New Canvas Gradebook

Update: The New Canvas Gradebook will be the default gradebook for Canvas@UD beginning January 3, 2020!

Canvas has a redesigned Gradebook which is optional for you to enable in your course.  Almost all of the features available in the current Gradebook are available in the New Gradebook, but some have been moved to new locations due to a reorganized menu structure.  Currently, missing features are Assignment Details (score average, etc.), Hide Student Names, and Treat Ungraded as 0.  The New Gradebook is still in development, so you do not have to use it, but you may like to become familiar with it or use it if the new features are beneficial to you.  The current Gradebook will not be deprecated until all features have been completed, and we will provide you with notice about any transition.

In the New Gradebook you can:

• Sort assignment columns by their order in modules in addition to assignment group, due date or points.
• Filter assignments by assignment group and/or by module and/or by section (if multiple sections in a course).
• Set custom colors for specific submission and grading statuses, including: late, missing, resubmitted, dropped (via assignment group rules), and excused.
• Sort the data in any gradebook column by grade, missing or late status.
• Toggle between entering and viewing grades as points or as percentage values.
• View or hide unpublished assignments.
• Automatically apply grading rules to late and missing submissions.
• Manually adjust submission status to none, late, missing, or excused.

If you have additional questions about the functionality comparison between the original Canvas gradebook and the New Canvas gradebook, consult this guide, Functionality Comparison: Current vs. New Canvas Gradebook.

The Global Gradebook

The New Gradebook mimics the view of the current Gradebook but has several new features and a new interface which offers better crosshairs and highlighting for improved orientation.

• The Gradebook menu displays the various Gradebook views that may be available in a course: the Global Gradebook (default), the Individual View, Gradebook History and Learning Mastery (if enabled).
• The View menu includes multiple options to sort and filter assignments.
• The Actions menu displays options to import or export a Gradebook CSV.
• The Search field supports searching for users by user name.
• The Settings icon is used to define late policies.

View Menu Options

• The Arrange By menu allows the Gradebook columns to be arranged by default order (as displayed in the Assignments page), assignment name (A–Z, Z–A), due date (oldest to newest, newest to oldest), points (lowest to highest, highest to lowest), or module (first to last, last to first).
• The Filter menu allows the Gradebook to be filtered by assignment group, modules, and section (if multiple sections in the course).  When filter options are selected, filter menus display at the top of the Gradebook.  Multiple filters can be used at the same time.
• The Statuses option allows the default colors in the Gradebook to be customized for the instructor viewing the Gradebook. Each color is a default associated with a Gradebook status: late, missing, resubmitted, dropped, or excused. Colors can be adjusted by selecting a default color or using a supported HEX code.  Colors are a per-user setting, so the colors set by one instructor do not apply if another instructor views the Gradebook. But, status names cannot be changed to ensure consistency with labels throughout the course regardless of the user viewing the Gradebook.

• The Columns menu has two sub-options to either display the notes column or unpublished assignments.  By default, the New Gradebook view includes  unpublished assignments, but this setting can be turned off at any time.  When unpublished assignments are visible in the Gradebook, they display with a gray background and do not include a dash indicating that grades cannot be entered.  Unpublished assignments are not visible to students.

Settings Icon

In the New Gradebook, instructors can apply a late submission policy that will automatically deduct points on all late submissions when graded.  Define a late submission policy using the Settings icon.

Policies can be applied for both late and missing assignments.  You will see the grade adjustments in the grade detail tray.  Please see the Entering Grades section for information about the grade detail tray.

                       

Please note:

• Setting a late submission policy affects all assignments in a course, including assignments with due dates in the past, so it is good practice to set up a policy prior to grading any assignments.  To exclude a specific assignment, mark the submission as something other than late in the grade detail tray.
• For the calculation of the late penalty, days or hours late will be rounded up to the next whole number. For example, if a student submits 1.3 days late, the late penalty will treat the submission as 2 days late.
• The late submission policy will not be automatically applied to No Submission or On Paper assignments. For these assignment types, a Late label needs to added in the grade detail tray.
• Enabling a late submission policy in the New Gradebook will remove the option to revert to the old Gradebook.

Student Name Column Options

• The Sort by menu allows for sorting by A–Z or Z-A.
• The Display as menu allows for displaying student name as First Name, Last Name or Last Name, First Name.
• The Secondary info menu allow for secondary information to be displayed below the student’s name. Options include the student’s section, SIS, ID, Login ID, or no display. Only one secondary information option can be displayed at one time.
• The Show menu has two sub-options to either display concluded or inactive enrollments.

Assignment Column Options

Most of the assignment column options available the current Gradebook exist in this menu, but missing are Assignment Details and SpeedGrader options.  SpeedGrader can now be accessed through an individual student’s grade detail tray.

• The Sort by menu allows sorting by grade (low to high, high to low), missing status, and late status.
• Although each assignment defaults to the grade display set in the assignment, the Enter Grades as menu allows the assignment grade to be viewed by points or percentage.  For Letter Grade or GPA assignments, the grade can also be displayed by grading scheme.  Changing the Enter Grades display option is for grading convenience only and does not affect the actual grade.

Entering Grades

Instructors can enter grades directly into any grade box, but additional information can be easily added using the grade detail tray accessed by clicking the arrow in the grade box.

The grade detail tray displays a grading summary, and like in SpeedGrader, an instructor can click the next and previous links at the top of the tray to advance to another student or to advance to the current student’s next assignment. SpeedGrader can only be accessed for an assignment from the Gradebook through this grade detail tray.  Status options allow an instructor to tag an assignment grade with additional information: late, missing, or excused.  The late status includes the option to set the number of days or hours that have passed since the assignment was due, and if a late policy is enabled, an automatic grade deduction will be applied.  Comments can be entered in the box at the bottom.

 

For more information, visit the Canvas New Gradebook Guide or watch the overview video:

 

If you have any questions about the changes or about how to use Canvas effectively, IT Academic Technology Services staff is always available at the Faculty Commons (116 Pearson Hall) or you can send your questions to canvas-info@udel.edu.