Quercus Updates (April 2026)

We’ll use this space to share updates (e.g., new tools, new features, improved functionality) about Quercus and other Academic Toolbox tools.

This update: Quercus Enhanced Rubric features, Crowdmark partial points for multiple-choice questions, and retirement of Quercus ePortfolios (Legacy).

In this update:

This month’s Quercus and Academic Toolbox update introduces the key features in the new Enhanced Rubrics, a partial points option for multiple-choice questions in Crowdmark, and the retirement of Quercus ePortfolios (Legacy).

1. Enhanced Rubrics: New features and interface improvements
2. Crowdmark: Partial points on multiple-choice Questions
3. Quercus ePortfolios (Legacy Tool) being retired on June 30, 2026

Enhanced Rubrics: New features and interface improvements

Enhanced Rubrics introduces improvements to rubric creation, management, and grading in Quercus. This feature is now enabled by default at the course level but can be turned off for now in Feature Options (see: How do I manage feature options for a course?)

Key benefit: Improved rubric workflows, faster grading, and clearer feedback for students.

Key updates:

1. Reorder rating scales: Sort ratings from high-to-low or low-to-high when editing a rubric.
2. Improved rubric management: Save draft rubrics, duplicate existing rubrics, and archive published rubrics
3. Drag-and-drop criteria: Easily rearrange rubric criteria in the editor.
4. Assignment–rubric mismatch alerts: Receive a warning when assignment points and rubric totals do not match.
5. Bulk download and upload rubric assessments: Export rubric data as a CSV, edit it, and re-import to update assessments in bulk.

Interface improvements:

1. Switch between traditional, horizontal, or vertical rubric layouts.
2. Display either points or rating levels.
3. View aligned outcomes via clickable outcome pills.
4. See a rubric incomplete indicator in SpeedGrader.

For more details, see: How do I manage rubrics in a course using Enhanced Rubrics?

Crowdmark: Partial points on multiple-choice questions

Crowdmark now supports partial credit for multiple-choice questions with more than one correct answer.

Key benefit: More flexible and fair grading for multi-answer questions.

Scoring options:

• Either/or: Full credit if at least one correct choice is selected. No credit if any incorrect choices are included.
• Partial: Proportional credit for each correct choice selected. No credit if any incorrect choices are included.
• Exact: Full credit only if all correct choices are selected. No credit otherwise.

Note: Multiple choice questions with a single correct answer do not support partial credit and will behave the same as before.

How to enable partial credit for multiple-choice questions

1. Administered (in-person) assessments: Go to Multiple Choice Settings → select Partial under Scoring mode
2. Assigned (online) assessment: Open the question settings → select Partial under Scoring mode

For more details, see: Partial Credit Comes to Crowdmark’s Multiple Choice Grading

Quercus ePortfolios (Legacy Tool) being retired on June 30, 2026

Quercus (Canvas) will discontinue the legacy ePortfolios tool on June 30, 2026. A notification banner now appears within the tool, and users are encouraged to avoid creating any new ePortfolios using this legacy feature.

Quercus will introduce a new Canvas Portfolio tool in May 2026, with enhanced functionality for student showcase portfolios and instructor-supported assessment activities.

In the image below:

1. ePortfolios (Legacy): this tool is being retired and should no longer be used
2. Portfolio: this is the new tool available starting May 2026

What you should do now (if you have used ePortfolios in the past):

• Export your existing ePortfolios to keep a copy of your work
• Avoid using the “Legacy” ePortfolio tool for any new work
• Plan your transition to the new Canvas Portfolio tool

For step-by-step instructions on how to download your ePortfolio and rebuild it in the new tool, visit the CTSI resource: Exporting Your Quercus (Canvas) ePortfolio.

For more information on the new Portfolio tool, see:

• Quercus Portfolios
• Introducing Canvas Portfolio: Now Part of the Core Canvas Experience