The Basics Using the Grade Center in Blackboard Learn 91 Hallie Ray Distance Learning Course Designer Preston Chick Distance Learning Technician August 2016 Goals this workshop will provide CNM faculty with the tools to ID: 771401
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The Basics: Using the Grade Center in Blackboard Learn 9.1 Hallie Ray, Distance Learning Course Designer Preston Chick, Distance Learning Technician August, 2016
Goals: this workshop will provide CNM faculty with the tools to Locate Grade Center help Navigate My Grades, the student’s grade viewNavigate to the Full Grade Center and to particular users and itemsSet “External Grade” correctlyInterpret Grade Center iconsUse Last Access dates for course managementSend Email to selected student(s)Create or Delete a Simple ColumnSort items by grade center columnsManually Enter or Override a gradeExplore Grade History Hide items in GC and MG views Find and Show Hidden columns Reorder Columns Edit Column Information Choose which Attempt’s grade to use in calculating the course grade Grade from Needs Grading view Grade submitted files using Inline Grading Assign Grades to Categories Drop the lowest grade in a category Create a simple Weighted Grade Column Export course grades to a local spreadsheet
Getting Grade Center Help Help.Blackboard.com W e use Release 9.1.201410.160373https://en-us.help.blackboard.com/Learn/Instructor/GradeIn a well-designed, school-developed Master course, the grade center should be ready to go without significant editingOr contact your friendly, neighborhood DL Staff
Computer resourcesNever use Internet Explorer/Edge Chrome, Firefox, and Safari usually work wellBut have at least one other browser to use in case something “acts up.”Collaborate Ultra likes Chrome bestClear your browser’s cache if anything displays incorrectlyPC: Control Shift DeleteMac: Command Shift Delete or Google for instructionsiPads 2 and higher can use free Bb Grader App
The Students’ View CNM’s DL Classroom menu has a My Grades button under Course Communication—don’t delete it!My Grades view ≠ Grade Center view
Student Preview tool A g ood practice: Regularly check your students’ view of My Grades in every course and sectionUse the buttons in the upper right: “Eyeball” to go to Student PreviewExit Preview to return to Instructor mode
The student view: My Grades The instructor will not see this unless using Student ViewThe student’s default view reflects the order of columns in the instructor’s Grade Center. Good practice: Keep an orderly Grade CenterDelete unneeded/duplicated columns
Multiple Totals? Every time the course is copied, a new Total column is added Delete extra and unused columns
Resetting the External Grade “External Grade” is not currently used by CNM but you’ll usually have one with that “green checkmark.” This column cannot be deletedYou cannot remove the greencheckmark, but you can move it to another columnNote: this may be set to nearly any column
What else the student seesDue dates Comments Rubric(s) used Some of the following depend on the instructor’s settingsSubmitted work or testsGraded work or tests
Students viewing graded tests Depending on instructor’s settings, student may be able to access the graded work with score, answers, comments, etc. To review tests, students must click the NAME of the test and in the next window the SCORE for that test.
Viewing completed assignmentsB y clicking on the name of a graded assignment, students can V iew their original submission and filesView instructor commentsView markup of inline graded documentsView instructor-uploaded filesView rubricsThis view closely resembles the Instructor’s Assignment Grading window
Students’ views of graded assignment In My Grades—shows grade Click on the speech bubble for comment, “Feedback to Learner”
Deeper view of graded assignmentUpon clicking the assignment’s name in My Grades
And yet another viewClicking the uploaded file shows inline grading
My Grades display optionsStudent viewing options are All, Graded, Upcoming (not yet submitted), and Submitted (but not yet graded) Student ordering options are Course orderLast activity (submissions or grading)Due date
Icon Legend User Unavailable Column Not Visible to Users Completed (e.g., survey)Needs GradingOverrideAttempt in ProgressExternal GradeGrade Exempted for this UserErrorNot Participating (e.g., student is not in that Group)Anonymous Grading enabledStudents do not have the Icon Legend, but do have pop-ups explaining symbols.
The Instructor View Control Panel Grade Center Needs GradingFull Grade CenterAssignmentsTestsShortcut arrow“Smart Views”Assignments and Tests are default categoriesCustom views: Advanced Training session
Needs Grading Objective T ests are auto-graded unless they are submitted lateAssignments and Essay/Short Answer test questions need your inputMay sort using any column headerContact DL for any problemsstudents who drop with ungraded work can get “stuck” in Needs Grading
FAQ: I dropped Irving and now…I dropped Irving for non-participation, and now I need to prove it…but he’s gone! Contact ITS or DL (we can refer the matter to ITS) Include Course, number, section, CRN Include Student’s name and username (first part of CNM Email address)ITS can re-enable the student long enough for you to capture his/her grades to substantiate your dropping them
Full Grade Center view Use Scroll Bars to navigate through the spreadsheet Change browsers if they don’t show up properly MacOS: Apple menu > Sys Pref > Gen Pref > Always show scroll barsHint for mobile use: turn on the Screen Reader ModeAnd never use Internet Explorer!
Full Grade Center view Can control Number of rows shown Sorting on any column
Using Last Access for Course Management This is not “Participation*,” just access to BbHint: Hide Student ID and Availability Columns for less clutter*Federal guidelines require submission of work, posting to a Discussion, etc. Check with your Associate Dean for more information
Sending Email from the Grade Center Uses CNM Email Works even if Email is “turned off” in the course Choose recipient(s) using checkbox(es)Multiple users will be blind-copiedBut use generic language in the messageNOT: Suzie and Irving, you are failing…YES: You are receiving this Email because you are failing…Example: Send an Email to everyone who hasn’t logged into Bb by Day 3, or who did poorly (or well!) on Test 1.
Manual Entry Column Creation Bb automatically creates columns for graded work: Don’t duplicate theseAssignmentsTests/Quizzes/ExamsGraded Discussions, Blogs, Wikis, etc.You must create columns for manual entry of grades for things not graded in BbRequired data itemsName of the itemPoint Value of the itemPoint value may be 0 (e.g., extra credit items)
Manual Grade Entry: Created Column Mouse over the cell Click the cell Type grade into cellHit Enter/Return after each entry. Bb will save, and move you to the next cell in the column.
To Override grades Click into the particular student’s cell for that grade Delete the old grade (-- is automatically deleted) Type the new gradeSubmit using Enter/Return key Confirm it Grade overrides indicated by the orange “hat”
All changes appear in the Grade History From cell menu choose View Grade Details Next, click Grade History
Grade Archaeology (Digging into history) By default you’ll see the last two changes. Choose View Complete History if there is a link
It’s all there: When, Who and What
Categories: for grade calculations Automatically assigned to default categoriesBb deployed Assignments and TestsGraded Discussions, Blogs, WikisManual entry columns may be assigned categories when created or edited. By default they are No Category.Why categories?Calculated columnsDropping lowest gradesCustom categories can be created—see Advanced GC training!
To Hide, or Not to Hide… Don’t HIDE . DELETE instead.Hide from Students (on/off) vs.Hide ColumnStill counts in totals, etc. Still visible to studentsDon’t HIDE Columns from yourself!Exception: Hide Student Availability and Student ID columns—these are not useful at CNM!
Column Deletion Deleting a Column Click Action Arrow for the columnChoose DeleteUser-created and Calculated columns can be deletedColumns associated with Bb-graded work cannot be deletedBest practice: Delete any unused columns
Avoiding Ghost ColumnsDeleting any Bb graded work (Test, Assignment, etc.) should delete its GC column If deleting graded work and you get a pop-up asking you whether you wish to delete the grade center column, select YES!!! Do not choose the “save grades” option unless you mean to do thisRarely, you’ll end up with stuck columns which I call “ghost columns.” That’s one of the few cases where it’s OK to hide the column…they should go away when the course is copied to a future term.
Oh, no…you already hid things… “I didn’t know what to do with that stuff so I chose Hide Column…” Horror stories: Hundreds (no exaggeration) of hidden columns, still visible to studentsHuge grading efforts “lost” among hidden columnsCryptic assignments or tests added by publisher content—some instructors don’t even know it’s there!
How to reveal Hidden columns Full Grade Center > Manage > Column Organization Click the check-box next to any light gray italicized (Hidden) item(s) Use the Show/Hide button at the top or bottom to “Show Selected Columns”Submit
Reordering Columns While we’re at Manage > Column Organization… Where do new columns show up? Right or Bottom…Use the left-margin sliders to move them to where they make sense to youAnd then they’ll make sense to your students as well
Edit Column Information For Bb created columns Reflects choices made when creating/deploying an assessment Includes a few more optionsFor manual columnsReturns you to the column creation pageWe’ll look at your options in the next slides
Column Name reflects the name of the item when created Avoid using symbols such as #, &, *, %, @, !, ;, even commas and periods!!Grade Center Name shows to Instructors, not to StudentsWe recommend NOT using the Grade Center name—leave it blankDescription is visible to students
Primary (grade) display is visible to students and is how you will enter your gradesSecondary (grade) display is only visible to instructorsFor work with multiple attempts, Score attempts using…Categories can be used to calculate gradesPoint value is required (use 0 for extra credit columns)Rubric can be set here (optional)Due date can be set/changed here (optional)
Points Possible value is requiredMake it 0 for Extra Credit items On tests Mark extra credit questions as such INSIDE of the test Or may edit here by checking the boxRubrics may be added here or in the content areaRubric properties may be edited here, in the content area, or in Control Panel > Course Tools > Rubrics
Due Dates May set the Due Date here May be edited here, in the assessment, in the Calendar, or in Date Management Due date does not impact Availability (Display) to studentsDue dates may be set to prevent further Test attempts
OptionsGenerally, usually, and most of the time: Accept the default settings! Don’t forget to Submit!
Calculated Columns BasicsFour types available
Defaults for calculated columns Total : adds up raw points of every grade columnbut not other calculated columnsWeighted Column: does nothing until you set it upAverage: takes the straight, unweighted average of all grade columnsBut not other calculated columns
Select Columns and Categories Select Individual Columns and/orSelect CategoriesWeight columns?EquallyProportionallyDrop Grades?Be careful to choose Lowest!
Weighted Column Be sure values match your syllabusChoose the Columns and/or CategoriesIf Categories:Choose weighting method in categoriesDrop grades as desiredAssign valuesSubmit
One more setting: Running TotalThe instructions are correct, but it’s easier to remember this way: Yes means you have to enter zeros for missing workNo means students’ calculated grades will start at 0 and rise through the term
Needs Grading: Late TestsObjective tests: automatic, won’t show in Needs Grading Unless they’re late . Then they will show up to be submitted.THEN Bb will automatically grade them.v
Needs Grading: Essay questions and Assignments Click on User whose Attempt needs gradingOr click the cell’s Action Arrow in the full grade centerMay choose either View Grade Details or Attempt ##/##/##
Needs Grading for Discussions, etc.Instructor chooses if/when Bb puts these into Needs Grading Default is to show after every 1 post Which can get annoying! Good practice: set to show only after student has made required posts such as 1 original + 2 replies after every 3 posts
Inline GradingFile types: doc(x), .ppt(x), . xls (x) and .pdf CommentsStrikeoutsHighlightingDrawingRemember: all CNM users can get FREE MS Office 365
Inline Grading tips Take advantage of expansion arrows for more “screen real estate” to make grading easier Inline Grading works only on MS Office files or .pdfsNot on .rtf, .jpg, or submissions typed directly into BbYou may require students to submit in particular formats, since they can now have Office 365 for free
Download your Grades Work OfflineChoose to Download to import a spreadsheet to use in Excel/Numbers, or for back-up on your own computer
Download to your computer Click Download C hoose Data desired (default values are fine)SubmitRemember where on your computer you put it!Upload: covered in Grade Center Advanced training
Bonus: Color Coding your grade center See our new DL TV series !
Resources Blackboard Help Site We use Release 9.1.201410.160373 (October 2014 release)https://en-us.help.blackboard.com/Learn/Instructor/GradeCNM’s Distance Learning Webpage (Faculty)Our new DL TV series!And of course, your DL Staff at DL@cnm.edu
Questions? Thanks for participating!