Software Evaluation Rubric
Graphics and
Multimedia
Curriculum Connections
Instructional Content
Title: what rhyms
Publisher/copyright date: silver mountain
Grade Level: ages 4-7
Operating system(s):
Unsatisfactory - 1
Needs Improvement - 2
Good - 3
Exemplary - 4
SCORE
 Information is inaccurate,  Information is not always  Information is accurate and  Information is accurate, 4
incomplete or outdated
accurate, complete or
most is complete and current complete,

and current
current

 Facts do not come from
reliable sources or sources
are not identified
 Facts come from
questionable sources
 Facts usually come from
 Facts come from reliable
reliable sources which are
sources which are clearly
clearly identified
 identified
3
 Little or no overall
context for information
 Purpose is unclear
 Content is not related to
larger context
 Content lacks sense of
purpose or central theme
 Content is usually related
to larger context
 General purpose is
identified
 Content and context are
consistent
 with the theme
 All information relates to
the stated purpose and
learning goals
3
 Content focuses entirely
on fundamental concepts,
rote memory, or recitation
of facts; no provision for
moving students to higher
levels of thinking by
applying what is learned
 Content focuses on
fundamental concepts and
rarely engages students in
higher levels of thinking;
students are rarely asked to
apply what they learn
 Content provides some
 Content moves learners
activities which encourage
beyond the basics and
higher levels of thinking;
encourages higher levels of
students are frequently asked thinking; students are
to apply what they have
engaged in applying what
learned
they learn
4
 National and/or state

National and/or state
standards are not accessible standards are not located
within the product and there within the product but some
are no apparent links to the relation to standards is
learning activities
apparent

National and/or state
standards are sometimes
available and may be linked
to lessons

 National and state
standards are accessible
within the product and may
be easily linked to lessons 

3
 Lists all prerequisite skills
 No real world examples 
Uses some real world
are given

examples to make the
instruction relevant for the
learner

Uses many real world
examples to make the
instruction relevant for the
learner

 Uses all real world
examples to make the
instruction relevant for the
learner
4

Complies with some
subject based guidelines

Complies with most
subject based guidelines
 Complies with all subject
based guidelines
4

Graphics minimally
support learning
 Graphics are intended to
assist learning
 Graphics are well
4
designed and rendered
 to 
enhance

learning
3

 Background and text are 
Background and text
 Background and text are
 Background and text are
not compatible and text is are frequently incompatible usually pleasing, compatible pleasing, compatible and
difficult to read
and text is often difficult to and legible
 easy to read
read

 Graphics are

Graphics are not always  Most graphics are
 Graphics are consistent,
inconsistent, inappropriate, consistent or appropriate
consistent and appropriate in appropriate and designed
and do not enhance learning
design
to optimize learning

4
 No prerequisite

Lists some prerequisite 
Outlines prerequisite
knowledge requirements are knowledge necessary for
knowledge necessary for
given
success
success

 Graphics are absent,
poorly placed, or fail to
assist learning




4
3


Adaptability and
Accessibility
Technical Aspects
Lay-out


Colors are used
somewhat ineffectively
 Gratuitous animation

Animation rarely
with no relation to learning complements learning
goals

 Colors are used in a
somewhat effective way
 Animation often
complements learning
 Colors are used in an
effective way
 Animation always
complements

learning

 Multimedia is superfluous 
Multimedia seems
and often gets in the way of unrelated to purpose and
purpose and learning goals learning goals


 Multimedia is sometimes
unrelated to purpose and
learning goals
 Multimedia appears to be
directly related to stated
purpose and learning
 goals

 Layout is clear but learners  Layout is clear and
3
sometimes need help to find intuitive; learners can
necessary features
always find what they need
Poor use of color
Layout is confusing

Layout is not intuitive


4
4
 Learners cannot navigate 
Layout is difficult to
through the information to navigate
find what they need
 learners can usually
 It is easy to navigate
navigate through the
through the information to
information to find what they find necessary

features
need

4
 Layout is illogical and
unpredictable

Layout is frequently
illogical
 Layout is logical in most
cases, but sometimes
confusing
 Layout is logical

3


Layout is frequently
inconsistent

 Layout is frequently
consistent, but occasionally
confusing
 Layout is consistent on all 3
pages
Layout is inconsistent
 Links do not work
properly
 Specific browser needed
to view pages, but no
directions are available for
users to download
appropriate browser

Not all links work
 Most links work properly
properly

Pages work in only one  Most pages work in most
browser , but directions and browsers
links are provided so users
can download appropriate
browser
 Multimedia resources do
not work
 Web site is often down
or unreliable; software
installation often results in
aborted efforts or conflicts

Multimedia resources
 Multimedia resources work  All multimedia resources
work some of the time
most of the time
 work at all times

Web site is unreliable or  Users are able to access
 Users are able to access
software is hard to install
web site or install software
web site or install software
properly
with minimal effort
with ease

3
 Clear and complete
directions are available for
access or installation
4
 Pictures and icons do not 
Few pictures and icons  Most pictures and icons
have ALT tags
have ALT tags
have ALT tags

 Paragraphs and sections 
Some paragraphs and
have unclear and inaccurate sections have clear and
informative headings
accurate informative
headings
 All links work properly

 Pages work in most
common browsers:
Netscape and Internet
Explorer

 Hyperlinks have ALT tags
for rollover to assist sight- 
impaired learners
 Most paragraphs and
 Paragraphs and sections
sections have clear and
have clear and accurate
accurate informative headings informative

headings



4
3


4

4
4
 Clear and clean fonts are 
Clear and clean fonts
 Clear and clean fonts are  Clear and clean fonts are 4
not used
are used consistently some used consistently most of the
 used consistently
of the time
time


Assessment
Teacher and Learner Support
Materials
Learner Engagement
Interactivity
 Content is not culturally
diverse
 Content does not
accommodate unique
learning styles and various
ability levels

Some content is
culturally diverse

Some content
accommodates unique
learning styles and various
ability levels
 Content includes some
culturally diverse features

 Most content
accommodates unique
learning styles and various
ability levels
 Content is culturally
diverse
 Product accommodates
unique learning styles and
various ability levels
4

3
 Does not require

Sometimes requires
 Usually requires learners to  Always requires learners 4
learners to become actively learners to become actively become actively engaged
to become actively engaged
engaged
engaged

in order to learn
 Text and documents do 
Text and documents
 Text and documents
not employ multimedia
sometimes employ
usually employ multimedia
enhancements to make
multimedia enhancements to enhancements to make
learning interactive
make learning interactive  learning interactive

 Text and documents
always employ multimedia
enhancements to make
learning interactive

3
 Does not provide
feedback throughout the
instruction

Provides minimal
feedback throughout the
instruction
 Provides appropriate
feedback throughout the
instruction

3
 Does not motivate the
learner

Rarely motivates learner  Often motivates the learner  Keenly motivates the
4
to continue learning
to continue learning and
learner to continue learning
master concepts
and master concepts
 Provides some feedback
throughout the instruction

 Program provides little or 
Program offers limited  Program offers various
 Program offers help at
no help to the teacher or
options for help
forms of help for the student any stage
the student
but may not be quickly
accessible
 Tech support is
inadequate or unreliable
 Program does not offer
support materials or outside
means of reinforcement
 Teachers and students
are not able to track
progress
4



Program offers online
support only

Student support
materials are limited and do
not relate directly to the
lesson
 Program often provides
ways to reach tech support
 Program provides student
with additional websites
which relate to the lesson
 Provides various ways to 3
reach technical

support
 Program provides
3
students with additional
resources such as web

sites, bibliographies, etc.
which are suitable to lesson

Teachers and students
can sometimes track a
student's progress through
feedback or other
documentation
 Teachers and students can
frequently track a student's
progress through feedback or
other documentation
 Teachers and students
can easily track a student's
progress through feedback
or other documentation


4

 Assessment is
inappropriate or unavailable
and does not produce an
accurate account of student
learning

Assessment is
 Assessment is usually
inappropriate or unrelated to challenging and appropriate
learning goals and rarely
enough to engage learners
engages learners


 Assessment methods are
challenging, appropriate,
and suited to learning goals
 It is not clear how to
assess the learning in this
product

Teachers must develop  Teachers can assess
their own assessments
students' progress using
established methods of
assessment
 Teachers can easily
4
assess students' progress
by evaluating the outcomes
provided within the product
3

Age/Grade Level
Flexibility
 Reading level is not
appropriate for target
audience

Reading level is often
too difficult or too easy for
target audience
 Reading level is appropriate  Reading level is
for target audience, but some appropriate for target
portions may be too easy or  audience

too difficult
4

 Product is not suitable 
Many features are
for the age and grade level unsuitable for the age and
grade level
 Most features are suitable  Product is suitable for the 3
for the age and grade level age
 and grade level

 Directions are

Directions are
inadequate and incomplete sometimes unclear or
ambiguous
 Most directions are clear,
but some are ambiguous or
confusing
 Directions are clear and 3
complete enough for

students to perform
required tasks
 Learners are unable to
save at regular intervals

Learners can save at
 Learners can save at some  Learners can save at
some point but can not re- point and can usually re-enter regular

intervals and reenter the instruction without the instruction easily
enter the instruction at any
difficulty

point
 Cannot be integrated
into classroom activities

Some aspects of the
software can be integrated
into classroom activities
 It is unclear how this

Few lessons can be
program would be used with used in a variety of
students; contains no
classroom settings; Includes
guidelines or suggestions for few suggestions for altering
alternative classroom
instruction for whole class,
settings
individual, or group
experiences
 Most aspects of the
software can be integrated
into classroom activities
 All aspects of the
software

can be easily
integrated

into classroom
activities
 The program includes
 The program features
suggestions for use in whole activities for use in whole
class instruction, individual, class instruction, individual,
or group learning experiencesor group learning
experiences
Total Points
Scale 40-45 = Exemplary
35-39 = Good
30-34 = Satisfactory
<30 = Unacceptable
3
3

4