11 Grades
Now we’ll talk about one of the most important pieces of your ICON course– the Grades section. After all, it might be the page your students check the most!
First, we’ll go over how to set up your grade scheme. Then, we’ll talk about setting up weighted grades.
Section 1: Setting up your grade scheme
First, we’ll set up our grade scheme. To start, scroll down to the bottom of the Course Navigation sidebar and click on Settings. Make sure you’re on the tab that says Course details. Then, scroll down the list to “Grading scheme” and click the checkbox.
Once you click the checkbox, new options will appear. Click + New Grading Scheme.
Tip: If you need to modify your grade scheme before the semester starts, you can come back to this screen and click on Manage All Grading Schemes.
Still, it’s best to be sure of your grading scheme before class starts to mitigate confusion among students.
In this pop-up, you’ll be able to edit your grading scheme. In the first box, you can title your grading scheme. You can choose to grade by percentages or points and shift the ranges so the letter grades fall where you want. You can also add ranges with the Add (+) and Delete (trash can) icons.
Make sure your grading scheme is compliant with your college’s regulations!
When you’re done, hit the Save button in the bottom right corner.
Hooray! Your grading scheme is all set up.
Section 2: Applying weighted grades
Remember the assignment groups from Chapter 3: Creating Assignments? This is where you’ll assign percentages to each group.
Tip: Canvas calculates weighted grades using the overall percentage for an entire Assignment Group, not for each assignment score within a group. Before you start to weight each group, make sure each assignment in one group has equal point values.
For example, let’s say you have three exams. If these exams are 30% of the students’ grade, and you want each test to affect the students’ grades equally, they should all be in one assignment group. They should also be the same number of points. That way, each exam is 1/3 of the total score, or, in this example, 10% each.
First, make sure all your assignments are in the right group. Then, make sure their points are split up equally. To review how to create and edit assignments, visit Chapter 3: Creating Assignments.
To create a new assignment group outside of the assignment options menu, you can click through the +Group button at the top of the assignments homepage.
This pop-up will appear. In the first box, you’ll add a group name (ex. Quizzes, Essays, etc.). In the second box, you’ll enter the percentage of the cumulative grade of this group. Finally, hit Save.
Now you have a new assignment group.
Tip: If you want to move assignments from one group to another, just click on the three dots on the right-hand side of your assignment and hit the “Move” button from the dropdown menu.
Finally, to divide these assignment groups with the accurate percentages, click the three dots in the top right corner of the assignment group. Then, fill in the percentages in the pop-up menu. You can also add the number of scores you’d like to drop for each assignment; for example, if you’re dropping the lowest score, you would add “1” in the “Lowest Scores” box.
Repeat these steps for all of your assignment groups, and you’ll have successfully weighted your grades.
Good luck, and happy ICONing!
Helpful Resources
OTLT Web Guides:
OTLT Video Trainings:
From the Canvas help site:
Still have questions? Book a SITA!
SITAs work one-on-one with instructors on projects that enhance instruction with technology. We’re with the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology, which provides expertise, tools, and services to optimize teaching and learning through learning sciences research, ICON, teaching and learning data, and advanced classroom and instructional technology.
You can schedule an appointment or email us at sita@uiowa.edu.