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UTS uses an automated end-of-session grades submission process. You can export results directly from the Gradebook in Canvas into CASS (Curriculum and Student Systems) by following the processes outlined here.
To complete the Grades process, you need to make sure you’ve set up assignments correctly at the start of the session and run through a few checks at the end before grades are approved and transferred.
Assignment groups and assignments
The Gradebook Total column in Canvas automatically calculates the combined total of student marks. The total is determined by the setup of ‘Assignment Groups’ and ‘Assignments’.
- Assignment Groups specify the overall weightings of assessment tasks as a percentage of the Total subject mark.
- Assignments sit inside Assignment Groups and specify the individual marks possible when marking a task. Think of these as component tasks of an assessment.
To ensure final grades are calculated correctly, Assignments should sit inside Assignment Groups, and every Assignment Group should have a subject weighting.
Example 1: An essay marked out of 100 and worth 20% of the overall grade would look like this:
When you set up assessment tasks in Canvas, you will need to create an Assignment inside an Assignment Group for each assessment task specified in your subject outline.
Example 1 shows one Assignment inside one Assignment Group.
Examples 2 and 3 below show more complex ways to set up Assignments inside Assignment Groups. You can mark out of any scoring total you like – the percentage subject total is calculated separately.
Example 2: Two quizzes, both marked out of 15 and cumulatively worth 25% of the overall subject grade:
Example 3: An essay with three component tasks – a proposal (5 Pts), the main essay (20 Pts) and a reflective piece (5 Pts).
Note: How you group, weight and score assignments can yield different totals. If the combined point values of each task are not proportional to the assignment group weighting, consider separate assignment groups for each task. Examples 2 and 3 calculate correctly because each component assignment is marked proportionally within the weighted Assignment Group.
Enable weighting in Assignment Groups
Use Assignment Groups to specify an assessment weighting towards the student’s final grade. Every assessment task sits inside an Assignment Group.
If you’re running a subject for the first time in Canvas:
- You need to set up your Assignment Groups (overall weightings). Assignment Groups generally correspond with entries in your subject outlines.
- If you have run the subject before with Canvas, this information will be copied from the last session. Double-check that the information is still correct and make any necessary adjustments.
- You only need to set this up once per subject.
On the Assignments page click on the Assignments Settings menu (the three vertical dots) [1], and select ‘Assignment Groups Weight’ [2]:
Select ‘Weight final mark based on assignment groups’ [1], and ‘Save’ [2]:
You can find more detailed instructions for setting this up in this guide to enable weightings to assignment groups.
Set up Assignment Groups
Assignment Groups are used to weight assignments and contain assignments. These are used by Canvas to calculate the final subject mark.
When new subjects are created in Canvas, they automatically have a generic Assignment Group called ‘Assignments’. You can rename or delete this.
To add a weighted assessment, click on the ‘+Group’ button (Add Assignment Group) on the Assignments page:
Name your Assignment Group. [1] Add the assessment weighting as a percentage of the overall subject total mark [2] (e.g. 40%):
Repeat the previous two steps for each assessment listed in your subject outline. Each assessment should have a corresponding assignment group.
If you have assignments that don’t count towards the final subject total mark, you can create an Assignment Group with a name like ‘Not Assessed’ using the steps above, and setting the % of total marks to ‘0’. This zero-weighted Assignment Group might contain practice or formative tasks that are not counted towards the final subject grade.
Set up assessment tasks (Assignments)
In Canvas, any assessment task is called an ‘Assignment’, including essays, presentations, exams, performances, creative works etc. When an Assignment is created, a corresponding column is also created in the Gradebook. Quizzes and external tools like Turnitin and Qwickly Attendance can also create columns in the Gradebook.
On the Assignments page, click on the Add Assignment (the ‘+’ icon) in the header of the Assignment Group:
A summary window will appear where you can configure basic settings: the type of assignment, a name, a due date and the points allocated. Select ‘More options’ to add all the remaining assignment details and settings.
Each time you add an Assignment using the ‘+’ icon, it will be added to the same Assignment Group.
It’s a good idea to name Assignment tasks and Assignment Groups so they relate to each other.
Note: You can rearrange the order of Assignment Groups and Assignments. Click and hold the drag handle (the eight-dotted icon) next to items on the Canvas ‘Assignments’ page to move items.
Learn more about creating and configuring Assignments in Canvas and Quizzes in Canvas.
Ensure the Gradebook is calculating correctly
It is important to check that your Assignment Groups and Assignments are set up and are calculating the final total subject mark correctly.
First, check your Assignment Groups Weight option to ensure all Assignment Groups add up to a Total of 100% (Canvas won’t alert you if your weighting goes over 100%).
In the Gradebook, check that the Assignment group weighted totals and final subject total mark are calculated correctly using the ‘Test Student’ row.
Give the test student zero (‘0’) points for each assignment and you should see the Total column remain unchanged at 0%. Next, enter the full marks possible for each assignment, and you should see the results go up cumulatively until the Gradebook Total reaches 100%.
If all the graded tasks are adding up correctly, you are now ready for submitting grades using GradesPlus at the end of your teaching session.
Override grades
You can enter an Override grade in the Gradebook if you need to adjust the final subject total mark at the end of session, typically to avoid borderline grades. For significant mark adjustments, consider reevaluating the component assignment marks.
A numerical Override mark entered in the Gradebook will change to display as a grade letter, but the number will be displayed in GradesPlus.
Note: Override grades or marks can also be entered in GradesPlus, directly into the Final Mark column. Overrides flow in both directions between the Gradebook and GradesPlus.
Grades submission using GradesPlus (end of session)
At the end of the teaching session, once you have finalised the grades in the Gradebook, you will need to review and submit the grades using GradesPlus.
GradesPlus is a tool in Canvas that enables Subject Coordinators and Grade Faculty Administrators (GFAs) to process grades quickly and efficiently.
Final grades should be submitted by the Results Due Date announced by your faculty/school. Once that due date passes, you will be required to submit an Authority to Vary Results (AVR) in GradesPlus.
Additional instructions for managing your assignments are available in these Canvas resources: