Canvas - Grade Calculation Fluctuates when using Weighted Assignment Groups [UW-Madison]
When Instructors use a weighted grading scheme in Canvas, assignments are collected into assignment groups, and percent weights are assigned to those assignment groups. See the Canvas guide, How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups? for more information.
During the semester, Canvas projects a final grade calculation depending on the weighted grading scheme used. Some grading schemes may count ungraded assignments against the students final grade calculations. Other grading schemes might not count ungraded assignments.
Because of this, students may have an inaccurate perception of their current grade when viewing their results.
What Do Students See?
Students are shown a current grade, which calculates their standing based on assignments completed so far. The current grade, as displayed in image below, will differ depending on which of the (above) two weighted grading schemes is employed.
Because of the points available and the weights of the various assignment groups, the difference in their current grade could be significant, and students may see an inaccurate representation of their current standing in the course.
Best Practices for Explaining Grade Calculation
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Inform both students and instructors as to how final grade calculations occur.
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Instructors, let your students know that the grade they see in Canvas may not be accurate. They should talk to you to get a better understanding of how they are doing in your course.
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Similarly, instructors need to understand that different weighted grading schemes will produce different current grades for students. This is true even when these weighted grading schemes will produce identical final grades.
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If a student receives a zero (0), add it to the gradebook as soon as possible.
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A blank cell in the gradebook is not the calculated the same as a zero. This can give students the impression that their grade is higher than it will be at the end of the semester.
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For more information about applying a missing submission policy, see the Canvas guide How do I apply a Missing Submission policy in the Gradebook? Or, if you have questions about applying a late submission policy, see How do I apply a Late Submission policy in the Gradebook?
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What Causes the Grade to Fluctuate?
Consider the following weighted grading schemes. At the end of the semester, (after all grades have been entered) these two weighted grading schemes will produce identical results.
(Note: This is only true if all assignments included in the grading scheme are worth the same number of points. In this example, Quiz 1, Quiz 2, and Quiz 3 are each worth 10 points.)
Grading Scheme Setup
Grading Scheme 1
Four assignments are organized into two assignment groups.
- Assignment Group 1, worth 25% of the overall grade
- Essay, 10 points
- Assignment Group 2, worth 75% of the overall grade
- Test 1, 10 points
- Test 2, 10 points
- Test 3, 10 points
Grading Scheme 2
The same four assignments are distributed across four assignment groups.
- Assignment Group 1, worth 25% of the overall grade
- Essay, 10 points
- Assignment Group 2, worth 25% of the overall grade
- Test 1, 10 points
- Assignment Group 3, worth 25% of the overall grade
- Test 2, 10 points
- Assignment Group 4, worth 25% of the overall grade
- Test 3, 10 points
Grading Scheme in Effect
To illustrate the grading schemes with grades entered, here are the gradebooks of the two sample courses mentioned previously in this document.
Because of the differences in weighted grading schemes, the Total grades can differ by over four percent between courses. (In some of our testing, we achieved a 10-percentage point differential.)
Grading Scheme 1
In this first gradebook, Test 1, Test 2 and Test 3 are all in the same assignment group). Notice the Total column displays a grade of 52.5%
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Test 3 is ungraded, but is included in the calculation of the current grade and counts against the student.
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The grade for this course is achieved by the following equation: (9/10)*.25 + (8/20)*.75 = .525 = 52.5%
Grading Scheme 2
In this second gradebook, the three Tests are housed in their own separate assignment groups). Notice the Total column displays a grade of 56.67%.
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In Course 2, Test 3 and the associated 25% weight, is completely removed from consideration in the calculation of the current grade.
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The grade for Course #2 is achieved by the following equation:
(9/10)*.25 + (8/10)*.25 + (0/10)*.25 = .425
.425/.75 = .56666 = 56.67%