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SIS 2000+ Gradebook

Sec. 2, Set Up a Grade Book

Prerequisite:
Grade books are set up on a per teacher basis. Before a grade book can be created for a teacher, that teacher must be scheduled in the Master Schedule with at least one class, with students. (See Master Schedule Editor)

Login -
There are three modes of access in Gradebook, set up by the System Administrator:

1. Full access -

The user may view and edit all faculty member's grade books.
2. Read-only -

The user may view other faculty member's grade books but cannot make any changes to them.
3. No access -

The Find command will be disabled. The user can only view and edit his or her own grade book.

2.1.2 Click on the Find command button

2.1.3 Enter the Faculty ID number of the target teacher (Fig. 3) or enter a search string of any portion of the Last Name or First Name.


Fig. 3

2.1.4 Click on the Find command button to initiate the search. (Click on Clear to delete search strings and start over or Cancel to abort.) When using a partial search string, such as the first three letters of the Last Name, a list of candidate names will appear in a selection list. Select the target teacher from the list to open the record. If a unique match is found, the Main Form will open with the target teacher's name displayed in the upper left corner (Fig. 4).


Fig. 4 - Main Form

2.2.1 Select the target Track.
Only tracks to which the teacher has been scheduled will be available as selections in a drop down list activated by a field button.

2.2.2 Select the target Term
As pre-defined in the Track Editor for the selected Track.


Fig. 5

2.2.3 Select the Class Description
Only classes scheduled in the Master Schedule for the teacher, track, and term selected will available as selections in this field. And then only classes that have their Assign Grades attribute set to "On" in the Master Schedule.

Class Descriptions are displayed in the format of "period code/course ID number/section number/description" (Fig. 5). Select the target class from the drop down list or use the VCR buttons to scroll forward or backward through the available classes. Classes are sorted in ascending numerical order according to their period code. The students enrolled in the class selected will be automatically displayed as a roster in the Student Name column (Fig. 6).


Fig. 6 - roster of students for selected class

2.3.1 Open Preferences dialog screen
From the task bar of the program window, open the File menu and select 'Preferences' (Fig. 7).

Fig. 7

2.3.2 Set Preference
In the Preferences dialog screen that appears (Fig. 8), set the Assign Default Percentages for New Grading Scales option to 'Off' or 'On' by clicking in the radio buttons.


Fig. 8


• Off -

If this option is checked, no default grading scale percentages will be generated when a Mark Set is selected for a Subject.
• On -

If this option is selected, a system generated grading curve will be calculated and displayed in the Percentage column across from each mark in the Subject definition form.

The preference set here will only apply to the selected teacher. Both the 'Off' and 'On' options will initially be unset (blank) until one of them is checked and the selection is saved. If no option is selected the percentage preference will effectively be 'Off' by default, although there will be no check mark in the radio button to indicate that status. (The other settings in this screen need not be set at this time. These settings are covered in Sec. 4, Entering Grades).

2.3.3 Save settings
Click on the Done command button to save the settings, or Cancel to discard any changes made since the last save.

Define Subjects > Define Categories > Define Tasks.

An unlimited number of Subjects may be defined for a class. In an elementary school class, one teacher usually teaches a variety of subjects. Therefore, an elementary grade book normally has several Subjects defined for a single class so that Gradebook can report a final grade for each subject. A secondary school course is normally more specialized and has only one Subject defined, returning one final grade for that subject. In any case a minimum of one Subject is required to setup a grade book.

2.4.1 Open Setup Form



Click on the Setup command button to open a blank Setup Form (Fig. 9). The initial form has three areas: Subjects, Categories, and Tasks. All three will be empty at first when setting up a new Grade Book.


Fig. 9 - Setup Form

2.4.2 Open the Subject Definition form



Click on the Subject command button to open the Subject Definition Form in the read-only mode (Fig. 10)


Fig. 10 - Subject Definition Form, read-only mode, no Subjects defined

2.4.3 Activate Entry mode



Click on the Add command button. The entry mode is signified when the data fields turn from gray to white and the default options appear in the radio buttons (Fig. 11).


Fig. 11 - Subject Definition Form, entry Mode

2.4.4 Define Subject Attributes


• Subject -

Enter a descriptive name for the Subject.
• Display: -

This determines the format for entering grades in the Main Form. Either method results in the same final grade. The display format can be changed at any time using the edit mode in this Form.
• Scores - grades are entered as numerical values representing points earned from points possible (Default selection) (Fig. 12).


Fig. 12


• Grades -grades are entered as letter grades, as defined in the Grading Curve (Fig. 13).


Fig. 13


• Calculation -
• Points Method - A student's score-to-date (final score) for the class (displayed on the Main Form) will equal the percentage of the total points earned for all Tasks against the total points possible for all Tasks (Default selection).
• Percent Method - A student's score-to-date (final score) for the class (displayed on the Main Form) will equal the average percentage of the percentage values earned from each Task.
• Missing scores -

Missing scores are scores not entered after their due date. This could occur because the student has not turned in the assignment or the teacher has not entered the score yet. There are two ways to count missing scores. Choose one:
• Count As Zero - Scores not entered for a Task after the due date will be counted as zero after the date due (Default selection).
• Not Counted - Scores not entered for a Task after the due date will not be included in any grade calculations.
• Mark Set -

Select a Mark Set from the drop-down list. A Mark Set is group of marks that is authorized for use in the district. Available Mark Sets have been pre-defined in the Mark Reporting module (See Mark Reporting, Step 6, "Assign Mark Values" for details). The marks in the set selected will automatically be displayed in the Grade/Percentage table below.
• Grade/Percentage (Grading Curve) -

The marks from the Mark Set selected above will appear in the Grade column. The marks will be sorted in ascending numeric order according to their numeric value as defined in the Num Mrk field in the Mark Values application (or in alphanumeric order if their numeric value has not yet been defined). A system generated grading curve will be calculated and displayed in the Percentage column across from each mark if the preference for this feature was set to 'On' (See Step 2.3). This grading curve calculation is done by evenly distributing the grade percentage cutoff points within the range of 50% to 100% among all the marks displayed in the Mark Set (Fig. 14). The percentage values entered calculate against to the percentage of points possible for Tasks as they defined in the Setup Form (See Step 2.5), thus creating the grading curve.


Fig. 14 - sample Mark Set

The system generated percentages are merely suggestions. The percentages can be adjusted by inserting the cursor in the target cell and editing the value (Fig. 15) or by moving the focus to the target cell with the arrow keys and overwriting the existing value. If the preference for this feature was set to 'Off' in Step 2.3, the Percentage column will be populated with zeros. User defined percentages must be entered at this time.


Fig. 15 - editing a percentage value form 90% to 95%

Although the percentages can be edited, the marks themselves cannot be edited in this application. Only the marks provided in the selected Mark Set can be used for grading, though not all marks in the Set are required to be included in the grading curve. As a convenience, all marks can be cleared from the grid via the Clear Marks command button and then re-added, one by one, for the purpose of building a customized grading curve. Likewise, individual marks can be deleted or re-added using the other command buttons, as follows:

• Clear Marks -

Clears all grade curve entries in both the Grade and Percentage columns.
• Add Mark -

This command opens the 'Add Mark' dialog box (Fig. 16) that will allow the user to retrieve any mark that was previously cleared or deleted. Make a selection from the drop-down list and click the Done command button to add the mark back to the grid, or Cancel to abort.


Fig. 16

Any mark added in this fashion will be restored to the grid with a zero (0.0) percentage value. The percentage value for the mark should be entered at this time. Valid Percentage values for all marks must be entered before the Subject can be saved. No duplicate percentage values are allowed in the grade curve. If an attempt is made to add another grade while there is a duplicate percentage value already existing in the grid (including a zero), a message will appear to remind the user that the value already exists (Fig. 17).


Fig. 17

Click "OK" to go back to the grid. Edit the percentage value for the grade that is highlighted so that it does not match any other percentage value in the grid.

• Delete Mark -

Not all marks in the selected Mark Set have to be used in the grading curve. To delete a mark, click on the target entry in the grid until the line is selected by a small, black pointer on the left (Fig. 18). Then click on the Delete Mark command button. In the dialog box that appears (Fig. 19) answer "Yes" to confirm the deletion or "No" to cancel.


Fig. 18

Fig. 19


Fig. 20 - Sample Subject definition in the edit/entry mode

2.4.4 Define Grading Options



Grading options are behind the scenes calculations (and/or comments) that can be applied to the given mark for a Task. Options are defined on a per Subject basis only. When a calculation Option is applied it will only affect the final grade and will not alter the entered value in the Main Form for the task itself. Options and comments applied to grades are hidden in the Main Form's default view. The user must double-click the target grade cell to view or apply the Grading Options data (Fig. 21). Grading Options can be defined so that the marks they are applied to will be colored coded in the Main Form (See Sec. 1, Fig. 2). These color codes function as flags to indicate to the user that a particular grade has an Option or comment associated to it (See Sec. 4, "Entering Grades" for further details). But before Options can be applied to a mark, they must first be defined in the following steps:


Fig. 21 - Viewing Options of a grade cell

Prerequisite:
Grading Option descriptions and codes must first be defined in the zscoreas table via the Table Editor program. This is normally done during the installation and configuration of SIS 2000+.


2.4.4.1 Initiate
Click on the Options command button at the bottom of the Subject Definition Form to open the 'Subject Grading Options' dialog (Fig. 22).


Fig. 22

2.4.4.2 Select an Option to define from the drop-down list.

2.4.4.3 Define the selected Option.
Click on the Edit command button to activate the edit mode. Use the TAB key to move from field to field.

• Score Value -

Enter a percentage value to calculate against the entered value of a score.
• Ignore Task -

Check this box to cause the score entered on a task to be ignored in the calculation of the student's final grade in the course.
• Score Color -

Click on the Change command button to open a color chart (Fig. 23). Select a color code to apply to the Option being defined. All marks associated with this code, within the current Subject, will be flagged with this color in the Grade Book's Main Form. Click on OK to save and apply the selected color, or Cancel to abort.


Fig. 23

Example No. 1 "Late Submission" (Fig. 24)
A teacher may want to deduct 20% of the value of scores earned on homework assignments that are turned in late. In this scenario, the calculation would be defined by entering 80.0 % in the Score Value field (leave the Ignore Task field unchecked). Then, if a student earned 100% on a homework task that was turned in late they would receive only 80% credit for that Task towards their final grade (a deduction of 20%) even though the 100% mark earned was entered and displayed for reference in the Grade Book. Assign a color code. Save.


Fig. 24

Example No. 2 "Zero Score" (Fig. 25)
A teacher may want to deduct 100% of the value of scores earned on tests where the student was caught cheating or breaking rules. In this scenario, the calculation would be defined by entering "0.0 %" in the Score Value field (leave the Ignore Task field unchecked). Then, no matter what score was earned by a student on a test where they were in violation, all of that score would be deducted in the calculation of their final grade for the course even though the score they would have earned is still entered and displayed for reference in the Grade Book. Assign a color code. Save.


Fig. 25

Example No. 3 "Excuse Student from Task" (Fig. 26)
This type of Option will cause the entered score to be ignored in the calculation of the final grade. To create this calculation, put a check mark in the Ignore Task field. (The Score Value field will then be rendered non applicable). Assign a color code. Save.


Fig. 26

Example No. 4 "Comment Only" (Fig. 27)
By leaving the Score Value field blank and the Ignore Task field unchecked an Option will have no effect on the score entered in the Grade Book. Use this configuration to provide for a comment field when the grade cell in the Grade Book is right clicked. Assign a color code. Save.


Fig. 27


2.4.4.4 Save/ Edit Grading Option
Click on the Save command button to save the Option, or Undo to cancel. A previously defined Option may be edited using the Edit command button in this dialog. When finished defining Options, click on the Quit command button to return to the Subject Definition Form (Fig. 20).

2.4.4.5 Repeat
Repeat Steps 2.4.4.1- 2.4.4.4 to define more Options, or continue with Step 2.4.5.


2.4.5 Save Subject attributes
Click on the Save command button to save the Subject data, or Undo to cancel. After a successful save the view in the Subject Definition Form will revert to the read-only mode, signified when the data fields turn from white to gray.

2.4.6 Exit Subject Definition form
Click on the Quit command button to exit the Subject Definition Form and return to the Setup Form.

2.4.7 View defined Subject in Setup Form, upper left (Fig. 28)


Fig. 28 - 'Setup Form', first Subject defined

2.4.8 Define more Subjects
Elementary school classes will likely need several Subjects defined. Secondary school classes normally need only one Subject defined. Repeat Steps 2.4-2.4.7 define another Subject, if required.

2.5.1 Go to Setup Form
Go back to the Setup Form by clicking the Quit command button in the Subject Definition Form.

2.5.1 Select a Subject for which to define Categories
In the Setup Form, select a Subject in the Subject list (in the upper left of the form) until it is highlighted in gray (Fig. 28).

2.5.2 Open Category Definition Form



Click on the Category command button to open the Category Definition Form in the read-only mode (Fig. 29). The Subject selected for Category definition will be displayed directly above the Category Description field.


Fig. 29 - Category Definition Form, read-only mode, no Categories defined.

2.5.3 Activate the entry mode



Click on the Add command button to activate the entry mode (Fig. 30).


Fig. 30 - Category definition form, entry mode.

2.5.4 Define a Category
The focus will move to the first blank line. Enter a Category Description and then a numerical value for Weight (default is "1"). The Weight value in this column will determine the relative weight between Categories when calculating grades.

View Sample Grade Calculations

2.5.5 Save the Category
After a Category is defined it must be saved before the next Category can be defined. Click on the Save command button, or Undo to cancel.

2.5.6 Define more Categories
Repeat steps 2.5.1 - 2.5.5 to define more Categories, if needed.

2.5.7 Exit the Category definition screen
Click on the Quit command button to exit the Category definition screen and return to the Setup Form.

2.5.8 View Categories in the Setup Form, upper portion. (Fig. 31)
Categories for the selected Subject (left side) will appear with their defined Weights (right side).


Fig. 31 - Setup Form, Categories defined for the first Subject

2.6.1 Select a Category for which to define Tasks
Select a Category in the Category list of the Setup Form until it is highlighted in gray (Fig. 32).


Fig. 32

2.6.2 Add a Task
Click the Add command button to activate the entry mode, indicated when the Setup Form grid turns from gray to white (Fig. 33).

2.6.3 Define a Task
Begin by inserting the cursor or moving the focus to the first blank cell in the Task Description column. Enter a description. Use the Tab key to move to the other fields and complete the data as follows:

• Task Description -

Name of the Task.
• Abbreviation -

Enter an abbreviation for the Task Description. This will be used for the column headers in the Grade Book Main Form. If no abbreviation is entered the system will automatically abbreviate each task with A, B, C, etc., similar to a spreadsheet.
• Date -

Enter the due date for the assignment. The date must be within the selected term of the current course section (Default due date is the last day of the term selected).
• Points Possible -

Enter the maximum possible points that can be earned (default is 100).
• Weight -

The value entered in this column will determine the relative weight between Tasks when calculating grades.
• Extra Credit -

If checked, this task will not be included in grade calculation if its score is omitted in the Grade Book.


Fig. 33 - Setup Form, Entry mode


2.6.4 Save Task
Each Task added must be saved before another Task can be added. Click on the Save command button to save the Task.

2.6.5 Add more Tasks to current Category
Repeat Steps 2.5.2-2.5.4.

2.6.6 Add Tasks to other Categories
Repeat Steps 2.6.1-2.6.5 to add tasks to other Categories defined for the current Subject.

2.6.7 Define Categories and add Tasks for other Subjects
If there is more than one Subject, select another Subject in the Subject list in the Setup form and repeat Steps 2.6.1-2.6.6 to define Categories and Tasks for each remaining Subject.

2.6.8 View all Tasks in Setup
To view a list of Tasks, select a Class Description, Subject, and Category in the Setup Form. The list of Tasks defined will be displayed in the grid sorted in ascending chronological order by the Date field (Fig. 34).


Fig. 34

Fig. 35

Select a Subject in the Subject field (this field will not be selectable if there is only one Subject defined for the class). To the right of the roster is a grid, much like a spreadsheet, with columns denoting all defined Tasks (using their abbreviations) from all Categories within the selected Subject in chronological order, by due date, from left to right. Grades will be entered in the intersecting cells for each student. When a cell is selected, the Task's attributes, such as Name, Category, Weights, Points Possible, etc., are displayed in the data fields in the upper right corner of the form.

The grade book is now ready for entering grades.

• To proceed with the grading process go to Sec. 4, Entering Grades.
• To copy setups from one class to another go to Sec. 3, Copying Setups
• To edit data in a Grade Book go to Sec. 5, Editing Data

2.8 Check status of a class
Statistics of a selected class can be viewed. Select "Status" from the Help menu (Fig. 35a) to open the 'GradeBook Status' screen (Fig. 35b). Essential class data is displayed, such as the number of students enrolled in the class, number of Subjects, Categories, and Tasks, etc.

Fig. 35a

Fig. 35b