Course gradebook topics.
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Viewing the class gradebook and filtering columns and users.
Student grades are posted in the Gradebook. The Gradebook allows instructors to track assignment grades and store both SIMnet and non-SIMnet related grades. Instructors only have access to gradebooks for the classes they are assigned to teach. If one of the classes for which the instructor or administrator is assigned to teach is a member of a campus that has the gradebook enabled, then the Gradebook section will be visible. Access to Gradebook settings and features will vary depending on instructor role.
The Gradebook provides administrators and instructors with tools for changing the ways in which grades are calculated and displayed, as well as means to change the grades manually. There is one gradebook per class. The new Results section in the Course Manager contains both the Gradebook and Reports. The Gradebook section contains gradebooks of all classes for which the instructor or administrator is assigned to teach.
Navigate to the Gradebook section by clicking Grades and selecting Gradebook.
Expand the Classes menu to select a class. The Gradebook loads the grades for your selected class.
Administrators who do not have access to a class Gradebook under the Results section can view the gradebook from the Actions menu in the Classes section.
Navigate to the Classes section. Click the Actions menu for the class you want and select Gradebook. The Gradebook then displays grades for that specific class. If no gradebook is available for the selected class, you will have the option of selecting a Class Overview report instead.
You can filter the gradebook by User to view the grades of a single user, based on first name, last name, email, username, or student ID. You can also filter the gradebook by Columns to view a particular assignment or assignment type. Lastly, you can filter by Grades on multiple conditions. You can filter by any or all filter types simultaneously or separately.
Navigate to the Class section. Click the Filter icon to expand the filter options.
Type desired user data (first name, last name, email, username or student ID). The results will automatically update as you type.
Navigate to the Classes section. Click the Filter icon to expand the filter options.
If you would like to filter only by a particular assignment title, type desired column name.
If you would like to filter by a particular assignment type, click the All Types drop down list and select an assignment type. You may select more than one assignment type at a time.
Navigate to the Class section. Click the Filter icon to expand the filter options.
Select the meet ALL conditions option if you would like results from students who meet all grade conditions you set or select meet ANY condition if you would like results from students who match any individual grade filter.
Click the Plus icon to add a new grade filter.
Select a column in the Select a column window.
Click the Use this column button.
Click the Operator drop-down menu to select an operator for your grade filter.
Type a condition into the text box.
You can add as many additional filters as desired. If necessary, click the orange Minus button to remove any filter. Click the Apply grade filters changes button to apply your grade filter(s).
Warning: Changes to a grade filter are not applied until you click the Apply grade filter changes button.
Note: To remove all filters, click the Clear Filters button at the top of the Filters section.
You can directly email users that match the filter criteria from the gradebook, such as all students who got below a certain grade on an exam.
Navigate to the Class section. Click the Filter icon to expand the filter options.
Create the desired filter.
Click the check box at the top of the filter results. The Email Selected Users button appears.
Click the Email Selected Users button. A new email group is created.
Complete and send the email.
Note: You can email selected users without creating a filter. Click the checkbox in front of the user's name and then click the Email Selected Users button.
You can change the order of columns on the Column Order tab.
Columns are listed vertically from 1 to the last column in the gradebook. Click and drag the icon on each column to move it to the desired location in the gradebook.
You can add a number of columns that will stay at the left end of the grid when scrolling.
Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings menu the upper right of the Gradebook.
Select Column Order from the drop-down menu.
Enter the desired number of pinned columns in the # of pinned columns text box. The first columns corresponding to that number will automatically be pinned.
Note: To prevent a gradebook that doesn't scroll horizontially, the # of pinned columns is limited to 10.
You can choose which columns to show or hide in the gradebook.
Select the desired column. Uncheck the Show in grid? checkbox.
Click the Apply button.
Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button and select Show Hidden Columns to apply your changes.
Check the Show in grid? check box.
Click the Apply button.
How to see and/or edit Gradebook default settings
You can set your own set of customizable default column settings. Linked columns, which are created automatically for each SIMnet assignment, will be initialized using the settings specified in the default settings dialog box.
Navigate to the Gradebook section and select a class.
Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button in the upper right of the screen. Select Columns from the drop-down menu.
Click the Defaults menu button.
Select the desired default settings for Scale, Display Type, and Calculation Type.
How to create a grade scale from scratch and from a template
Scales allow the gradebook to quickly sort the class into grade ranges. Typical scales are the A, B, C, D, F scale or the Pass/Fail scale.
A grade scale is a way of evaluating or rating a student's performance. The Gradebook offers a set of default scales, but it is also possible to create your own from scratch or by using a template. Instructors are only able to edit or delete scales they have created. Administrators can edit or delete any instructor scale.
Navigate to the Gradebook section and select a class. Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button in the upper right of the screen. Select Scales from the drop-down menu.
Click the Create button.
Select Blank Scales from the drop-down menu.
Enter a new Name for the scale.
Click the Add Item button to add a new range to your scale.
Edit the Name, Min and Max values to fit your scale. Continue adding new scale items until the scale is complete.
Click the Save button to save the scale.
Navigate to the Gradebook section and select a class. Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button in the upper right of the screen. Select Scale Templates from the drop-down menu.
Scale templates are scales that are visible across a campus. A scale template starts as an easy jumping-off point for instructors to use when displaying their gradebooks. Create, Edit, or Delete a Scale Template the same way you create a template.
Navigate to the Gradebook section and select a class. Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button in the upper right of the screen. Select Scales from the drop-down menu.
Click the Create button and select a template in the list under FROM TEMPLATE in the drop-down menu. The scale settings populate on the right side. The name of the scale appends with the scale template name. Alter the scale settings as you would when creating a new scale.
Click the Save button to save your changes. Your new scale will display in the list of scales on the left side.
How to create a calculated columns
A calculated column is a grouping of columns which is used to produce a single grade. Each column entry can have a "column weight." It is possible for calculated columns to contain other calculated columns. This allows instructors to create calculated column groups that can be re-grouped to produce a weighted final grade.
Navigate to the Gradebook section and select a class. Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button in the upper right of the screen.
Select Columns from the drop-down menu.
Click the Create button and select Calculated to open the column editor.
Click the Save button in the column editor to save the changes you've made to the new calculated column or click Revert to reset to the original column settings.
A mapped column is a column that is included within a calculated column to determine the final displayed grade.
Click the View/Edit button in the column editor to open the Edit associated columns for New Calculated Column dialog. In the left Available columns box, select the check box for the columns that will appear in the calculation. Click the Add button. To remove columns from the calculation, select the desired columns from the right Included columns box. Click the Remove button to remove columns. Once you have the selected columns you want mapped within the calculated column, click the Save button.
How to enable the gradebook
In the Course Manager, the Gradebook will be enabled or disabled according to each specific campus. All new accounts will have Gradebook enabled by default.
Navigate to the Administration Settings section and click the Campuses link.
Select the campus by clicking the Edit symbol next to the campus name.
Click the Enable Gradebook checkbox to enable the Gradebook for your campus.
Once the Gradebook has been enabled, click the green check to confirm, or click the red 'X' to cancel.
When the gradebook is disabled for a campus, none of the classes assigned to that campus will have grades recorded in the gradebook. The gradebook will be blank.
How to make bulk grade changes
You can update all grades within a class for a single assignment at once using bulk updates.
To apply bulk updates, select the Gradebook from the left navigation and select the desired class. From the loaded gradebook select the desired column and click the View Details button on the right pane. Once the button is selected each of the students in the class will be listed vertically
Select the desired students individually, or all students in the class by clicking the Name checkbox. Once names are selected, the Adjust Selected Grades button will become available to select
Click the Adjust Selected Grades button to bring up the Adjustment window
Select Add to add a number of points to selected students. Type the amount to add and select a cutoff if desired
Select Subtract to subtract a number of points from selected students. Type the amount of points to subtract. Subtractions will be cutoff at zero points
Select Set to to set all grades to an exact value. Type the value
Select MAX to set all selected student grades to the maximum point total. The maximum for that assignment is displayed in parenthesis
Select ZERO to set all selected student grades to zero
Select Reset to reset all grades that have been overridden. This will not automatically apply to all selected students. It only applies if the student's grade has been changed manually
Select Reset grades to dash to reset all grades that have been changed from a dash to a zero by an automatic process. This is most useful when an assignment has passed its due date but the instructor would like to extend it after the due date has passed
Select the desired change and click the Apply button.
Once you select Apply a message will ask you to confirm the adjustment and then will inform you as to how many of the selected grades will be changed.
How to sync grades to another LMS
If your Campus is set to be synced to another LMS (see the Integration section), you can make sure that grades are synced to this system directly from the gradebook in three different ways.
Navigate to the desired class section and select the desired student. Click the Sync all user grades button on the Grade Settings Panel.
Navigate to the desired class section and select the desired student grade on a single assignment. Click the Re-sync grades button on the Grade Settings Panel.
Navigate to the desired class section and select the desired assignment column. Click the Re-sync all grades button on the Column Settings Panel.
Reviewing the Grade History & viewing and deleting attempts.
Every attempt, grade override, manual update or unlocking is logged in the grade history. The history includes: the user who modified the grade, the grade before and after updating, and the date/time it was modified or unlocked.
A grade is only locked when an instructor has manually overridden the grade in the gradebook. To unlock a grade, double click it and click the Reset button. This will revert the grade to the original score. See Overriding Grades for more information.
Select the desired grade to view the Grade Settings Panel.
Click the Click to load grade history button to view the grade history.
Select the desired grade to view the Grade Settings Panel. Click the Click to load grade history button. Click the Report button on the right of the student attempt to view the results of that attempt.
Select the desired grade to view the Grade Settings Panel. Click the Click to load grade history button. Click the Delete Attempt button to delete the attempt. A record will appear in the grade history indicating the exam attempt was deleted.
Warning: Once you have deleted an attempt, this action cannot be undone.
In some circumstances, submitted exams can be re-opened. The most recent attempt at an exam that has availabe time or attempts remaining and has not passed the exam End Date can be re-opened so that the student may continue to do work on the exam until the available attempts or time has been expired or the End Date passed. To re-open an exam, click the Re-Open Exam button on the attempt.
If the user has subsequently begun another attempt but would like to work on a previous attempt, all other attempts must be deleted in order to continue working on that attempt.
Setting column properties
Grades in the Gradebook can be displayed in the following ways: Ratio, Percent, Scale, and Points.
The Ratio display shows the number of points the student earned out of the possible points available.
The Percent display shows grades as a percentage, not a traditional letter grade.
The Scale display shows grades in the traditional letter grade format, such as A, B or C.
The Points display shows grades based on the number of points earned in the assignment.
Click the Display as drop-down menu in the Edit Columns section and select a display type.
Grades can be calculated in a variety of ways for each specific grade column. Lesson, SIMbook, Exam, SIMpath post-test, Project and Calculated gradebook columns can implement a calculation type. Custom, Resource, SIMpath pre-test, and SIMpath Lesson columns cannot use a calculation type.
Click the Calculation method drop-down menu in the Edit Columns section and select a calculation method.
There are several Calculation Types to choose from when creating a column in the Gradebook: Average, Maximum, Minimum, First Attempt, Last Attempt, Sum, and Weighted.
The Average calculation type calculates grades by adding all grades together and dividing by the number of total assignments to find the average.
The Maximum calculation type determines the grade based on the student's highest attempt score for the SimNet assignment.
The Minimum calculation type determines the grade based on the student's lowest attempt score for the SimNet assignment.
The Oldest and Most Recent calculation types are specific only to Exam, SIMpath post-test, and Project Columns.
The Oldest calculation type uses the student's initial assignment attempt as the column grade.
The Most Recent calculation type uses the student's most recent assignment attempt as the column grade.
The Sum and Weighted calculation types are specific only to Calculated Columns.
The Sum calculation type adds all scores together and determines the student's grade out of the possible number of points.
The Weighted calculation type allows the instructor to give each exam or lesson a specific weight in determining the student's grade.
The Pass/Fail calculation type can be used with Exam, Project, Lesson and SIMbook Columns. The Pass/Fail calculation evaluates the student submission against the Pass/Fail threshold set by the instructor. If the threshold is met, the submission receives full credit for the assignment. If the student does not meet the threshold the student receives no credit for the assignment.
Each assignment has a default number of points available based on the number of questions and their default value. This value may or may not match the needs of your course. You may change the value of your assignment to any whole number. Once you change the value of your assignment you may reset the value to the default by using the Set to Default button.
When you set an assignment as extra credit, the assignment points will increase a student’s grade if it is completed but will not harm the student’s grade if it is left incomplete.
Select the desired assignment in the gradebook.
Click the Is extra credit? check box on the Column Settings pane.
Click the Apply button on the Column Settings pane.
All columns in the gradebook can be adjusted as needed by changing their width.
Select the desired column heading. Type the desired width in the Width text box.
How to override, delay, and delete grades
Instructors and Administrators can override or manually update calculated grades. All overrides and updates appear in the grade history.
Select the grade you want to change and enter the new score in the Grade Settings Panel. Overriding or manually updating a grade will automatically lock the grade.
If you would like a student to have an assignment removed from their grade, click the Excuse from assignment button. This will convert the student grade to a -. Excused grades will not count against a student's average or score from the course. Excused grades are locked and will not be updated unless updated by the instructor.
Click the Apply button to accept your change.
Note: Once a grade has been manually overidden it will not change. To recalculate the grade based on student results, simply reset the grade.
If you change a grade by mistake or want to revert your change, click the Reset button to return it to the original grade.
Instructors can choose to delay grade posting to their students until a certain date or time. Grades which are delayed still display in the Course Manager Gradebook and display as "delayed" in the Student Portal gradebook.
Navigate to the Gradebook and select a class. Select the column heading for the assignment you want to delay grades for.
Click the Hide Grade Until text box and select the date from the drop-down calendar. Select the time to change it from the 12:00 AM default.
Click the Apply button to apply your changes.
How to create custom columns in the Gradebook
Custom or "non-linked" columns are columns which are not related to any SIMnet assignment. Custom column grades are not calculated on an attempt basis and are always overridden as you enter the grade score manually.
Navigate to the Gradebook section and select a class.
Click the Gradebook Actions & Settings button in the upper right of the screen.
Select Columns from the drop-down menu.
Click the Create button and select Custom to open the column editor.
Click the Save button to save the changes you've made to the new custom column or click Revert to reset to the original column settings.
How to export the Gradebook
The Gradebook can be exported to both .csv and .xls formats.
Click Gradebook to navigate to the gradebook.
Select the class you want to export.
Click the Export data button in the upper right of the screen.
Choose which type of file format, either .csv or .xls, you want to export the Gradebook to. Save the file according to your browser settings.
Click the Create button and refer to Grade Scales for adjusting the scale settings to your preference.
Column settings for calculated columns match column properties for other column types for almost all settings. See Column Properties for more information on the settings to customize a calculated column. However, there is one additional column property for calculated columns, Use sliding grade?. Selecting the Use sliding grade? option to have the calculated column only calculate the current grade in the column based on assignments that either have grades from the user or are past due. This gives the viewer a snapshot of how the user is doing in the course so far, rather than in the course overall.
See for more information on the settings to customize a column.
