education. 2010. PDF
Lunsford, Andrea A. and John J. Ruszkiewicz. Everythings an Argument: Sixth Edition. Boston, NY Bedford,
St. Martins, 2013. PDF.