Chapter 7: Grading In Moodle


1.  Grade Displays

 

You may use the built-in Grade Tool in Moodle, or you can choose to import an excel file displaying the final grade breakdown.  When using either, you need to establish student access to their grades in Moodle.

 

Displaying Grades in Moodle

 

  1. Click “Settings” in the Administration block.
  2. Scroll to the General settings options.
  3. Select “Yes” in the drop-down menu for the field “Show grades.”

 

Figure 7-1:  Show Grades Drop-down Menu

  1. Click the “Save changes” button at the bottom.

 

Student Access to Displayed Grades

 

From the student view, it is a simple step to see their grades.

 

  1. Click “Grades” in the Administration block.

 

Figure 7-2:  Grade Access

  1. A breakdown of the graded assignments that you have previously created will be displayed.

 

Figure 7-3:  Grades Breakdown

 

2.  Using the Gradebook in Moodle

 

It is highly recommended that you commit to a grade markup totalling 100% and e-mail fsc@yorku.ca with your total course percentages to be formularized. When creating all the on-line graded assignments, please note however, that the “out-of marks” allowed in the individual assignment settings can be different from the final percentage weighting of the course. The above-mentioned formula will synchronize this.

 

In addition, if you need an additional participation grade column to complete the overall grade total of 100%, to accommodate this, you will need to create an “Offline Activity” assignment.  You may then manually enter your participation grades from the grade tool.

 

Adding an Offline Activity to Accommodate Manual Grading

 

  1. Click “Turn editing mode on.”
  2. Select the assignment type from the “Add an activity drop-down menu.”

 

Figure 7-4:  Adding an Assignment in the Resource Option

 

  1. Enter the name and description of the activity.
  2. Select the grade scale you want to use.
  3. Set the dates or disable them.
  4. Set whether you want to prevent late submissions or not.
  5. It is recommended that you leave the default setting intact.
  6. Click “Save and return to course.”

 

Offline Activity

No settings are needed for this assignment type. The advantage is that it creates a blank column within the Moodle Gradebook allowing you to manually add extra grades.

 

Once you create all your assignments and activities:

 

  1. Click “Grades” in the Administration block.
  2. A spreadsheet containing all the names of the students and columns for each gradable assignment and offline activity.

 

For more details about grading, it is recommended that you attend one of the Faculty Support Centre’s (FSC) workshops on grades (http://www.fsc.yorku.ca/workshops).

 

3.  Importing Final Grades in Moodle

 

If you decide not to use the built-in Grade Tool in Moodle, you may import an excel file for the final grades. It is highly recommended, however, that you first download the original student spreadsheet from the Grade Tool in order to preserve the integrity of the unique Student IDs. 

 

Downloading Spreadsheet from Moodle

 

To export a Grade spreadsheet:

 

  1. Click “Grades” in the Administration block.

 

  1. Select “Export to Excel Spreadsheet” in the “Choose an action” drop-down menu.

 

  1. Set your choices in the Options and Grade items to be included.

 

  1. Click the “Submit” button.

 

  1. Preview the spreadsheet.

 

  1. Select “Download.”

 

  1. Once you have downloaded the Moodle Grade spreadsheet, you may create additional columns, if necessary.

Figure 7-5:  Exporting to Spreadsheet

 

Re-Importing Spreadsheet to Moodle

 

  1. First, save your spreadsheet as a CSV file (comma delineated).

 

Figure 7-6:  Saving Excel Workbook

 

  1. In Moodle Click “Grades” in the Administration block.
  2. Select “Import from CSV” from the “Choose an action” drop-down menu.

 

Figure 7-7:  Importing a CSV File

 

Figure 7-8:  Import File Options

 

  1. Click “Browse” to find the CSV file.
  2. Leave the other options on default.
  3. Select “Upload grades”.
    The following page will be displayed.

 

Figure 7-9:  Options

  1. Select “Map” from “ID number” drop-down menu.
  2. Select “userid” from the “Map to” drop-down menu.
  3. Choose the other criteria accordingly.
  4. Click “Upload grades.”