Falcon Online for Faculty

Setting up your grade book

The first time you set up your grade book you will likely use the Grades Setup Wizard which will take you through each step.

• Weighted vs. Points
  • Weighted - the system does the majority of the calculation for you and indicates if there is a calculation error that needs to be addressed.
    • The weighted system calculates grade items as a percentage of a final grade worth 100%.
  • Points - the system relies on you to determine the calculation and will only detect certain calculation errors.
    • Final grades are calculated by adding a user’s score on all grade items together and dividing by the sum of the maximum points values. The sum of the maximum points values for all grade items does not need to equal 100.
• Drop Ungraded Items - this will show students their current standing throughout the course; keep in mind you will need to ensure you review any ungraded items at the end of the course and assign any zeros as necessary
• Automatically release final grade & keep updated - keep students up-to-date on their current grade status

Grade Items

Grade items are the foundation for your grade book. There are several types you can choose from, the most popular option normally being Numeric.

Categories

Categories can be used as a way to distribute weight among a group of grade items or simply for organization purposes only.

For example, there may be a group of activities that count as 20% of the final grade. You can create a category worth 20% and group the grade items related to those particular activities.

A similar example could be grouping activities without weight but rather to improve the organization by grouping similar grade items, such as quizzes, so the grade book is easier to understand.

Organizing your grade book

The grade book, or Grades, is made up of grade items and can be organized with categories. The grade book can be organized in many ways - here are a few ways you can consider:

Grade items only:

• Grade item 1
• Grade item 2
• Grade item 3

Using categories to organize:

• Category 1
  • Grade item 1a
  • Grade item 1b
• Category 2
  • Grade item 2a
  • Grade item 2b

Using standalone grade items and categories:

• Category 1
  • Grade item 1a
  • Grade item 1b
• Grade item 2
• Grade item 3

Link activities to your grade book

The advantage of linking activities or tools (Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, etc.) is to ease your overall grading process.

For example, if you link an Assignment to Grades, you can review, grade, and provide feedback for each student submission from Assignments and all that information will automatically be sent to Grades. This not only provides a centralized place for students to review their grades but it also frees you from having to input grades in two different areas which in turn saves you time and avoids possible human error.

How do I exclude a grade category or item from the final grade calculation?

Excluding an item from the final grade calculation enables you to evaluate a grade category, numeric grade item, select box grade item, or pass/fail grade item without including the grade in users' calculated or adjusted final grades.

Points System

Use the Exclude from Final Grade Calculation check box to exclude items and categories while using the Points system.

1. On the course home page, click Grades.
2. In the Manage Grades area, click on the category or item you want to edit.
3. Select the Exclude from Final Grade Calculation check box.
4. Click Save and Close.

Weighted System

You can exclude a grade item or category from the final grade calculation in the weighted system by setting the grade item or category's weight to 0%.

1. On the course home page, click Grades.
2. In the Manage Grades area, click on the category or item you want to edit.
3. In the Grading section, add a value of 0 in the Weight field.
4. Click Save and Close.

Formula System

You can exclude a grade category or item using the Formula system by removing that grade item or category from the formula you will be using to calculate the final grade.

(Source: Brightspace - Exclude a grade category or item from the final grade calculation)

Deleting Grade Items or Categories

Why can't I delete a grade item?

Chances are the grade item is associated or linked to an activity within your course, such as an Assignment, Discussion, or Quiz. In order to delete the grade item you will need to go to the activity and unlink it from the grade item.

Can I restore a grade item I deleted?

Yes, you can restore deleted grades (with the exception of Formula and Calculated grade items).

Looking for where to submit final grades?

Final grades are to be posted in the PeopleSoft system (mydaytonastate). Falcon Online does not send this information so the instructor must manually report the final grade in PeopleSoft. Please see these help pages from IT for more details.