The Moodle 3.7 Gradebook offers more than just numerical scores; it allows for the implementation of letter grades, providing a clear and intuitive representation of student performance. This feature, known as “Letters,” allows you to set percentage-based thresholds that translate numerical results into corresponding letter grades.
Setting Up Your Letter Grades
You have the flexibility to configure letter grades at both the course level and the server level.
- Course-Level Customization: Within your individual course’s Gradebook settings, you can edit the default letter grade percentages. This allows you to tailor the grading scale to the specific needs of your course, overriding the site-wide defaults.
- Server-Level Defaults: For consistent grading across an entire institution, an administrator can adjust the overall letter grade settings at the server level. This ensures that all courses adhere to a standardized grading system unless otherwise specified at the course level.
Applying Letter Grades to Assignments
Let’s walk through an example of how to apply letter grades to an assignment within your Moodle course.
- Define Pass/Fail Thresholds: Before applying letter grades, it’s crucial to establish a clear pass/fail threshold for your assignments. For instance, if anything above 60% is considered a pass, you’ll set the “Grade to Pass” in your assignment settings to 60.
- Assignment Grade Settings:
- Navigate to your assignment’s settings.
- Ensure the “Grade” type is set to “Point” and the “Maximum grade” is appropriate (e.g., 100).
- Crucially, set the “Grade to Pass” value (e.g., 60).
- Save your changes.
Viewing Letter Grades in Action
Once your letter grades are configured and assignment grades are entered, you can adjust how these grades are displayed in the Gradebook.
- Initial Grade Entry: When entering student grades, you will still input numerical scores (e.g., 55, 85). These numerical results are the raw data that the letter grade system interprets.
- Adjusting Grade Display Type:
- Go to “Setup” in your Gradebook.
- Select “Course grade settings.”
- Scroll down to “Grade display type.”
- Here, you have several options:
- Letter and Percentage: Shows both the letter grade and the numerical percentage (e.g., F (55%)).
- Letter and Real: Shows the letter grade and the actual numerical score (e.g., F (55)).
- Letter: Displays only the letter grade (e.g., F).
By selecting “Letter” or “Letter and Percentage/Real,” your Gradebook will visually transform the numerical scores into their corresponding letter grades, providing a quick and clear overview of student performance.
Editing and Understanding the Numerical Backbone
While students may see a letter grade, it’s important to remember that the underlying grade in Moodle is always a numerical value.
- Editing Grades: If you need to edit a student’s grade, you will still input a numerical score. The system will then refresh and display the corresponding letter grade.
- Normal Grading Workflow: Typically, instructors will grade assignments and enter numerical scores directly into the grading interface. Moodle will then automatically convert these numerical grades into letter grades based on your established settings.
Conclusion
The “Letters” feature in Moodle 3.7 Gradebook offers a powerful way to enhance the clarity and communication of student progress. By setting up percentage-based letter grade thresholds, you can provide students with a familiar and easily understandable representation of their performance, while still maintaining the precision of numerical grading behind the scenes. This flexibility allows for a more intuitive and effective grading experience for both instructors and students.