To learn how to manage a Gradebook for an ELMS-Canvas course, click Managing the Gradebook in ELMS Guide.pdf in the Attachments section below to download a guide to this feature.

Gradebook

Gradebook is a central repository for assessment data, and student information. Instructors can use ELMS-Canvas Gradebook to record data, monitor student progress, and communicate information to students. Gradebook can be accessed from the Grades link on the left navigation menu in an ELMS space.

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Columns in Gradebook

• Assignments Items = Gradebook columns
  Gradebook columns are created and controlled by items in Assignments.
• All GRADED items in Assignments have corresponding columns in the Gradebook.
• An ungraded item in Assignments does not have a column in the Gradebook.

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Adding/removing a Column

Columns in the Gradebook are created by adding graded items via the Assignments link. Columns in the Gradebook are removed by deleting items via the Assignments link.

• Click the Assignments link on the left navigation.
• Click the Add Assignment plus sign + to add a graded assignment to an Assignment Group which automatically adds a column in the Gradebook.
• To remove a Gradebook column, click the gear icon on the right side of an Assignment item and select Delete to remove the assignment.  

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Reordering columns

Gradebook columns could be reordered in three ways:

1. You can reorder the Gradebook columns by reordering the items via the Assignments link.
   
2. You can also manually arrange columns by dragging a column heading in the Gradebook.
3. You can arrange columns/assignments by assignment name, due date, points, or module via the View menu in the Gradebook.

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Column options

Column options feature enables instructors to perform different functions for a column in the Gradebook.

Clicking the 3 dots on the right side of a column will show the column options drop down menu. You can sort assignments, message students, curve grades, set default grade, hide or post grades for the assignment, set up the grade posting policy and enter grades as a specific value: point, percentage, or grading scheme.

Grade posting policy: Grade Posting policies determine grade visibility for students for newly-entered grades. You can select a default automatic or manual grade posting policy for an assignment. Automatically Post Grades option enables students to view assignment grades as soon as they are entered. Manually Post Grades hides grades from student view by default. Grades must be posted to be viewed by students.

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Managing grades in Gradebook

Entering scores

To manually enter grades directly into the Gradebook:

1. Move the cursor over the appropriate cell in the Gradebook, and click on the cell.
2. Type the value of the score.
3. Hit Enter from your keyboard.

(You can also upload grades from Excel. The instructions on how to download and upload grades from a spreadsheet are given later in this handout.)

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Total grade

Here are three key things you need to know about the Total Grade in ELMS Gradebook.

• Total grade calculation only includes graded columns. It omits all empty columns from the total calculation.
• Total Score (as Percentage) = Points Earned/Points Possible of Graded Columns.
• In non-weighted assignment groups, you can choose whether to view grades total column by points or percentage via the 3 dots.
• You can hide the Total column in the Gradebook from students before Final.
  
  1. Go to Settings on the left navigation.
  2. On Course Details tab, you will see small blue text more options near the bottom. Click more options.
  3. Check Hide totals in student grades summary. This will hide the total grade based on all Assignment Groups. Students will still see the totals for each assignment group.
     
  4. Click Update Course Details button.
• You can also move the Total column to the front of the Gradebook.

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Letter grade

You can set up a letter grading scheme for the Total grade. You can also choose to display a letter grade for any assignment/column in the Gradebook. 

1. Select Settings from the left navigation.
2. On Course Details tab, check Enable course grading scheme.
   
   Click set grading scheme. You are able to see the default grading scheme.
3. To edit or modify a grading scheme, click the pencil icon on the right.
   
4. On the Edit Grading Scheme page:
   
   • Name your new grading scheme by typing in the Scheme Name field.
   • Add ranges by clicking the Insert here link when you hover over a range name checkbox.
   • Edit the grade ranges by typing in the appropriate fields.
   • Remove individual ranges by clicking the trash X icon. 
5. Click the Save button to save the grading scheme you have created.
   
6. Click Done to go back to the Course Details page.
7. Click Update Course Details button to save changes.
   

Now, if you go back to the Gradebook and you will see your custom grading scheme is applied to the Total column in the Gradebook. The Total column will show both percentage and letter grade based on your grading scheme.

NOTE: if you want to use any existing grading scheme, on the scheme editing window, click on the Select Another Scheme button to see all existing grading schemes. Then you can replace the default grading scheme.

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Setting up a letter grade display for a column in Gradebook

Setting up a letter grade display option for a graded column (such as assignment or a discussion assignment column) in Gradebook is done via Assignments.  Note: Quiz column doesn't have the letter grade display option.

1. Select Assignments link.
2. Click the title for the assignment for which the letter grade needs to be set up.
3. Click the Edit Assignment button.
4. Click Display Grade as drop down menu to display more options.
5. From the drop down menu, select Letter Grade. You can click View Grading Scheme to edit it.
   
6. Click Save to update the change.
7. The grades in the Gradebook for that column are displayed both in letter and points. 

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Weighting final grade

In ELMS-Canvas grade weighting is done via the Assignment Groups. Establishing the percentage weight for Assignment Groups is done via the Assignments link.

Setting group weights via assignments

1. Go to Assignments via the left navigation.
2. Click on the 3 dots on the right top of the assignments page.
3. Select Assignment Groups Weight.
4. Check the Weight final grade based on assignment groups checkbox.
5. Enter the percentage weight for each of the assignment groups. ELMS uses the percentage weights you specify here to calculate the final grade as percentages. Weights are equal 100%, but can exceed 100% for extra credit.
   
   

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Dropping the lowest/highest scores

Dropping the lowest/highest X number of scores is done via Assignments. Since dropping scores are based on an assignment group, you will need to put the assignments in an appropriate group first.

For each Assignment Group, you can create one of three grading rules:

• Drop (ignore) the lowest x scores for each student 
• Drop (ignore) the highest x scores for each student 
• Never drop a specific assignment. This option will only display assignments that already exist in your assignment group. 
  
  

You can add assignments and set this rule at a later time.

1. Click the Assignments link.
2. Click the 3 dots for an assignment group on the right side of the group.
3. Then you can drop lowest or highest numbers of scores.
4. Click Save to save all changes.

   

The dropped grade cells are shaded in the Gradebook as shown below.

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Downloading/uploading grades

Sometimes, you may prefer saving grades or just want to perform some calculations or edit grades in a spreadsheet program (e.g., Excel). You can download the Gradebook as a .CSV file. Downloaded files can then be saved on a local computer drive, modified, and then uploaded back into the ELMS Gradebook.

Downloading grades

1. Click the Grades to access the Gradebook.
2. Click the Actions menu and then select Export. 
3. The Gradebook is downloaded to your local drive and saved as .CSV file.
   You can then modify the file in Excel and perform the desired changes in Excel. Then save the modified file as a .CSV file using the same file name.

Uploading grades to ELMS-Canvas

You can only upload a .CSV file to ELMS-Canvas Gradebook.

NOTE: It is highly recommended instructors planning on uploading the Gradebook data from an external spreadsheet program always download the Gradebook from ELMS first in order to ensure a right format for uploading.

1. To upload grades to ELMS, click the Grades link in an ELMS space to access the Gradebook.
2. Click the Import button.
3. Browse to the .CSV file to upload the data.
4. Click Upload Data to complete the process. Submitting Grades to UMEG You can use the ELMS Management Tool (EMT) Submit Grades to upload the grades in the ELMS-Canvas gradebook Total column to UMEG.

For instructions for the use of this tool, see https://emt.umd.edu/manuals/EMT_grade submission_version.pdf

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