By Karen Swanson, Director of Faculty Learning Groups and Scholarship
As students and faculty work together to teach and learn remotely, the need to communicate becomes essential for building trusting relationships. The Office of Teaching and Learning encourages faculty to create Assignments in Canvas and assign points to the Gradebook. There are several reasons to use these two tools:
- Students will be able to verify that the assignment has been received by the faculty member.
- Students will receive a notification when the assignment has been assessed and what grade is posted.
- Faculty can send written and verbal feedback that is stored, attached to the assignment for the entire quarter.
- These tools also help faculty determine which students might need extra support.
Using the Canvas Gradebook throughout the quarter to provide feedback and update student grades helps the students keep track of their progress in the course. The goal is to support students to be independent. They can check their individual assignment grades as well as monitor the quarter grade.
Students are in a unique situation this quarter to decide if they want to receive and letter grade or choose the pass/fail option. Their ability to monitor their progress will support an evidenced-based decision at the end of the quarter. For more information about the Pass+/Pass/No Pass option, see our earlier blog: Understanding the Pass+/Pass/No Pass Option and Supporting Students.
This video provides a step-by-step guide to using the Canvas Gradebook for your class:
310 – Gradebook Overview from Instructure Canvas Community on Vimeo.
You can also provide in-depth feedback via the Speedgrader in Canvas:
524 – SpeedGrader™ Overview from Instructure Canvas Community on Vimeo.
Visit our OTL calendar to register for upcoming webinars about using the Canvas Assignments and Gradebook and feel free to schedule a one-on-one session with an OTL expert.
