Map evaluation methods

[warrenroberts]

I teach a cartography class each year and always looking for opportunities for student involvement in evaluating map submissions .. does anyone have suggestions on how an instructor could upload 30+ layout PDF's and permit each student to evaluate all of the maps (ideally not their own but that may be asking too much) with thumbs up 'likes' or number of stars?  The idea is then to pic perhaps the top 5 and lowest 5 and discuss what works and doesn't work.  I'd like to avoid having students create accounts to evaluate or adding 50+ students to my facebook to obtain 'likes' for layout submissions.  Ideas? Joseph Kerski​

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Most learning management systems (LMS) have those capability (Blackboard, Moodle, etc etc).  Consult your educational development center if you have one at your school (assuming college or university) or board office (assuming secondary/primary school).

[warrenroberts]

Thank you Dan!!  I had emailed our virtual campus folks and sure enough, as you said .. here is their reply.  Awesome.  Thanks again Dan!

Yes, you can definitely do this in Blackboard. You can use the Discussion Board and create a forum where users are allowed to rate student posts. They can  assign a 1-5 star rating. In your case, you can create a forum and have students upload their files and students can assign a rating to their posts. You will be able to see the overall rating status of each post.

Here is a video that explains this in detail:

http://ondemand.blackboard.com/r9/movies/Bb9_Rate_Posts.htm

To do this, create a forum and make sure you have the “Allow Members to Rate Posts” option selected.