Blackboard Learn Grade Center Troubleshooting Tipscelt.cuw.edu/.../Grade-Center-Troubleshooting-Tips... · Grade Center Troubleshooting Tips 05112016 Blackboard Learn Grade Center

1 Grade Center Troubleshooting Tips 05112016

Blackboard Learn Grade Center Troubleshooting Tips

The following problems are addressed with possible solutions:

1. Weighted Total column is not calculating the final grade correctly. Page 2

a. Possible Solution #1: Make sure Grade Center categories are attached to Grade Center columns.

Page 2

b. Possible Solution #2: Make sure Weighted Total column is set up correctly (for a percentage-based/weighted grade center).

Page 4

c. Possible Solution #3: Make sure all applicable columns are included in the Grade Center calculations.

Page 6

2. There was a column for an assignment in the Grade Center, but now I can’t see it.

Page 9

3. I want to grade papers in the Drop Box (“Assignment”) but don’t want students to see their grade until I’ve graded all papers. Page 10

4. A student submitted the wrong paper, how do I delete it from Blackboard? Page 12

5. I graded a student paper, but the paper still shows up in the Needs Grading area and the student cannot see his/her grade on Blackboard. Page 13

6. If I manually grade something in the Full Grade Center, do I enter a score or a percentage? Page 15

7. I use a points-based Grade Center. How do I drop the lowest quiz grade? Page 17


Problem: Weighted Total column is not calculating the final grade correctly.

Possible Solutions:

1. Make sure Grade Center categories are attached to Grade Center columns correctly.

2. Make sure Weighted Total column is set up correctly.

3. Make sure all applicable columns are included in the Grade Center calculations.

1. Possible Solution #1: Make sure Grade Center categories are attached to Grade Center

columns.

a. From the Full Grade Center hover mouse over the Manage button, then click on Column

Organization.

b. You will see the columns from the Grade Center displayed as a list. The far left shows

the names of each column. Near the middle of the screen, the categories are displayed.

Here you can check to make sure all columns are connected to the correct category. Do

not consider the Weighted Total and Total columns at this time.


c. To change the category for one or more column, click on the box to the left of the

column name. You can check more than one box if they are to be changed to the same

category. Hover mouse over the Change Category to… button. Click on the category you

want to change the column(s) to. In the example below the Photoshop Project 1 and

Photoshop Project 2 columns will be changed to the Assignment category.

d. After clicking on the category you want to change the column to (in the example change

to the Assignment category) you will see the category has been changed on this screen.

Continue in this manner until all categories have been changed. Click Submit to save

your changes.

A note about categories: Blackboard Learn has default categories that are automatically attached to the

columns. For example, when you create an Assignment (“drop box”) in the Content area, a column is

automatically created in the Grade Center and it is attached to the Assignment category. You can create

additional categories as needed HOWEVER you will need to attach columns to that category by following

the above procedure. To create additional categories, click on the following link and see page 2:

http://blog.cuw.edu/celt/files/2015/04/Spring-2015-Set-Up-the-Grade-Center-201530-042715.pdf

http://blog.cuw.edu/celt/files/2015/04/Spring-2015-Set-Up-the-Grade-Center-201530-042715.pdf


2. Possible Solution #2: Make sure Weighted Total column is set up correctly (for a percentage-

based/weighted grade center).

a. When using a percentage –based/weighted grade center, use the Weighted Total

column to enter a percentage for each category (example: Assignments 30%, Class

Participation 15%, Discussions 15%, and Tests 40%). Click on the Weighted Total column,

then Edit Column Information.

b. Looking at the lower left box, click on the category you are using. NOTE: Blackboard

default categories are also listed, even if you are not using them in your course. Click on

the arrow to move the category to the larger box on the right. Then enter the percenage

for this category. IMPORTANT: If items in one category have the same point value, the

Weight Columns line should stay set to Equally. If the items in one category have

different point values, on the Weight Columns line click Proportionally.


c. Continue until you have moved all categories for this course to the right and the total

weight is 100%. Then click Submit.


3. Possible Solution #3: Make sure all applicable columns are included in the Grade Center

calculations.

The default setting for all Grade Center columns is for the column to be included in the overall

Grade Center calculations (setting is set to YES). The steps below show how to check if this

setting was set to NO by mistake.

a. From the Full Grade Center, hover mouse over the Manage button. Click on Column

Organization.

b. A view of the columns (shown in rows) will appear. Compare the points total in the Total

column (in this case 2100) to the total number of points for each individual graded

assignment (in this case 100 x 22 = 2200). If the two numbers are the same, all columns

are included in the Grade Center calculation. In this case they are different, indicating

one of the columns is not included in the Grade Center calculations.


c. Return to the Full Grade Center. To check each column’s calculation setting, hover

mouse over column title until a chevron appears to the right of the title. Click on the

chevron, then click Quick Column Information.

d. The following screen appears. If the setting “Included in Calculations” is Yes continue to

the next column. If it is No (see below) the “Included in Calculations” setting must be

changed to Yes. To do this, click Close Menu.


e. Again hover mouse over the column title, click the chevron, then click Edit Column

Information.

f. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to the Options section. The first option is set to No.

Click Yes then click Submit.


g. Hover mouse over the Manage button, click on Column Organization to view all columns

in the form of rows. The Total column should now equal the total points for each row

(2200 in this case).

Problem: There was a column for an assignment in the Grade Center, but now I

can’t see it.

Solution: The column was probably accidently hidden and now must be unhidden.

a. In the Full Grade Center, hover mouse over the Manage button. Click Column

Organization.


b. Look for a column (shown as a row below) that is grayed out. Click on the square to the

left of that row. Hover mouse over the Show/Hide button at the bottom. Click Show

Selected Column. The column will no longer be grayed out. Click Submit to save your

changes.

Problem: I want to grade papers in the Drop Box (“Assignment”) but don’t want

students to see their grade until I’ve graded all papers.

Solution: Hide the Grade Center column for that assignment from students until you’ve completed

grading all submission.

a. Before beginning to grade the assignment, go to the Full Grade Center. Find the

column for the assignment you want to hide the grades from students. Hover

mouse on the title of the column, then click on the chevron that appears to the right

of the title. A menu will appear. Click on Hide from Students (on/off).


b. The column title will now have a circle with a red line through it (left of the title) and

students cannot see their grade for this assignment.

c. After grading the assignment for all students, return to the Full Grade Center. Find

the column for the assignment. Hover mouse over the title, then click on the

chevron that appears to the right of the title. Click on Hide from Students (on/off).

d. The circle with red line will disappear. Students will now see their grade.


Problem: A student submitted the wrong paper, how do I delete it from

Blackboard?

Solution: Delete the paper from Blackboard.

1. Click on Grade Center, then click on Full Grade Center.

2. Find the column for the assignment and the student’s name. There should be an exclamation

point in the cell for that student under the assignment column. Click on the exclamation point.

3. Click on the down arrow (right side of cell) and a drop down menu should appear. Click on the

down arrow. Click on “View Grade Details”.


4. To delete the submission, click the “Clear Attempt” button. Warning: This will remove the

student’s document from Blackboard, and you will no longer be able to access it. This should be

used only if a student submitted the wrong document.

5. If the drop box allows a maximum number of submissions, you can allow the student to submit

another document. Click the “Allow Additional Attempt” button. The student should then be

able to click on the Assignment (Drop Box) and submit again.

Problem: I graded a student paper, but the paper still shows up in the Needs

Grading area and the student cannot see his/her grade on Blackboard.

Solution: Check where the score was entered.

1. In your course, click on Grade Center, then Needs Grading


2. Click on the assignment that you already graded, but still appears in the Needs Grading area.

3. Review the two boxes on the right side. If there is a score only in the top box, it was entered

there incorrectly.

4. To correct the error, enter the score in the lower (white) box. Click Submit. The paper will no

longer be seen in the Needs Grading area, the score will be recorded in the Grade Center, and

the student will be able to see the score and your comments.


If I manually grade something in the Ful l Grade Center, do I enter a score or a

percentage?

Solution: It depends on the settings for each column. Each column has a setting called “Primary Display”

and a setting called “Secondary Display”. Both can be set to display a score or a percentage (there are

other options, but score and percentage are the most common and will be addressed here).

Whichever setting is the Primary Display, that is what you enter in the Full Grade Center. For example, if

you have a column for Class Participation and it’s worth 10 points and the Primary Display is set to

Score, then enter the number of points for that student’s grade (example: 8 points out of 10). If the

Primary Display is set to Percentage, then enter the percentage (example: 80%).

The steps below show you how to check and edit the Primary and Secondary Displays for a column.

1. To view and edit the Primary and Secondary Displays, find the column in the Full Grade Center.

Hover mouse over the column title and until you see the chevron to the right of the title.

2. Click on the chevron, then click Edit Column Information.


3. Look for the Primary Display and Secondary Display settings. In this case the Primary Display is

set to Score and the Secondary Display is set to Percentage. Adjust either by clicking on the

small triangle. Click Submit to save changes.

Points to remember:

Students only see the Primary Display. Only the instructor can see the Secondary Display.

Using the Secondary Display is optional; it can be set to None if desired.


Problem: I use a points-based Grade Center. How do I drop the lowest quiz

grade?

Solution: Create a separate Total column that adds up all quizzes and can also drop the lowest quiz

grade.

1. In the Full Grade Center hover mouse over Manage button. Click on Categories.

2. Create a new category that will include only quizzes. Click Create Category.

3. Name the Category, in this case, Quizzes. Click Submit.


4. The category Quizzes is created. Next you’ll need to connect the quizzes to this category. Click

on Full Grade Center.

5. Hover mouse over the Manage button. Click Column Organization.

6. Check the boxes on the left of the quiz title. Hover mouse over Change Category to… then click

Quizzes.


7. The category for the quizzes is now changed to Quizzes. Click Submit to save changes.

8. Create a Total Column that reflects the student score of just the quizzes (including the dropping

of the lowest). Hover mouse over Create Calculated Column. Click Total Column.

9. Name the column Overall Quiz Grade and keep the primary display set to score.


10. Select the option for Selected Columns and Categories.

11. Select the quizzes category from the “categories to select” box on the lower left. Click on the

lower arrow to put them in the “selected columns” box on the right. Type in the number of

lowest grades you want to drop in the corresponding box. Click submit at the bottom.

12. Next, adjust the Total Column to correctly calculate the overall grade for the course. Hover

mouse over the title Total column. Click on the chevron that appears. Click Edit Column

Information.


13. Click Selected Columns and Categories.

14. Select all the gradable columns in your gradebook under the “columns to select” box except

columns such as Weighted Total or Total. Do not select any of the quizzes since they are already

calculated in the Overall Quiz Grade column. DO select the Overall Quiz Grade column. Click on

the upper arrow to move the columns to the right. Click Submit.

15. The Total column will now reflect all gradable columns and the overall quiz grade column with

the lowest quiz dropped. In the example below the lowest quiz score (25) was dropped. This is

reflected in the Overall Quiz Grade column and the Total column.

Documents

Blackboard Learn Grade Center Troubleshooting Tipscelt.cuw.edu/.../Grade-Center-Troubleshooting-Tips... · Grade Center Troubleshooting Tips 05112016 Blackboard Learn Grade Center