Evaluating the effectiveness of analytic rubrics in enhancing self-regulation and collaborative skills among postgraduate design students in a hybrid learning environment

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a fundamental aspect of postgraduate design education, fostering innovation and critical problem-solving by integrating diverse perspectives and skill sets. However, students often encounter communication, engagement, and equitable participation challenges, particularly in hybrid learning environments. This study investigates the efficacy of analytic rubrics as a structured self and peer assessment tool in fostering self-regulation, reflective practices, and active engagement in interdisciplinary design teams. The study was conducted over a 16-week hybrid learning unit at the Royal College of Art, involving 30 students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, organised into six collaborative groups. A mixed-methods approach was employed to capture both qualitative and quantitative insights into the impact of analytic rubrics on student engagement and teamwork. Self and peer evaluations, facilitated through an analytic rubric, were conducted at the midpoint of the unit and during critical tutorial sessions preceding the final submission. These evaluations provided a structured framework for students to assess and discuss their engagement, teamwork dynamics, and individual contributions in alignment with the unit’s learning outcomes. During tutorial sessions, student teams engaged in structured, rubric-guided discussions, fostering reflective dialogue on areas for improvement and strategies to enhance collaboration. To further examine the effectiveness of rubric-based assessment, qualitative data was collected through an analysis of students’ reflective statements submitted at the end of the unit. These reflections offered insights into how the rubric functioned as a catalyst for discussions on responsibility, accountability, and role negotiation within interdisciplinary teams. Additionally, quantitative data was obtained from survey questionnaires administered at the beginning and end of the unit to evaluate changes in students’ self-regulated learning behaviours and collaborative effectiveness. This mixed-methods approach enabled a comprehensive analysis of both behavioural and attitudinal shifts associated with the integration of analytic rubrics in the learning process. Findings indicate that structurally applied analytic rubrics enhance self-regulation, accountability, and engagement, serving as a pedagogical intervention that fosters deeper collaboration in hybrid and interdisciplinary settings. Unlike traditional summative rubrics, this study demonstrates how analytic rubrics function as a reflexive tool, actively shaping learning behaviours through structured self and peer assessment. By embedding rubrics as an iterative framework for reflection and dialogue, this research offers an adaptable, evidence-based model for improving student autonomy and collaborative learning in postgraduate education.