myUSF Blackboard News

In previous versions of Blackboard, adding extra credit to your Gradebook was straightforward. Add a zero point column to the gradebook, and add points to it which would be added to the Total without changing the basis.

In Blackboard 8, the same method works, but due to a bug in the Grade Center, a little more work must be done to make it work properly. There is also a hack explained at the bottom of the article that might be a better option. The bug in particular is that zero point columns are not included in Total column calculations if the Total column is set to include All Gradable Columns.

Create the Extra Credit column as usual, making sure that it is zero points possible, and that it is set to include in the calculations.

Now click on the double chevrons of the Total column, and choose Modify Column.

In section 3, Click the radio button to change from “All Grade Columns” to “Selected Grade Columns…” The section will then expand to show all the columns in your Grade Center. Select all the Column you want included in the Total column, including your extra credit column, click the Right Triangle, and then scroll down and submit.

The Total column should now include your extra credit points.

We hope for an upcoming fix to resolve the need for this extra work.

The Hack

Instead of setting the Extra Credit column to be 0 points possible, set it instead to a really really small number, like 0.0000001. Because it’s not zero, scores in the column will be properly included in the Total column without needing any of the changes mentioned above. Please note, however, that this column is not zero points, it will add a trivial amount of points to the Total.

Please contact the Blackboard Trainers at 974-4692 to schedule time to learn all about Blackboard’s Grade Center and everything else Blackboard.

By popular request, a new module has been added to make it easier for students to see if new grades have been posted, and to quickly get to their grades in all courses.

Everyone should currently see the My Grades module on the Welcome Tab, as soon as you log in. This module shows a list of all courses you currently have access to. Each course is a link that goes directly to the Grades page of that course, just as if you had clicked into the Courses tab, then into your course, then on Course Tools, then on Grades.

Additionally, if grades have been added or updated since you last viewed the module, My Grades will tell you which courses have grades posted and how many.

Lastly, there is a link to View All Grades, which goes to a page with all the Grades pages of all your courses in one, easy to access tabbed interface.

The module is available by default on everyone’s Welcome Tab, but due to the way that Blackboard adds modules, there’s a good change that it’s at the bottom of the page and out of view. You can always reorder the modules on any tab by clicking Modify Layout on that tab. Use this to move the module to the top so it’s visible as soon as you log in.

This My Grades module is a direct result of overwhelming student requests for an easy way to view course grades without having to drill down into a course everytime. Please let us know how this works for you, and any improvements you might like to see.