Working with Letter Grade Configurations
For each course section, you use a single grading scale. This scale determines both the type of grade that students will get (such as “A” or “B,” and “Pass” or “Fail”) and the specific grade that will be given to each student based on the credit that he or she earns.
The scale is used for:
All graded assignments (created in the Coursework feature).
All evaluations (created in the Evaluations feature).
The student’s overall work in the course (that is, the student’s midterm and final grades).
You select from a list of existing grading scales, which you can then modify as needed. The list you choose from includes scales that are installed with eLearning, and those scales currently used by your other course sections (note that only current courses are listed—not past or future courses).
Note
If you want to delegate management of letter grade configuration to other people, you can do this using the Content management access permission. For details, see Managing Permissions in the Gradebook.
The following table describes the grading scales that you can select from. For each course section, you can implement any one of these scales and then modify it as appropriate.
Scale | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|
Portal default grade scale | Choosing this option means you’ll use whichever scale has been defined as the default by the portal administrator. | |
Basic ABCDF | 90 to 100 (percent) 80 to 89.9 70 to 79.9 60 to 69.9 0 to 59.9 | |
ABCDF with + / - | A | 93 to 100 (percent) |
B+ | 90 to 92.9 | |
B | 87 to 89.9 | |
C+ | 83 to 86.9 | |
C | 80 to 82.9 | |
D+ | 77 to 79.9 | |
D | 73 to 76.9 | |
D- | 70 to 72.9 | |
F | 67 to 69.9 | |
63 to 66.9 | ||
60 to 62.9 | ||
0 to 59.9 | ||
Pass / Fail | Pass Fail | 60 to 100 (percent) 0 to 59.9 |
Other course section | Choosing the name of another course section means that section’s scale will be used in the section you’re currently configuring. Note that subsequent changes you make to the first course section’s scale will not be dynamically brought into the second course section—so you may want to finish refining the scale before you begin using it in other courses. |
You cannot modify the scales that are installed with eLearning, with one exception—it is possible for your portal administrator or LMS administrator to make changes to the Portal default grade scale. This change is managed on the LMS Manager screen, which is available only to members of the Administrators role. For more information see the LMS Admin Guide.
While you can make changes to any scale that you select for your course section, there is no option of saving that scale in a library or a list—however, if you want to reuse an older scale, you can copy that course’s Gradebook using eLearning’s Copy Course Materials feature. Note that when you copy the Gradebook, you copy all of its settings and its evaluations, and the Gradebook in the destination course is overwritten with the choices being copied.
After you have implemented a grading scale, you may want to make any of the following adjustments:
Adding a grade to the scale
Modifying an existing grade
Deleting a grade
Warning
Be aware there is no preview feature or staging area for grading scales. The process is: you choose a scale, and the system implements it automatically in the course section. When you make changes to it, any changes you make are immediately seen.
Before you can work with a grading scale, you navigate to the Letter Grade Configuration screen. Do one of the following:
If you are on the Gradebook home screen, click the link labeled Letter grade ranges.
If you are already working in the Gradebook feature instance but have navigated past the home screen, click the Letter Grade Configuration tab.
To implement a grading scale that is predefined by the system, or one that’s used in another of your course sections, use this procedure.
Note
Be aware there is no preview feature or staging area for grading scales. The process is: you choose a scale, and the system implements it automatically in the course section. When you make changes to it, any changes you make are immediately seen.
If you are not already viewing the Letter Grade Configuration screen, display the screen.
Click the link labeled Change to a different grade scale.
The system displays a pop-up window that includes a drop-down list.
Use the drop-down list to select the scale you want to implement. Note that the drop-down always lists Portal default grade scale first, even if that is not the scale that was last selected, or which is currently in use.
After you select a scale, click the button labeled Use this grade scale.
The system displays a pop-up window stating that if you proceed, any changes you have made to the currently used scale will be lost.
Click OK.
The system implements the scale you chose and displays details about the scale on the Letter Grade Configuration screen.
If you want to make changes to this scale, see the steps to Modify an Existing Grade.
If you are not already viewing the Letter Grade Configuration screen, display the screen.
Click Add a grade.
The system displays a pop-up window.
Enter a name in the New grade name field.
In the This grade starts at field, enter the low-end percentage of this grade’s range. (For the top end of the range, the system will automatically use the number that goes up to the next-highest grade on the scale.)
Click Save.
The system adds your grade and adjusts the next-lowest grade on the scale accordingly.
If you want to modify an existing grade—by changing its name or its percentage range—complete these steps.
Navigate to the Letter Grade Configuration screen.
Click the grade you want to modify.
The system displays the Edit a grade pop-up window, which lets you change the name of the grade and the low-end percentage of this grade’s range.
Make any changes that are appropriate.
Click Save.
The system modifies the grade. If you modified the range of this grade, the system updates the range for the next-lowest grade on the scale appropriately.
When you delete a grade, the system automatically assigns that grade’s percentage range to the next-lowest grade. So, for example, if you are using the Basic ABCDF scale and you delete the D, the system will automatically extend the F grade’s range up to 69.9 percent.
Navigate to the Letter Grade Configuration screen.
Click the grade you want to delete.
The system displays the Edit a grade pop-up window, which lets you make changes or delete the grade.
Click Delete this grade.
The system displays a pop-up window asking if you’re sure you want to delete the grade.
Click OK.
The system removes the grade and adjusts the next-lowest grade in the scale accordingly.