How to Submit the Final Course Grade and Comments (Medical School)

1. Obtain the FINAL course grade statistics from Blackboard.

• • Click the double down arrow next to the name of the test

  • Choose ‘Column Statistics’. This will give you the Average and the Standard Deviation.

  • Process your TEST statistics

    • Average (Mean) = XX.X and Standard Deviation = XX.X

      • # of SD from mean = X (i.e., how many SD from the mean is still passing - this is usually 1.5 or 2 SDs below the Average score.

    • Passing Grade = XX.X

      • • Multiply the SD by the number of SDs your course uses to determine the passing grade 

        • Subtract this value from the Average to get the passing grade.

        • If your course has a fixed test score for passing (e.g. 70), note that as the passing grade.

    • Marginal Grade = XX.X - YY.Y

      • • Marginal grades are the bottom 5% of all passing grades.

        • Multiply the number of students who obtained a passing grade with 0.05

        • This will give you the number of students who passed who should get a marginal grade

  • Please write these down! 

2. Download the Excel file from the Grade Center

• • Go to the Grade Center in the bottom left corner of your course

  • Select Full Grade Center

  • In the upper right corner, hover over Work Offline

  • Select Download

  • Review the Screen Options:

    • • Data

        • • Under Select Data to Download:

          • Click on Selected Column and choose the test column you want to download from the menu

          • Check the box: Include Comments for this Column

      • Options

        • • Keep the following options as is:

          • Delimiter type = Tab

          • Include Hidden Information = No

      • Scroll to the bottom and select Submit

      • Click on Download

      • Save the file in your computer.

3. Open the downloaded file using Excel

• • Open up the downloaded file using Excel.

    • Note: If you get a format warning while opening the file, select ‘Yes’ to ignore it and open the file.

• Look for the FINAL_LETTER_GRADE column

• Ignore the other columns but do NOT delete them.

4. Process the Excel file and fill in the students' FINAL LETTER GRADES

• • Use the column marked FINAL_LETTER_GRADE column

  • Sort the file by USERNAME. This prevents problems with sorting by last name issues - e.g. O'Connor

  • Students who failed the course will be assigned an F; students who were marginal will be assigned an M; students who passed the course will be assigned a P.

  • NOTE: In Excel the column headings that were downloaded from the Grade Center CANNOT be edited. Blackboard includes in each column heading name a numeric identifier that is required by Blackboard, e.g. Column Heading: Test Quiz 1 | 7450. DO NOT REMOVE THESE!

  • IMPORTANT: When finished, Save the file as a TAB DELIMITED file (.txt file)*

    • • Go to File >> Save As >> in 'Format', choose 'Tab Delimited (.txt)'

      • NOTE: If you get a format warning while saving or closing the file, select ‘Continue’ and save the file.

5. Upload the Tab Delimited (*txt) File back to Blackboard

• • Hover your cursor over the Work Offline on the Grade Center page, and click Upload. 

  • Click Browse to search for the file. 

  • Select the Delimiter Type: Comma, Tab, or Auto.

    • • Auto will attempt to automatically detect the delimiter used in the selected file. 

  • Click Submit to upload the selected file. 

  • Review the list of data from the file to be uploaded. 

    • • Use the check boxes to de-select any data to be excluded from the upload. 

      • Using this method, it is possible to upload only the desired columns of data from the file. 

  • Review the Data Preview Column to ensure the correct data is being uploaded. 

    • • Data that appears incorrect can denote an improperly formatted file. 

      • The Data Preview will only show a sample of the data in each column in the file. 

      • Note: Large files take significant time to process and a warning message will be displayed for any files that need extra time to process. To avoid long processing times, break up large files into separate uploads. 

  • Click Submit to confirm and upload the file. 

6. Add a COURSE COMMENT to the student who received an 'F'

• WE STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU DO THIS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVED AN 'F' IN YOUR COURSE!

  • Hover over the student's cell marked either 'F' until you see the double chevron (double down arrows).

  • Click and choose 'Quick Comment' in the contextual menu

  • A window will appear. Type directly your feedback in the 'Feedback to User' box. An example: "You have received a final grade of F for this course. Please arrange for a meeting with me as soon as you are able to."

  • Repeat this step as necessary depending on the number of students who received an 'F'.

7. Release (UNHIDE) the FINAL GRADE/LETTER Column(s) to your Students (USERS)

• • Go to Columns you would like your students to see - i.e. FINAL_LETTER_GRADE COLUMN and FINAL_COURSE_GRADE COLUMN

  • Click on double chevron (double down arrows) next to the column name

  • Select 'Show/Hide to Users'

  • Note: The RED SLASH sign will disappear

8. Send an email to: GradesYear1and2@mssm.edu

• • This is an address used only by the administrative folks who need to see test and course grades. You do not have to send individual e-mails to Student Affairs, OCS, Registrar, etc.

  • The email should include:

    • • A message that you have uploaded the test grade and has released them to your students

      • The test statistics - Average, Standard Deviation, Marginal range, Passing Grade

      • ALSO ADD the number of Ms and number of Fs (NO NAMES!)

      • NO FILE SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO THIS EMAIL

9. Send an email to: MSSM2017@mssm.edu OR MSSM2018@mssm.edu (based on the class you teach)

• • The email should include:

    • • A message that you have uploaded the test grade and has released them to your students

      • The test statistics - Average, Standard Deviation, Marginal range, Passing Grade

      • DO NOT PUT IN ANY STUDENT NAMES or GRADES

  • We also strongly suggest that you place this as an ANNOUNCEMENT in your course.

10. What happens AFTER you submit?

• • Student Affairs has a special tool to see the grades in Blackboard

  • The Registrar staff have a special tool to see the grades in Blackboard

Important Additional Notes

• • Although the registrar records ONLY P or F for the course, the students with an M grade will automatically be converted to a P when the grades are imported automatically from Blackboard to ISIS.

• A change in grade for a student who remediates a course must be communicated to the above email address.

  • If a student drops out of a course during the semester, the student is automatically deleted from the student roster and from any subsequent Excel file generated.