Curious about how Brock's Sakai-Based LMS was named Isaak?. Find out more here

Gradebook

From Information about Isaak, Brock University's Sakai-Based LMS

To complete the procedures in this article, you must be assigned a role having the necessary permissions. This often excludes Students and TAs by default. To determine your role, follow the directions in Participant roles.

For a basic understanding of roles and permissions, see Permissions and roles.

The Gradebook is a tool that allows instructors to securely and privately record and distribute course grades. The Gradebook can be used to calculate and store grade information and distribute it to students online.

[edit] Using the Gradebook

[edit] Instructors can

Issue: Gradebooks with categories that have been imported from another site could release a summary percentage of categories with items that have otherwise yet to be released. Instructors can identify if this is affecting their course by confirming in the "Gradebook Items Summary” table that items marked as NOT Released to Students are also NOT Included in Course Grade. Editing and saving each item corrects this issue

This is a known issue and the Sakai Project has been notified.

You can track the progress here:
https://jira.sakaiproject.org/browse/SAK-21351

Create categories to organize items and allow for weighting of grades, preventing the need to mark every item based on raw percentages of the final grade ( For example, removing the need to mark an essay out of 25 because it is worth 24% the final).
- This allows Sakai to autocalculate course grades, with the ability to override any letter grade
Define course letter grades based on a 100% scale (by default these do not match Brock's letter grading scale)
Choose between point- or percentage-based gradin. Instructors can switch between the two formats under Gradebook Setup area under Grade Entry.
Add, view, edit, and release point values of items to students
Enter, view, edit, and release to students scores, grades, and comments
Transmit scores to the Gradebook from tools, such as Tests and Quizzes or Assignments, thereby creating a corresponding item in the Gradebook and recording student scores for that item.
Export scores and grades to Microsoft Excel (in .xls or .csv format)
Import item scores from spreadsheet (.csv) files.

[edit] Students Can

This image is a sample of what a student would see when the student checked their grades in relatively complex Isaak/Sakai Gradebook.

The Gradebook lets students view their own scores and grades, once instructors have released them, in a secure and private fashion. Students can only see grade columns once the instructor releases the grade column. Students official final marks, that are approved by the department and the faculty, are posted in the https://my.brocku.ca portal.

[edit] Things to consider

Instructors can view information in the Gradebook in different ways, including an item summary for each course, item detail, all grade listing, course grade listing, gradebook setup, and course grade options.
Students can view their cumulative scores for all items and the corresponding percentage; view their course grades, once an instructor releases them; and sort their items by title, due date, grade, and total possible points per item.
The Gradebook is section aware, so instructors and TAs can see grades only for students in their particular sections.
Currently, the Gradebook does not allow you to assign extra credit or drop the lowest score.
There are two methods for importing grades into the Sakai Gradebook:
1. Import Grades:for items/columns and point values are already in Sakai
2. Import gradebook item from spreadsheet: Add items/columns from spread sheet that Sakai does not yet know about
null vs. zero: If a student has earned a zero on an item in the Gradebook an instructor must enter that zero. If the item is left blank, or null, the that item will not be weighted against that student when the final grade is calculated. Tools like the Assignments tool allow instructors to assign a mark to all students where Tests and Quizzes does not allow for assigning a grade to student who does not already have a mark. Un-submitted quizzes will not be weighted against students as a zero until the instructor clicks Calculate Course Grades in the All Grades section of the Gradebook.
More important items for instructors to consider have been collected in the separate article titled Common errors calculating grades

[edit] Adding a new gradebook item

To add a new gradebook item:

Note: If an item is excluded from the course grade calculation, the individual grade will appear to students in parentheses. A legend underneath will explain that "Grades in parentheses are not included in the course grade calculation".

In the menubar, click Gradebook, and then click Add Gradebook item(s).
On the Add Gradebook Item(s) screen, fill in the following information:
- Title: A title is required for all gradebook items. The title can be up to 255 characters long.
- Gradebook Item Point Value: You must assign a point value to all gradebook items. Enter a value greater than zero. Decimals are permitted, but values are limited to two decimal places.
- Due Date: You can optionally designate a due date for a gradebook item. You can manually enter the due date (e.g., 2012/17/05), or click the calendar icon to select a date from a pop-up calendar.
- Category: If you have created a category, you can optionally assign an item to a category using the drop-down list. For more information, see the section below on categories.
If you wish to allow students to view the grade for this item, check Release this item to Students. You can change this option later. (If this box is checked when you enter grades, students will see their grades as soon as you click Save Changes.) If you wish to exclude this item from the course grade calculation, uncheck Include this item in course grade calculations. You can change this option later.
Finally click Add Item(s).

[edit] Video Example

This example demonstrates adding a gradebook item to a course that has already had categories added to it.

[edit] Grading Categories

[edit] Create Gradebook categories

In your site's menubar, click Gradebook.
Near the top, click Gradebook Setup.
Under "Categories & Weighting", choose Categories only.
In the text box that appears, type a name for the category you're adding. Note: To create more than one category, click Add a Category.
When you are finished, click Save Changes.

[edit] Creating categories with weighted grades

In your site's menubar, click Gradebook.
Near the top, click Gradebook Setup.
Under "Categories & Weighting", choose Categories & Weighting.
In the text box that appears, type a name for the category you're adding. Note: To create more than one category, click Add a Category.
Next to each category name, under "%", enter a number representing that category's percentage of the final grade. Note: The total percentage must equal 100. Before you can save your changes, the "Running Total" must equal 100.0%, and the "Needed Total" must equal 0.0%.
When you are finished, click Save Changes.

Issue: It is worth noting that categories that are weighted with with one or two decimal place will be calculated properly, but the student view will not display the decimal places. For example, two categories weighted at 7.5% each (totally 15%) will both be displayed to the student as 7% (totalling 14%). The internal math will be calculate properly, this is an issue of not displaying enough decimal places to the student.

This is a known issue and the Sakai Project has been notified.

You can track the progress here:
http://jira.sakaiproject.org/browse/SAK-15232

[edit] Adding Gradebook items to a category

After you create a category, you must assign Gradebook items to it. You can assign an item when you create it or by editing an existing item; see Creating/adding, editing, or deleting a Gradebook item above for more information.

[edit] Export scores

Issue: Exports from the Isaak/Sakai Gradebook in the XLS format have the numbers stored as text.

This is a known issue and the Sakai Project has been notified.

You can track the progress here:
https://jira.sakaiproject.org/browse/SAK-19849

[edit] With Brock University student numbers, compatible with Faculty Gradebook

It is important to note that files exported through All Grades cannot be uploaded to Isaak/Sakai, but can be uploaded to a properly configured http://my.brocku.ca/ "Faculty Gradebook".

“Grade book” > "All Grades" >"Export ...."

Log-in to your course and enter the “Grade book”.
At the top of the Gradebook, click the All Grades link.
Click either the Export as CSV For FGB or Export For Excel for FGB button and you will be prompted to save the CSV or open it in Excel.

[edit] With Sakai logins/CAMPUS IDs which can be uploaded back into Isaak/Sakai

Log-in to your course and enter the “Grade book”.
At the top of the Gradebook, click the Import Grades link.
Follow the three steps on the page
1. Download Spreadsheet Template by choosing Download Spreadsheet Template for [XLS|Excel]] or Download Spreadsheet Template as CSV
2. Edit the spreadsheet in your favorite spreadsheet application, such as Excel, and save it as a CSV or XLS file.
3. Import the Spreadsheet by clickign Choose File, then browsing to select the file you saved in step 2, then click Import Spreadsheet.

[edit] Importing grades into the Sakai Gradebook in CSV Format

[edit] Export and Import Grades: Items already in Sakai

Simple, fast and easy

Items/columns and point values are already in Isaak/Sakai

The method outlined below will quickly update the existing items in the Sakai gradebook. Notes:

Sakai prefers that the first row contain headings for the columns and what the assignment is out of in square brackets (ie. Essay 1 [10.0]). This was a requirement, but Brock University updates to the Gradebook and improvements to Sakai itself have negated this requirement.
The first column of your .csv file must contain Brock University CAMPUS ID, which Sakai refers to as Student ID, followed by Student Name in a Surname, Given Name format.

Log-in to your course and enter the Gradebook.

Click Import Grades on the top right.
1. If you have not already done so, downloaded your list of students via the steps above click Download Spreadsheet Template.
2. Make your modifications in a tool like Microsoft Excel and save them in CSV format.
3. Click Browse to locate the CSV or XLS file you want to upload and press Import Spreadsheet
You will be asked to confirm the information you are about to import and press OK

[edit] Import gradebook items: One column at a time

More complex, but if you have been maintaining your own spreadsheet and not using Sakai until this point, this is your best option.

This method will allow instructors to add items/columns from spread sheet that Sakai does not yet know about

The first row must contain headings for the columns.The import tool allows instructors to add columns to the grade book; if you want to “update” a column you will have to delete it first. These instructions assume that you have a .csv file of scores stored on your local computer. The first column of your .csv file must contain individual usernames.

Log-in to your course and enter the Gradebook.

Click Import gradebook item from spreadsheet.
Click Upload spreadsheet (csv format) to Loading Dock. You will then see a file selection form for uploading a .csv file to the Gradebook loading dock.
Next to "Title", enter a unique name, which will be the name for the uploaded data file once it is in the loading dock.
Next to "Choose a File", you may either type in a filename or click Browse to find and select the file you want to upload.
Click Save to begin the upload.
The Verify Upload screen will appear with a preview display of the file contents, allowing you to confirm that you chose the correct file. If you have the right file, click OK.
Import
You should then be in the "Loading Dock", find the appropriate .csv file, and then, next to that file, click Import.
On the Import Preview screen, use the radio buttons to select the assignment scores you wish to import. Note: You can import only one set of assignment scores at a time.
Click Import Selected.
On the Import Assignment and Scores screen, fill in the following information:

- Title: A title is required for all Gradebook assignments.
- The title can be up to 255 characters in length and has to be unique – if you need to “update” an existing column you will have to delete it first.
- Assignment Point Value: You must assign a point value to all Gradebook assignments. Enter a value greater than zero. Decimals are permitted, but values are limited to two decimal places.
- Due Date: You can optionally designate a due date for a Gradebook assignment. You can manually enter the due date (e.g., mm/dd/yy), or you can click the calendar icon to select a date from the pop-up calendar.

To include this assignment when calculating the final grade, place a check-mark in the appropriate box. You can change this option later, if necessary.
To make this assignments scores available to students, place a check-mark in the box next to "Release assignment." You can change this option later, if necessary.
When you're finished, click Submit. You'll return to the Import Preview screen, where you'll see confirmation that the assignment has been added.

[edit] Check list for releasing grades

Make sure that you haven't made any of the common errors that are made when calculating grades.
Make sure that under Gradebook Setup > Display released Gradebook Items to students is checked
Under Gradebook Items make sure that beside each item that there is a "Y" in the "Released to Students" column
- If not select the Edit option beside the respective item and check-off Release this item to Students
Confirm what students see

Accessing Gradebook's student view
- Instructors can verify what each student's view of the gradebook under All Grades clicking a student's name, then clicking on the right THE STUDENT's View of Grades.

[edit] Giving TAs Access

Example of a grading rule add to a TA's account via Permission Settings

Under Permission Settings tab in the Gradebook instructors should be able to select the individual TA by name, press Add a rule and add a permission to either view or grade all or a selection of Gradebook categories and then press Save Changes.

[edit] Submitting final grades at Brock University

Sakai/Isaak cannot be used to directly submit grades to the registrar's office, however, instructors can export their grades from Sakai/Isaak. Once the file is exported instructors can do one of two things:

Open the exported CSV file in software like MS Excel and then print the marks. The printed sheet, with all the information that was found on the registrar's sheet (name, student number, course information) signed by the instructor and chair can then be submitted as the final mark.
Those with the correct level of access to the Faculty Gradebook in https://my.brocku.ca can export the grades from Sakai/Isaak and then import them into the Faculty Gradebook. The method has the benefit of reducing the potential for human error.

[edit] Video

YouTube/Podcast - Gradebook


Find more videos for instructors at the Welcome To Sakai Webinar article, or look in the Video Category

[edit] Additional Resources

Privacy Concern: Be Careful

This tool is designed to protect the privacy of student information. Instructors should take care that they are entering information in the correct location and are disclosing information accurately.

Please consider the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and Brock University's own privacy policies. You can learn more at http://www.brocku.ca/accessandprivacy/