Gradebook Considerations
Gradebooks within D2L are an extremely useful tool and can help instructors plan and organize their course efficiently and effectively. Further, the use of a gradebook impacts the perceived quality of an online course (and blended course), as well as the competence of an instructor (Zhang, et. al, 2020). A well-planned gradebook can minimize the stress of record keeping for instructors. It can also allow students the opportunity to monitor their learning and progression, as well as your ability to identify students at risk earlier in your course (Maiti & Priyaadharshini, 2022).
The gradebook should not be an area of consternation in your preparation for the semester. Using and setting up your class gradebook should be a routine practice and one that will save you time and stress at the end of your course and throughout as you evaluate student assignments. Further, your gradebook can be used as a monitoring tool to help students who are struggling. Earlier identification can help to improve the learning experience for students.
There are many places that you can seek help and guidance in setting up your course gradebook. You may consider:
- Seeing how this process is done within D2L. This is a recording of a session offered by the IT department experts in D2L:https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/D2L+Gradebook+Setup/1_t3zcz39
- Consult the D2L help documentation provided by the IT department: https://help.d2l.msu.edu/msu-docs/d2l-grades-at-msu/d2l-gradebook-tips
- Look for other documentation on how to setup your course gradebook:
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- Brightspace Documentation – https://community.d2l.com/brightspace/kb/articles/3539-set-up-your-grade-book
- Brightspace Training Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl4U3rcbPOM
Here are some other useful tutorials for using your gradebook:
- Categories – https://youtu.be/hZjoSnyHnjc?si=LDzo88o50yeMU_UO
- Associating assignments to items & categories in the gradebook – https://youtu.be/2H_pbMNfLWQ?si=aWjjWJVS_N52gOyi
Remember if you need further assistance, you can book a consultation with an IT representative.
References
Maiti, M., & Priyaadharshini, D. M. (2022). Recommender System for Low Achievers in Higher Education. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 12(12).
Zhang, J., Addae, H. M., Bakeman, M., Boyraz, M., Flaherty, P. T., Habich, M., … & Schreihans, C. (2020). Management Students’ Perceptions of Online Teaching Quality. E-Journal of Business Education and Scholarship of Teaching, 14(2), 33-52.