Gradebook Setup (Weighted Categories)

Gradebook Setup (Weighted Categories)

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Overview

Within the Moodle gradebook, you can set which aggregation is best for you based on how you’ve designed your course. You are able to set an aggregation at the course level and the grade category level. This guide explains how to apply the weighted mean of grades aggregation at the course level and the natural aggregation at the grade category level.

The weighted mean of grades aggregation method calculates the average of all grade items in a grade category (the sum of all grades divided by the number of grade items). You can set the weight of each grade category based on how you’ve designed your course, which is then used in the arithmetic mean aggregation to influence the importance of each item in the overall mean.

Applying the natural aggregation method for each grade category allows you to mark grade items as extra credit and allows you to drop the lowest grade item when specific criteria are met.

Example

If you’ve designed your course in a similar way compared to the example below where each graded category has a corresponding weight, then the weighted mean of grades aggregation set at the course level in the Moodle gradebook would be the appropriate option.

Instructions

The steps below will use the example above to setup the gradebook using the weighted mean of grades aggregation at the course level and the natural aggregation at the grade category level.

Step 1: Set Aggregation

  1. Start on your course page
  2. Select Grades in the left-hand menu
  3. Select Setup
  4. Select Edit next to the name of the course
  5. Select Edit settings from the dropdown menu
  6. Next to Aggregation, choose Weighted mean of grades from the dropdown menu
  7. Scroll down and select Save changes

Step 2: Create Grade Categories

  1. Start on your course page
  2. Select Grades in the left-hand menu
  3. Select Setup
  4. Select Add category
  5. Enter a name in the Category name field
  6. Next to Aggregation, choose Natural from the dropdown menu
  7. Repeat to create all grade categories

Step 3: Set Weight for Each Grade Category

  1. Start on your course page
  2. Select Grades from the left-hand menu
  3. Select Setup
  4. Ensure all grade categories are created
  5. Enter the weight for a category by inputting the number (example: 20% = 20.0) in the empty box within the row of the grade category and under the Weights column
  6. Important: Ensure all grade category weights add up to 100%.

Step 3: Add Graded Activities to Course

There are several Moodle activities that can be hooked up to the Gradebook. These include: Assignment, Attendance, Checklist, External tool (may be dependent upon the tool), Forum, H5P (some H5P activities can be graded), Lesson, Open forum, Panopto Video (if quiz is embedded), Quiz, SCORM package, and Workshop. Below you will find instructions on how to add the three most-used graded activities to the Gradebook (quiz, forum, and assignment).

Quiz

  1. Go to the course page
  2. Select Add an activity or resource
  3. Select Quiz
  4. Next to Name, enter a name for the exam
  5. Scroll down to the Grade heading
  6. Next to Grade category, select the corresponding category (ex. Exams)
  7. Scroll down and select Save and display
  8. Select Edit quiz
  9. In the box next to Maximum grade, enter the applicable point value
  10. Click Save

Forum

  1. Go to the course page
  2. Select Add an activity or resource
  3. Select Forum
  4. Next to Forum name, enter a name for the discussion forum
  5. Scroll down to the Whole forum grading heading
  6. Next to Type, select Point from the dropdown menu
  7. In the box next to Maximum grade, enter the applicable point value
  8. Next to Grade category, select the corresponding category (ex. Discussion Forums)
  9. Scroll down and select Save and return to course

Assignment

  1. Go to the course page
  2. Select Add an activity or resource
  3. Select Assignment
  4. Next to Assignment name, enter a name for the assignment (e.g., Research Paper Draft)
  5. Scroll down to the Grade heading
  6. Next to Type, select Point from the dropdown menu
  7. In the box next to Maximum grade, enter the applicable point value
  8. Next to Grade category, select the corresponding category (ex. Research Paper)
  9. Scroll down and select Save and return to course

Step 4: Add Grade Item to Gradebook (non-Moodle activities)

If you have a graded activity in your course that will not be completed in Moodle, such as an oral presentation, you can add a line in your Gradebook to record these grades.

  1. From the course page, select Grades in the left-hand menu
  2. Select Setup
  3. Select Add grade item
  4. Next to Item name, enter a name for the grade item (e.g., Research Proposal Presentation)
  5. In the box next to Maximum grade, enter the applicable point value
  6. Next to Grade category, select the corresponding category (ex. Presentations)
  7. Select Save changes

Step 5: Double Check Gradebook Setup

Once you have set your overall gradebook aggregation, created your categories and set their aggregations, created your graded activities and manually added grade items (if applicable), double check that your completed gradebook matches your intended assessment plan.

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