Managing Grades in FLO

Greg Faller Centre for Educational ICT

Outcomes By the end of this workshop you will be able to: • Locate the Gradebook in the new FLO • Navigate the Gradebook interface • Enter and modify grades • Generate reports to monitor student performance • Locate and manage settings in the Gradebook • Name and describe some of the new functions • Import and export grades • Know where to go for help

What is Grades?

• Term used in FLO for “Gradebook” • Stores grades • How do grades get into the Gradebook?

– Activities push scores to the gradebook • Assignments • Quizzes • Forums

What is Grades continued?

• Provides teachers with tools to: – Edit/change grades

• “Teacher” permissions • Manual change - Locks grade at the activity

level! – Calculate grades – Aggregate grades – Display grades – Monitor student performance

Process 1. Create Activity & hide grade in GB 2. Grade at Activity level 3. Moderate grades in Gradebook 4. Release grades via Gradebook 5. Preview what students will see

– Customisable view 6. Calculate totals 7. Export

Lets’ go!

• http://flo2012.flinders.edu.au • Log in to your sandpit account

Locating Grades

• Settings Block>>Topic Administration • Navigation

– Drop down menu – Menu taps

• Viewing grades

Gradebook functions • View • Category and items • Scales • Outcomes • Letters • Import • Export • Settings • My preferences

Entering & Modifying grades

• Turn editing on • Entering a single grade • Entering multiple grades • Modifying a grade • Sorting columns

Generating reports • What does a report do for me?

– Can provide a snapshot of: • A student’s performance on a particular

assessment task • A student’s performance across all assessment

tasks – Helps me identify:

• Students who struggle – Intervene

– Helps me make decisions about my assessment method

Generating reports

• What kind of report do I need? – Grader report – Outcomes report – Overview report – User report

Help & Support • Technical support for staff - Faculty/School teams

http://flo2012.flinders.edu.au/mod/page/view.php?id=1600

• CEDICT Flo.help@flinders.edu.au

• Web-based resources https://flo2012.flinders.edu.au/

• Student support - FLO Student Helpdesk – flo.student @flinders.edu.au – 1800 200 292

Outcomes You can: • Locate the Grades tool in the new FLO • Navigate the Grades tool interface • Enter and modify grades • Generate reports to monitor student performance • Locate and manage setting in the Grades tool • Name and describe some of the new functions • Import and export grades • Know where to go for help

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Managing the FLO Gradebook

This handout covers how to navigate around the gradebook, hide and enter grades, change the

display of the grades and import and export grades.

Learning Outcomes ................................................................................................................................. 2

Navigating the gradebook ....................................................................................................................... 2

Finding the gradebook .................................................................................................................... 2

Overview of views ........................................................................................................................... 2

Grader report .................................................................................................................................. 3

User report view ............................................................................................................................. 4

Adding gradebook columns .................................................................................................................... 5

Adding an Activity in your topic ...................................................................................................... 5

Adding an item in the gradebook ................................................................................................... 6

Organising your gradebook ..................................................................................................................... 7

Hiding your grades from students .................................................................................................. 7

Locking grades ................................................................................................................................. 8

Adding a category ........................................................................................................................... 9

Entering Grades .................................................................................................................................... 11

Via an activity ................................................................................................................................ 11

Via the gradebook ......................................................................................................................... 12

Changing how grades are displayed ..................................................................................................... 14

Using letter grades ........................................................................................................................ 14

Customising the user report ......................................................................................................... 16

Exporting and importing grades ........................................................................................................... 16

Export ............................................................................................................................................ 16

Import ........................................................................................................................................... 18

Scales and Outcomes ............................................................................................................................ 20

Creating a scale in the gradebook ................................................................................................. 20

Creating an Outcome .................................................................................................................... 23

What support is available?.................................................................................................................... 25

Staff Support ................................................................................................................................. 25

Student Support ............................................................................................................................ 26

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop you will be able to:

Navigate your way around the gradebook

Add grades into the gradebook via an activity or directly into the

gradebook

Hide grades from students

Add a grade item or category

Change the grade display

Import and export grades

Navigating the gradebook Finding the gradebook:

Once inside your topic, go to the settings block and click grades.

Overview of views

1. Grader report - this is the most common view to use.

2. User report - This is the view the students will see when all the grades are final and

you are ready for them to be released. Teachers can view the user report for all or

selected students in the topic.

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3. Categories and Items - This area of the gradebook allows you to edit, add, delete,

add grade items and categories. It is where you change settings, for example how

they are displayed, group items and calculate statistics (such as the mean or sum).

4. Scales - are a way of evaluating or rating a students' performance. For example, you

may want to grade a students’ oral performance with the grades, Outstanding, High

Achievement, Satisfactory etc. or grade the student’s tutorial attendance from 1-10.

(Please see the tip sheet – Creating a scale)

5. Outcomes - Students are assessed on outcomes for particular activities, and for the

topic as a whole. (Please see our tip sheet on Using Outcomes)

6. Letters- If you wish to enter grades as numbers, and express the grade to students as letters (eg. HD, D, C, P, F) this is possible by changing a setting in the Gradebook once you have finished setting up your assessment item. (Please see our tip sheet-Using letter grades)

7. Import – This allows you to import grades from an excel spread sheet (the most

common form) into FLO.

8. Export – This allows you to export (or send) your grades into an excel spread sheet.

9. Settings – These are topic settings that determine how grades appear for all participants

in the topic. (staff and students)

10. My preferences- These preferences only apply to you and what you see. Any change

here will be reflected in all the topics you teach.

Grader report–Either click the tab along the top or …

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from the dropdown menu.

This view allows you to see all the students in your topic, the assigned grades and all the

assessable items.

Handy Hint: Click on the white space under a student’s name to highlight that row.

User report view –

To see this view, Click User report view

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This is what the students will see. Any weightings will be displayed, their real grade

and letter grade and any feedback given. You can customise the information that will

be displayed. (see page 16)

Adding gradebook columns In FLO you can add assessment items by adding columns into the gradebook two ways. You

can add the assessment as an activity in your topic. (For example, assignments, quiz, rated

forum) This will then automatically appear in the gradebook and if you fill in the due date,

this date will appear in the topic calendar.

Or you can add a custom column in the gradebook.

Adding an Activity in your topic:

1. Turn editing on

2. Locate the week or module you would like the item to appear

3. Then choose the assessment item.

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4. Fill in the relevant information and save your changes.

Adding an item in the gradebook:

You would add an item into the gradebook this way for assessment items that are not

created as an activity in your topic. For example, you may want to record grades for oral

presentations, written exams or tutorial attendance.

1. Click Grades in the Settings block

2. Click the categories and items tab along the top of the screen or from the dropdown

menu

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3. Click, Add grade item (this is found at the bottom, middle of screen)

4. Add a name for the item

5. Save your changes

Organising your gradebook

Hiding your grades from students

Grades are visible to students by default. We recommend you hide the grades from

students until all the marking and moderating has been completed. To do this:

1. Click grades in the settings block

2. Then Click the Categories and items tab

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3. Then locate the item you want to hide.

4. On the right hand side of the screen under the actions heading click on eye icon. This

will shut or hide the eye and the grades will not be visible to students.

5. This will shut or hide the eye and the grades will not be visible to students.

6. Don’t forget to save your changes.

6. Once your grades are finalised don’t forget to show the eye icon

again so students can see their grade.

Locking grades

Locking the grades (in Categories and Items) prevents grader report users from changing the

grades.

1. Click grades in the settings block

2. Then Click the Categories and items tab

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3. Then locate the item you want to lock.

4. On the right hand side of the screen under the actions heading click on the

padlock.

5. This will then lock the grades, which prevents any changes being made.

6. Don’t forget to unlock the item when you are ready for students to see their

grades.

Adding a category

Grade categories can be used to group grade items and calculate statistics, such

as sums or averages.

1. Click categories and items

2. Click add category

3. Name the category (I’ll name it assignments)

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4. Save changes

5. Now the category total is created. You need to move the assignments into the

category.

6. To move click on the move arrows in the action column

7. Then click on the large move arrow under the category heading. Do this to all the

assignments or whatever items you would like under the category heading.

8. This is how it should look

9. You now can aggregate the grades by choosing one of these options. This will

determine how the category total is calculated.

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10. Once you have chosen an option. Save your changes.

11. Then if you go to the Grader report view.

12. You will see under category total your changes. For example, I chose “Sum of

grades “so I will see the sum or total of all the assignments.

Entering Grades

Via an activity:

1. By clicking on the activity name it will take you directly to the results of that

activity. For example, Assignment 1

2. By selecting ‘Allow quick grading’ (bottom of screen) you can enter a grade at

this level without having to go into the gradebook. By ticking this setting it will

provide an effective way of returning grades at the activity level. It also allows

you to quickly grade multiple assignments all on one page.

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3. Then click Save preferences.

4. You can grade each student individually by clicking in the grade column.

Alternatively you can download a zip file of all students assignments for offline grading.

For more information please see Assignments in the new FLO.

5. Remember to select Save all my feedback each time you enter grades.

Via the gradebook: Please note: If you choose to enter or modify grades in the gradebook, FLO will

not allow you to go back and change them in the activity. The gradebook should be

used for moderation and over-riding of grades.

If you Turn editing on, you can change a grade and provide feedback as to why the

grade was changed. There are 3 ways to enter grades directly into the gradebook.

You can: (a) turn editing on and click on the –edit icon, (b) turn editing on and type

directly into the box or (c) turn editing on and type directly into the cell.

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1. (a)

2. To change a grade, click on the edit icon corresponding with the student and

under the activity

3. Then you can amend the grade and provide feedback.

4. Don’t forget to click update

(b) Or while editing is on, you can type directly into the cell.

5. (c) OR you can type the grade directly into each cell of the gradebook. By

clicking directly into the cell.

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Changing how grades are displayed

Using letter grades

If you wish to enter grades as numbers, and express the grade to students as letters (egg.

HD, D, C, P, and F) this is possible by changing a setting in the Gradebook once you have

finished setting up your assessment item.

When you grade students’ work you are still able to enter numeric grades. FLO will convert

them to letter grades and display the letter grade only to students, as follows:

The University letters and ranges are set up for you by default.

Handy tip: Another way to display letter grades to students is by entering the grades as

letters (see scales tip sheet). However, by doing this you lose the ability to perform

calculations.

1. Click on Grades in the Settings block

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2. Click Categories and Items

3. Alongside your assessment item, click the edit button

4. Under Grade display type, select Letter (you may need to click Show Advanced to see this option

5. Click save changes

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Customising the user report

You can change or customize the display of the User report. This is the display of what the

students will see. To do this:

1. Click “Settings” in the tabs across the top.

2. It is here under “User report” where you can customize the page by showing or

hiding any of these settings. Click on dropdown menu of the setting you want to

change.

3. Then save your changes.

Exporting and importing grades

Export

You may need to export grades from the gradebook in order to send to the Student System. The

most common scenario is exporting to Excel. You can do this by exporting the grades from the

gradebook into an excel spreadsheet.

1. Click the Export tab

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2. Click excel spread sheet

3. You then need to click the relevant options and grade items. You will notice that you have

the option of including feedback.

4. Click Submit

5. This gives you a preview of the data you are about to export.

6. Then click Download

7. Open the file

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8. It is at this point if your grades are completed, totalled and finalised you would send the final

grades to your school office or to the student system.

9. You can also make changes at this point. When saving the new changes please note: it is

important to : Save As – dot-csv file (.csv file) This stands for comma separeated value. If

you don’t it will not work.

Import

You may want to import the grades once you have made certain changes, or added

additional columns for complicated calculations or an assessment item that isn’t

graded through FLO. Or for example, you may have merged all your marks for

students from different tutors and placed them onto one excel spreadsheet.

! Important: the file must be in .csv format (see above)

1. Click the Import tab

2. Make sure .csvfile is selected

3. You now need to find the file, Click Choose a file

4. From the file picker locate the file

5. Open the file

6. Upload file

7. Then click upload grades

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8. You can preview the file

9. Identify user by: This means you need to choose an identification method so FLO will be

able to map the students.

Choose Map from: email

Choose Map from: email

Please note you can also choose, ID number = ID number or Username=FAN

10. Grade Mapping Items: You need to map the columns you want to change. For example,

if you have changed grades or added columns. This will overwrite existing grades.

Otherwise, the column will be skipped.

11. Don’t forget to click Upload grades.

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Scales and Outcomes

Creating a scale in the gradebook

Scales are a way of evaluating or rating a students' performance. For example you

may want to grade a students’ oral presentation performance. This is an alternative

to assigning a number grade.

1. Click on the scales tab

2. Click the "Add a new scale" button

3. Next give your scale a name in the Name box, that will identify it among other

scales.

4. It is advised you do not tick this box – Standard Scale as this will make your scale

visible to everyone.

5. In the Scale box, create your scale. Each item in the scale should be separated by a

comma. You can use as many options here as you require. You must order the

comma separated elements in increasing order of value. For example, an A,B,C,D

scale must be entered as D,C,B,A.

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6. Write a detailed description in the Description box, for your scale. Your students will

have access to the description, and you can use this to give them additional

feedback. The more details you put in the description, the more students will

understand what each scale item means.

7.

8. Please be aware that once a scale is used for an activity, it is no longer possible to

move or delete it, and you can only edit the scale name and description.

9. Make sure to save your changes.

10. Then to use the scale, go to Categories and Items tab or if you want to add outcomes

with scales go to the outcomes tab. (Please see Outcomes tip sheet)

11. Click add grade item

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12. Enter the grade type. Choose Scale

13. Next to the Scale box – choose the name of the scale you just created.

14. Don’t forget to save your changes.

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Creating an Outcome

Outcomes can reflect the aims and learning outcomes of your topic or they can be the

Graduate Qualities that are University wide.

1. You must set up a scale before creating an outcome. (Please see scale tip sheet )

2. Click Outcomes from the tabs along the top of screen or from the dropdown menu

3. Choose edit outcomes

4. Then click Add a new outcome

5. Then enter the mandatory fields. Full name, short name.

6. Then from the dropdown menu, choose the name of the scale you want to use.

11 And save your changes

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12. Your outcome will be displayed.

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What support is available? You have options to assist you with the new FLO.

Question Marks

You will see these blue question marks all around FLO. If you click on them they will provide

you with extra information.

MoodleDocs

Where ever you are in the new FLO you will see this icon at the bottom

right hand side of the screen.

This is instant help but remember we have customised some terminology to relate it to Flinders

University so some words may be different in the official Moodle documentation, eg. MoodleDocs

uses ‘courses’ where we use ‘topics’.

Staff Support

Before you log onto FLO - On the left hand side of FLO, you will see:

Support for Staff.

Once inside FLO - On the right of screen and under Information and

Help. Click FLO Help for Staff

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‘Support materials for staff’ contains information such as:

Finding your way around the new FLO

The basics

Designing your topic

Advanced features

Preparing for teaching

‘Videos for staff’ contains a large variety of video tutorials to assist you with learning the new FLO.

‘Faculty support staff’ are there to assist you. To find out how to contact them, click on the faculty

support staff link.

FLO help for staff is also available by emailing flo.help@flinders.edu.au

Student Support

The FLO student helpdesk is available to students either by email: flo.student@flinders.edu.au or

phone 8201 5378