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!
Save the file after you finish, and click Yes when it gives your format warning message.
5. Upload the EXCEL FILE (XLS) 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 and Open it.
Leave the Delimiter Type set to the default selection, Auto.
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.