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grade book

Assessments measure student achievement. They may take the form of traditional assessments such as exams, or quizzes, but may also be part of learning activities such as group projects, discussions, or presentations.

Brightspace has a number of tools instructors can use to assess learners and the Grades tool is useful for assigning and keeping track of learner grades. If you are not familiar with setting up your Grade Book, review Brightspace Tip #503: Grade Book for information.

There are multiple ways to enter grades for learner submissions in Brightspace. Three ways instructors can enter grades in their Brightspace courses are:

  • Using Quick Eval
  • Within Individual Tools
  • In the Grade Book

Quick Eval

Quick Eval is a tool that allows evaluators to see a list of unevaluated learner submissions from all their courses. Submissions from Assignments, Discussions, and Quizzes are displayed in one location to improve efficiency when locating work that requires evaluation and providing feedback to learners. Instructors can use Quick Eval to assess learner submissions.

Within Individual Tools

For assessments that are created using a Brightspace tool, such as Quizzes, Assignments, and Discussions, instructors will associate the assessment with a Grade Item in the Grade Book. The association is made within the tool itself. When you are ready to grade the student’s work, you will grade it within the tool and the grade will automatically transfer over to the Grade Item in the Grade Book.

In the Grade Book

For assessments that occur outside of Brightspace, instructors have to create a Grade Item in the Grade Book, and then manually enter student grades into the Grade Book. Examples of in-class assessments where you may need to manually enter grades in the Grade Book include participation grades, tests administered on-paper, presentations, and demonstrations.

Instructors can manually enter grades for assessments in the Grade Book’s Standard View or Spreadsheet View.

Standard View

The Standard View allows instructors to enter grades by grade item for all students in the course or for an individual student.

switch to standard view button in Grades tool

The standard view allows instructors to evaluate individual learner submissions. Each submission type has a unique icon and new learner submissions are identified with a dot on the corner of the icon.

Learner submission icons with a new submission indicator dot on the discussion icon
Learner submission icons with a new submission indicator dot on the discussion icon

Click the associated icon next to the learner submission to evaluate the submission.

Spreadsheet View

The Spreadsheet View allows instructors to enter grades for all students and all grade items in a single spreadsheet view. For quick edits, click “Switch to Spreadsheet View” (the button toggles back and forth between “Standard View” and “Spreadsheet View.”)

switch to spreadsheet view button in Grades tool

The Spreadsheet View allows instructors to manually enter or modify grades in cells. Instructors can also override previously-entered grades using the Spreadsheet View.

Entering the new or updated grade in the field for the learner and the submission
Entering the new or updated grade in the field for the learner and the submission

Spreadsheet View is ideal for entering grades for assessments that occurred outside of Brightspace. Once you’ve entered the grades, save the changes before leaving the page.

Entering Feedback

You can enter feedback by clicking on the arrow to the right of the grade item (column) you want to add feedback to, then select Enter Grades.

choose the enter grades option from the context menu

Locate the name of the student you want to provide feedback for, then select the pencil icon under the Feedback column and enter the feedback.

feedback's pencil icon identified
The pencil icon opens the feedback dialog box

Once you’ve entered the grades and feedback, save the changes before leaving the page.

NOTE: When entering feedback you have the option to enter private comments that will only be visible to you and users with grading privileges. Learners cannot see private comments.

Important

  • Remember tool-based assessments should be graded using the respective assessment tool.
  • Use the Enter Grades tab to easily view all learner grades, grade categories and grade items. From the Enter Grades tab, instructors can assess and evaluate grades for activities conducted outside of Brightspace.

Want more information?

Brightspace Tip #503: Grade Book
Brightspace Tip #475: Quick Eval
Enter Grades in the Grades tool
Grading in Brightspace
Brightspace Tip #204: Interactive Rubrics

View current, past, and preview upcoming Continuous Delivery release notes
Instructors Quick Start Tutorial
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image credit: Grade book by David Mulder | CC BY-SA 2.0 (image cropped)

extra bonus icon

I am writing this blog post as a follow up to my Brightspace Tip #504: Grade Book - Bonus Points blog post. I've received a few questions about bonus items in a weighted grading system. This blog post addresses how bonus items work in a weighted Grade Book.

Bonus refers to optional activities. Students are NOT penalized for skipping the activity. Points earned for Bonus activities will improve the student’s grade. Checking the Bonus option means that any points earned will be added onto the Final Calculated Grade. Bonus items appear in the Grade Book with a Star next to them.

Bonus grade items are not included in the maximum points for a category or final grade. They are added on top of the calculated grade. The Can Exceed option must be selected in order for users' grades to exceed the maximum points specified.

The Can Exceed and Bonus options can both be selected for a grade item.

bonus grade item

If you allow an item to exceed 100% or include Bonus items, but do not check the box "Can Exceed" in the category and/or “Final Calculated Grade” settings, then extra credit will count but it will be limited to no more than 100% for the category or “Final Calculated Grade.”

If you create a “Bonus” item with no category, limit its weight to the most you wish to add to the final course percentage. For example, if you do not want to add more than 3% to any given final grade, limit the Bonus item’s weight to 3%. The bonus points can be any number of points because the weight makes the difference in the overall calculation.

thought bubble with light blub

Refer to this Demystifying Bonus Items in a Weighted Grade Book document for example of weighted grading system with bonus item and an explanation of the final grade calculation.

Want more information?

Demystifying Bonus Items in a Weighted Grade Book
Brightspace Tip #504: Grade Book - Bonus Points
About Bonus Grade Items
Extra Credit
Create a Grade Item (video)
Brightspace Tip #503: Grade Book

View current, past, and preview upcoming Continuous Delivery release notes
Instructors Quick Start Tutorial
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image credits: extra png from pngtree.com and image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

red tag with the word bonus written on it

There are two ways to give extra credit in Brightspace. The first is to allow the grade item to exceed the maximum number of points for the assignment. The other option is to indicate the grade item is a “Bonus” item.

The differences between the two options are explained here:

  • Can Exceed means in grading an item you are able to add extra credit to the assignment, quiz, or any item in the Grade Book. You indicate this by checking the Can Exceed box.
    • The Can Exceed option can boost student’s score on activity making it feasible to earn more than 100%. For example, on a grade item where the maximum points is 10 and the Can Exceed option is selected, a grade of 12/10 is a perfect score with 2 extra credit points added.
    • When you choose Can Exceed for a grade item in the Grade Book, you should also select Can Exceed for the Category in which the grade item resides.
  • Bonus refers to optional activities. Students are NOT penalized for skipping the activity. Points earned for Bonus activities will improve the student’s grade. Checking the Bonus option means that any points earned will be added onto the Final Calculated Grade.
    • Bonus items appear in the Grade Book with a Star next to them.
    • Bonus grade items are not included in the maximum points for a category or final grade. They are added on top of the calculated grade. Bonus grade items cannot make users' grades exceed the maximum points specified, unless the Can Exceed option is selected.

The Can Exceed and Bonus options can both be selected for a grade item.

bonus grade item

NOTE: When you place bonus items in a category in your Grade Book, you should make sure to edit the category and select "Can Exceed" for the category because you want the category to exceed 100%. This way the student’s bonus points will count toward their final grade, and not just the category.

Want more information?

About Bonus Grade Items
Extra Credit
Create a Grade Item (video)
Brightspace Tip #503: Grade Book

View current, past, and preview upcoming Continuous Delivery release notes
Instructors Quick Start Tutorial
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image credit: “bonus” by jflorent is licensed under CC0 and is a derivative of image by ElisaRiva from Pixabay

grade book page

The Brightspace Grades Tool is useful for providing students with up-to-date information about their current standing in the course. For instructors, it’s useful for assigning and keeping track of student grades. Students can view grade entries and monitor their progress throughout the course.

As an instructor, you can determine how to set up your Grade Book to best reflect your approach to evaluation, including the grading system and grade scheme that is most appropriate for your course. You can select how grades display to learners, how they update in the Grade Book, and how you want to deal with ungraded items. You can create grade items for projects, assignments, discussions, quizzes, etc. to include in your Grade Book, and even associate them with other tools (e.g. Assignments, Quizzes, Discussions).

Follow these steps to do it.

Listed below are links to how-to documents to help you to use the Grades Tool:

Want more information?

View current, past, and preview upcoming Continuous Delivery release notes
Instructors Quick Start Tutorial
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Photo Credit: Grade book by David Mulder | CC BY-SA 2.0

CAT+FD would like to invite the Xavier community to participate in the "Take 5 Challenge" this April. The idea is just to take five minutes each workday for a simple mindful breathing exercise. It's only for one month and you get the weekends off! Details below; please shoot an email to Bart Everson if you want to participate. No pressure, no obligation, but we will make an email thread to include all participants so we can feel a sense of group commitment. We'll probably schedule a check-in for the end of April or beginning of May, but attendance is optional.

...continue reading "This April: Take the Take 5 Challenge!"

the word update written on a chalk board

D2L (the company that owns Brightspace) uses Continuous Delivery to update our Brightspace system. The Continuous Delivery model gives us regular monthly updates allowing for incremental and easily integrated changes with no downtime required for our Brightspace system.

Our Continuous Delivery update occurs on the 4th Thursday of each month. D2L provides release notes to help users stay up-to-date with the changes.

Here are some of the updates in the March 2025/20.25.03 release that were added to our system this month:

1) Awards – Option to enter Issue Date when manually issuing awards

To provide greater flexibility when issuing awards, instructors can now use the Issue Date field in the Issue Award dialog. Instructors can manually enter an Issue Date when issuing awards, allowing them to backdate awards as needed. The Issue Date field defaults to the current date.

Previously, instructors could only edit the issue date of an award via API.

The Issue Date field appears below the Select an Award field in the Issue Award dialog.
The Issue Date field appears below the Select an Award field in the Issue Award dialog.

2) Quizzes – Additional question types in new quiz evaluation experience

The new quiz evaluation experience, introduced in September 2024/20.24.09, initially supported a subset of question types, including Multiple Choice, Written Response, True or False, Short Answer, Fill in the Blank, and Multi-Select. It also allowed Question Pools containing these question types.

To fully support the new quiz evaluation experience, this release expands support to include the following additional quiz question types:

  • Arithmetic
  • Matching
  • Ordering
  • Multi Short Answer
  • Significant Figures

With full question type support, organizations can now transition entirely to the new quiz evaluation experience for a seamless and feature-complete workflow.

For additional information about the new quiz evaluation experience and planned updates, refer to the Release of the new quiz evaluation experience blog post.

3) Rubrics – Added Rubric Level Range Visual

This release introduces rubric level ranges in rubric headings, improving clarity for instructors and learners:

  • Instructors can now see rubric level ranges while creating and evaluating rubrics, except for holistic rubrics and non-sequential custom points.
  • Learners can view rubric level ranges in assessments, ensuring a clear understanding of point distributions.

Previously, instructors had to manually explain rubric level ranges to learners. This feature enhances consistency and reduces ambiguity.

The following behavior is expected:

  • Instructors can see the rubric level ranges when creating and evaluating rubrics, except for holistic rubrics and custom points that are not sequential.

analytic rubric with rubric scoring levels and criteria showing custom points
Define the scoring levels and criteria when creating or editing a rubric. Adjust custom points by entering values in the corresponding fields under each level column.

  • Learners can see the rubric criteria level range when viewing rubrics, except for holistic rubrics and custom points that are not sequential.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

  • D10881 (Hide rubric overall grade range and make it clearer)
  • D8693 (Make Rubric Levels Ranges)

If you are interested in getting more information about these and all the March Continuous Delivery updates, refer to the Brightspace Platform March 2025/20.25.03 Release Notes.

Additionally, refer to the Brightspace Release Notes for Continuous Delivery Releases, for details about current, past, and to preview upcoming continuous delivery updates.

Want more information?

View current, past, and preview upcoming Continuous Delivery release notes
Instructors Quick Start Tutorial
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image credit: image by geralt from Pixabay

A conversation between Maggie Fernandes, Megan McIntyre, Jennifer Sano-Franchini, and Jay Todd on refusing generative AI in writing studies.

a silhouette of a person in a data center with the text "No Photo Available" overlaid, as if to suggest the subject REFUSED to have their photo taken
as if to suggest they REFUSED to have their photo taken

Maggie Fernandes (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Arkansas.

Megan McIntyre (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition and Director of the Program in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Arkansas.

Jennifer Sano-Franchini (she/her) is the Gaziano Family Legacy Professor and an Associate Professor of English at West Virginia University.


Links for this episode:

Transcript:

...continue reading "Conversation #122: Refusing AI"

three pies

Pi (π) Day is celebrated on March 14th (3.14). Did you know the Brightspace Community has a PIE? Yes, there is a PIE (Product Idea Exchange) in the Brightspace Community. The PIE is a system that allows Brightspace users to share their suggestions on how to make Brightspace better. I invite you to take a few minutes to explore the Brightspace Product Idea Exchange (PIE).

We’ve put together this collection of PIE ideas you can consider upvoting so that we can add our voice to the community to make the Brightspace experience better. To get you started, here are links to articles on baking a better PIE and what makes an idea great. You can also search the PIE for ideas to upvote or submit your own idea to the PIE. Let us know if you submit your own idea to the PIE so that we can upvote it.

Want more information?

How can I access the PIE?

View current, past, and preview upcoming Continuous Delivery release notes
Instructors Quick Start Tutorial
Brightspace Known Issues
Request a sandbox course
Sign-up for Brightspace training sessions
You can find Brightspace help at D2L's website.
Join the Brightspace Community.
Try these Brightspace How-To documents.
Visit our Brightspace FAQs for additional Brightspace information
or schedule a one-on-one session, email, or
call Janice Florent: (504) 520-7418.

Note: Are you doing something innovative in Brightspace or perhaps you've discovered a handy tip? Share how you are using Brightspace in your teaching and learning in The Orange Room.

Image Credit: "073/365 - Pi Day Pies, 2012" by Dennis Wilkinson is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Rethinking Assessment Strategies in the Age of AI [49:24]

Thanks to those of you who attended last month's "Rethinking Assessment Strategies in the Age of AI" workshop. The workshop, the 21st in our #LEX Advanced series, helps you to build on the skills you learned in the #LearnEverywhereXULA course and will assist you in designing alternative/authentic assessments that challenge students to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways in this age of AI.

In case you missed last month’s training session or if you attended the training session and want to recap what was covered, a copy of the workshop recording and resources referenced in the workshop are available. You can find the workshop recording and other resources in support of the workshop on the CAT+FD wiki.

Additionally, if you did not get the opportunity to earn a digital badge for participating in the workshop, it's not too late to earn that badge. We have a corresponding “Rethinking Assessment Strategies” module in the #LearnEverywhereXULA (#LEX) course that you can complete to earn a digital badge for this topic. The badge will count towards your #LEX Advanced certification.

This year, the liturgical season of Lent overlaps with the sacred month of Ramadan. In the Christian and Muslim traditions, this is a time of contemplation. Coincidentally this year, they also overlap Xavier's Midterms, which as we know, is a time of deep introspection for many of our students.  During this period, remember to take a balanced approach to your own working life, and give yourself some time to interact with colleagues from across the campus. Click on the name of any event below to learn more about it.
Full Eclipse of the Moon as seen in from Irvine, CA, USA
Sergei Mutovkin from Irvine, California, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This year, the liturgical season of Lent and the sacred month of Ramadan coincide, both calling for reflection, renewal, and intentionality. It is fitting that this also overlaps with Xavier’s Midterms—a time when our students engage in their own forms of deep introspection.

As we guide them through this demanding season, let’s also be mindful of our own well-being. Balance is essential, and taking time to connect with colleagues can be both restorative and inspiring. This month’s calendar of events offer opportunities to reflect, recharge, and engage with our community.

Click on the name of any event below to learn more—I hope to see you there. And don't miss the lunar eclipse this Thursday night!

WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES

  • Coffee & Chat, every Monday & Tuesday, 10:00-11:00
    Spend some time with members of the CAT+FD staff in our Conference Room for refreshments and conversation.
  • Quarter of Quiet, every Wednesday, 2:00-2:15
    Give yourself 15 minutes of unguided contemplation. Join us in person  the Chapel's Meditation Room or in spirit from any location. 

MARCH WORKSHOPS & BROWN-BAGS

  • Xavier Faculty Writing Group, Monday, March 10, 11:00-1:00
    Members of the Xavier Faculty Writing Group gather each Monday to enjoy lunch together while putting in some extra time on their writing projects. 
  • Part-Time Faculty Brown Bag: X-Core & Part-Time Teaching, Tuesday, March 11, 4:00-5:00
    Each month, part-time faculty members are invited to meet to discuss their classes and to learn more about teaching at Xavier.
  • Social Hour/PIE-1 Day, Thursday, March 13, 4:00-5:30
    Since midterm grades are due on the Pi Day (Friday, March 14) this year, CAT+FD is celebrating PIE-1 Day on Thursday, March 13. Take a break from your grading, and join us in the Mellon Seminar Room for some fellowship and some pie!
  • Xavier Faculty Writing Group, Monday, March 17, 11:00-1:00
    Members of the Xavier Faculty Writing Group gather each Monday to enjoy lunch together while putting in some extra time on their writing projects. 
  • New Faculty Brown Bag: Xavier's Core Curriculum (X-Core), Tuesday, March 18, 12:15-1:00
    First-year faculty are invited to learn more about Xavier's unique undergraduate core curriculum, known as X-Core. 
  • Xavier Faculty Writing Group, Monday, March 24, 11:00-1:00
    Members of the Xavier Faculty Writing Group gather each Monday to enjoy lunch together while putting in some extra time on their writing projects. 
  • SERG (Science Education Research Group), Tuesday, March 25, 3:30-4:30
    The monthly SERG meetings are informal, multidisciplinary forums for the discussion of pedagogical issues. These meetings are open to all interested faculty. There is no need to register.
  • Mindful Check-in, Wednesday, March 26, 1:00-1:50
    Please join us for an informal and open conversation about your experiences, challenges, questions, and the upcoming April “Take 5" Challenge. Faculty, staff, and students are welcome.
  • Xavier Faculty Writing Group, Monday, March 31, 11:00-1:00
    Members of the Xavier Faculty Writing Group gather each Monday to enjoy lunch together while putting in some extra time on their writing projects. 

OUTSIDE OPPORTUNITIES

CAT+FD is not sponsoring or partnering on any of the following events. If you have questions, please contact the event organizers.

  • NSF – EiR – Secondary Data Institute, May 25-30 (Prairie View A&M): Researchers at HBCUs often face unique challenges concerning research productivity and grantsmanship. This project aims to address these challenges by providing training opportunities and mentoring in the statistical analysis of archived data sources at the University of Michigan’s Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research (ICPSR). This project supports a residential summer institute on PVAMU’s main campus near Houston, Texas, focusing on developing skills to analyze and integrate secondary data analysis into research and teaching.
  • HBCU Ai Conference and Training Summit, April 1-3 (Huston-Tillotson University): The HBCU Ai Conference and Training Summit is the first-of-its-kind event, dedicated to reshaping the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by empowering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Scheduled to take place April 1-3, 2025, this transformative summit brings together thought leaders, educators, researchers, and industry professionals to bridge the gap between HBCUs and the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
  • 2025 Notre Dame Inclusive Teaching Academy, June 2–6 (Chicago, IL): The Notre Dame Inclusive Teaching Academy provides robust, intensive training in support of the transformation of faculty teaching. Learn about, reflect on, and apply principles of inclusive pedagogy alongside colleagues from across the country as you redesign course materials and prepare to lead inclusive teaching efforts in your department and on campus.