LTSE Online Teaching Tools Grade Centre Setup

Grade Centre Setup

In the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy 01 January 2021, Section 3.6 states: Assessment grades and subject results must reflect the level of student attainment and be formally communicated to students in a timely manner.

To provide students with an up-to-date picture of their achievement status, throughout the study period, ensure your subject's Grade Centre is setup effectively.

A guide on how you can setup your Grade Centre

Before you set up your Grade Centre you will first need to establish your assessment items. The JCU Subject Template provides a templated 'Assessment' folder and advice on where and how items should go.

Here is an example of the Assessment folder in the JCU Subject Template:

Screenshot of the templated assessment folder

Advice on where items should go - listed in the Subject Site Checklist, as follows:

'Assessment Item' folders

Fill in the titles of the assessment item in each of the folder names. Order chronologically and fill the folders with assessment tasks descriptions, submission dropboxes, and any extra resources about the assessment item.

As an example of good practice, the first assessment item in a subject should:

  • take place early, before the Census date (Thursday, week four) so that students receive feedback on their performance.
  • be a relatively straightforward low-stakes assessment, formative task (see LTA procedures 3.1.7).

Early, low-stakes assessments provide students with an opportunity to kick an early goal, building self-efficacy for succeeding in the subject. Self-efficacy is a key factor in academic achievement.

Also, importantly, the opportunity for students to receive feedback on their performance before the Census date can encourage them to reflect on their motivation and available personal resources to succeed in the subject. Thus giving students who are not confident they will succeed at that point in time, the opportunity to withdraw without penalty. This measure will also reduce attrition in a subject.

Make sure your assessment items are in a chronological order and have descriptive labels.

You can do this in the Grade Centre- Gradable items list,  by hovering to the left of the three dots, clicking the arrows and dragging and dropping Gradable items, as shown:

Screenshot of ordering assessment items in the Grade Centre list - Gradable items

Screenshot of dragging the order of assessment items

The next step would be to activate the overall grade by clicking on the 'Set it up' button, like so:

Screenshot of set up overall grade button

Then look at the weighting of your assessments. Weighting should add up to 100% and you can switch some items to N/A. You also have the option to show or hide the overall grade to students as demonstrated:

Screenshot of weighting assessment items

If you do switch it to 'Show to students'. This is what they will see:

Screenshot of student preview overall grade

Resources

Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy