Gradebook

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GradeBook?

GradeBook is a web-enabled spreadsheet that allows instructors to manage all their term and final marks. The data is stored in a central database administered by the Office of the Registrar. Students may view their marks using their Infoweb password if the instructor uses Gradebook and renders the marks public.

At the end of the term, the instructor can request that the final marks be uploaded to the SIS - (no class lists, no need for the departments to retype the final grades in the SIS, no need to post lists of marks).

Students will not get access to their official final session grade through Gradebook. Final grades will be available through the students Infoweb account once the professor has submitted the marks and they have been approved by the faculty.

Who can use GradeBook to manage their marks?

Anyone teaching a course at the University and who's Class List is in the Student Information System (SIS) has access to GradeBook.

How do I as a Professor access GradeBook?

To log on to GradeBook users will have to log on to InfoWeb: the University of Ottawa's Web Services Portal.

To be able to use GradeBook for one of your courses:

• Your Faculty/Department must have entered your name in the SIS as the instructor for the course.
• Log on to Infoweb and click on GradeBook. Check the box beside each of the course sections you want to include in GradeBook.
• Courses are downloaded every Monday and Wednesday.
• You must wait until the next download; then when you log on to GradeBook via Infoweb, your class list will be available.

Do I need any special software (or hardware) to use GradeBook?

An instructor (or TA) can use any Windows PC or Mac (OS 10.1 or more) which has an Internet connection. You must also install a JAVA plug-in. This plug-in is available from the following site : http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp and then just follow the instructions.

Compatibility List:

Server

• Operating System:
  • Windows NT, Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003
• Web Server:
  • IIS 4+
• Hardware:
  • Processor: 1000 MHz or greater (P4, bi-processor preferred)
  • RAM: 1+ GB of RAM
  • Storage: 20GB hard disk drive
• Additional Software:
  • MSXML 4+
  • Windows Scripting Host 5.6+

Database

• Operating System:
  • No requirement on Decision Academic side. (Driven by the choice of database, usually Unix or WinNT/2K/2K3)
• Database Software:
  • Oracle 8i+, MS SQL Server 2000+
• Hardware:
  • Sufficient to run database

Student users

• Operating System:
  • An OS capable of running a current web browser. (Windows recommended)
• Browser:
  • Internet Explorer 5+, Netscape 6+
• Hardware:
  • Sufficient to run browser and OS
• Network Connection:
  • This is a Web application and therefore an Internet/Intranet connection is required.
  • Dialup users may experience slow response times. (Broadband is recommended.)

Staff users

• Operating System:
  • Windows 95/98(SE), Windows NT/2000/XP
• Browser:
  • Internet Explorer 5+, Netscape 6+
• Hardware:
  • Sufficient to run browser and OS
• Network Connection:
  • This is a Web application and therefore an Internet/Intranet connection is required.
  • Dialup users may experience slow response times. (Broadband is recommended.)

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N.B. If at any time, you log on to GradeBook and you are unable to view your class list with the marks, check if the plug-in has been properly installed on the machine.

Do students need any special software (or hardware) to use GradeBook?

A student only needs a connection to the Internet and his or her Infoweb Password (issued to every registered student).

N.B. Students do not need to install the java plug-in to access Gradebook to check their grades. TA's YES!

Will I have to enter all my marks?

Professors have the option of designating their TA's or other assistants (and issuing them passwords) to enter their grades. All this is done through GradeBook itself for each TA and you may restrict his or her access only to certain type of columns (for example only assignments).

How do I give permission to a TA to enter grades?

This is done in two steps:

Step 1: Assign the TA to the course

From the GradeBook menu, click on the class to which you wish to assign a TA, then click on « TA ». Now there are 2 possibilities: the first is that your TA already has a GradeBook account (he is a TA for another class) in which case you would click on « Add a teaching assistant » and do a search by name or employee number for your TA. The second possibility is that your TA doesn't have a GradeBook account in which case you must create one by clicking on « Create a new assistant ». Fill out the form and save.

Step 2: Give your TA access to the class

You have 2 types of access to define: first, you can give your TA access to enter grades for the whole class or only to a sub-group of the class (using « Range assignment », « Section assignment » or « Student assignment »). Then, you can give your TA access to enter grade for only some of your spreadsheet columns (tests/assignments) or to all of them except the final exam (using « Test assignment »).

From the GradeBook menu, select the class to which your TA has been assigned then click on « Instructor Manager ». You are now in « Range assignment ».

Defining access to students (one of three ways): You can assign students to your TA by last name (ex: all students from A to M). From the « Range assignment » section, choose the assistant from the list of instructors and click « Add New ». Enter the desired Upper and Lower Bounds. The Lower Bound is inclusive and the Upper Bound is exclusive. For example, to assign students from A to M, you would enter 'A' as the Lower Bound and 'N' as the upper bound. Under « Access Type » you must specify either « RW » which allows the TA to view and change the marks, or « R » which only allows the TA to view the marks, not change them. Save.

If you would rather assign students to your TA by section, click on « Section assignment » and choose the assistant from the list of instructors. Select the desired section(s) and click on either « transfer[RW] » (view and enter/change the marks) or « transfer [R] » (only view the marks). Save.

Finally, if you would rather assign students to your TA individually, click on « Student assignment » and select the TA from the instructor list. Then click on the appropriate box(es) beside each student's name and save.

Defining access to columns: Click on « Test assignment » and choose the TA from the instructor list. Check the appropriate box(es) for each test (Read, Write or both).

Once you have completed this procedure, the TA will have access via the URL : https://gradebook.dagsoft.com/ottawa/login.htm

What if my TA forgets his or her Password?

The instructor must re-assign a new Password by accessing the TA's profile and changing the Password.

Can I export to or import grades from an ordinary spreadsheet?

Yes. GradeBook has Export and Import functions to Excel. So you could export grades to Excel to use the functions available in Excel. This can also allow you to work off-line: download your class list and use Excel to enter the grades and then re-import the updated list. Click on Misc Tools, select Export or Import Grades and then follow the instructions.

Can I produce reports on my grades?

Yes. GradeBook has different pre-packaged reports.

Is it possible for me to have my final grades computed from the term marks?

Yes. GradeBook allows the use of formulas to compute your final grade from the set of your term marks and then convert them to Alphanumeric values according to the official table. These could then be uploaded to the University's SIS.

How do I obtain my most up to date class list?

Once you have chosen to use GradeBook, your class list will automatically be refreshed several times per week from the SIS. The list is color coded to show which students have dropped your course.

You cannot add names to your list; the student must contact his or her Faculty or Department to ensure that he or she is registered in your course.

How do students check their marks?

Students must log on to GradeBook via Infoweb (using their Infoweb Password).

N.B. If a student has forgotten (or has never used Infoweb) his or her password contact Infoservice or the Computing Help Desk for instructions on how to proceed. Students can only view their own grades if (and when) the instructor has chosen to make the grades « Public ». Professors have the option to change the marks from pending to public on the status property for a specific test.

How do I determine which statistical informations I want the student to view about the course?

If the professor has determined that the information about the course is Public he must then go to Misc tools in Gradebook click on Student View and then select the information that the student can view about the course. (class average for example)

Is GradeBook secure?

The University has exercised utmost care in the design of all its applications to ensure the confidentiality of its operations. Infoweb is a secure site and our systems are closely monitored to detect any unauthorized attempts to access our systems.

Quick Guide to GradeBook

Configuring columns for entering marks :

When you first log on to GradeBook, you will only see a list of student names without any columns to enter grades. You have to add columns one by one by clicking on

When you add a new column, you will be asked to specify a set of parameters :

• Caption - the name of the column
• Value Types - the kind of entries - « Numeric » or « Official Grades ».
• Column Type - is it an assignment, a final exam, a midterm, etc.
• Total Marks - the maximum marks allowed (if it is numeric)
• Status - whether the marks are « Public » or « Pending ».
  • « Public » means that students will see the grade if they log on to GradeBook.
  • « Pending » means that only Instructors or TA's may view the grades.
• Once you have set those parameters, you may change them at any time, by right-clicking on the header of the column.

Can I re-order the columns?

If you double-click on the header of a column, the column is re-ordered. If it was in increasing order, it is re-ordered in decreasing order and vice-versa.

Test types :

The Final Numeric and Final Alpha types are used in the computation and assigning of Final Grades which are to be uploaded to the SIS.

You do not need to assign other Test Types to your columns (tests) UNLESS you want to assign weights according to types of « Tests » (See the section of « Computation of Final grades »).

N.B. For any class, you are allowed to have ONLY one column of type Final Numeric and ONLY one column of type Final Alpha. The contents of the Final Alpha column will be uploaded to the SIS when you click on « Submit Class ».

Can I lock the columns?

At the top of each column, you may click on the « lock » to lock or unlock the column. A locked column prevents you from inadvertently changing an entry. You may also « minimize » any column as in any Windows application by clicking on (iconify column) at the top of the column.

Can I attach a private note to any grade?

You may add or edit a private note (which can be viewed by the author ONLY) to any mark given to any student. Just right-click on the mark and click on Gradenotes a new screen opens which allows you to type a private note. The screen may appear behind the actual screen you are working on.

If there is a private note associated with any mark, the cell is yellow.

Grade computation?

GradeBook allows an instructor to compute the numeric entries in a specific column using the marks in certain other columns. You must first ensure that for each column that is used in the formula you have entered a value in « Total Marks » for the column.

To illustrate how to proceed, here are two examples :

CASE A : You have 5 columns and you would like to assign the following weights : 20, 20, 10, 5, 45 respectively. Ensure that your columns have a number in the field Total marks under Column Properties for each assignment, test etc�.

1. Click on the Scale Icon , then on the Formula Icon .
2. Click on « Simple Weighting »
3. Enter the desired weight for each test ensuring that the total for all weights is equal to 100 (ex: 20, 20, 10, 5 and 45).
4. Click on the General tab and name your formula so that you can recognize it at a later date.
5. Save it. Now that it is saved, you can look at the formula by clicking on the and selecting the desired formula from the entries on the left hand side of the window.
6. Return to the spreadsheet by clicking on the Icon.
7. Associate the formula to the column by right clicking on the header of the column where you want the marks to be computed and in formula enter the name of the formula you chose.

CASE B : You have 10 columns and they are of the following 5 types:

5 columns of type : « Assignment »
2 columns of type : « Midterm »
1 column of type : « Participation »
1 column of type : « Final Exam »
1 column of type : « Essay »

You want a formula that will assign :

20% for « Assignments » ignoring the lowest mark among the 5 assignments.
20% for « Midterms » ignoring the lowest of the two midterms.
5% for « Participation ».
40% for « Final Exam ».
15% for the « Essay ».

1. Click on the Scale Icon , then on Formula Icon .
2. Click on « Simple Weighting »
3. Click on « Advanced » in the upper right hand corner
4. Select the desired computation. For this example, check « Enable Column type weighting ». Enable column weighting is the default setting. For this example, make sure the box does not have a check mark. You can only select one of the two options.
5. Click on CLOSE
6. Enter the desired weight for each test type in the field Type Weight ensuring that the total for all Type Weights is equal to 100 (For this example enter: 20 for assignments, 20 for midterms, 5 for participation, 40 for final exam, and 15 for essay).
7. Enter the desired number of tests to drop for each test type if applicable in the « Drop lowest » column (For this example: 1 for assignments and 1 for midterms)
8. Click on the General tab and name your formula.
9. Save it.
10. Go back to the Spreadsheet and associate the formula to the column.

How do I submit my grades to the Faculty?

• Each term, there is a deadline to submit your grades. You may submit your grades in GradeBook as long as you respect the deadline.
• You must have a column of Type Final Alpha to be able to submit your grades. Create such a column and then enter your ALPHA grades.
• If your Final Grade is a PERCENTAGE mark, then give that column the type « FINAL NUMERIC ». Then go to the button entitled Action on the menu and click on Add Letter Conversion Column. This will add a new column to your spreadsheet and convert your percentage grade to the equivalent Alpha Grade.
• Finally, go to « Action » then « Submit Class ».
• Inform your Department/Faculty that you have submitted your grades.

N.B. ONCE you have submitted your grades you cannot edit your marks in GradeBook.
Any amendments must be done through your Department/Faculty as before.
We recommend that you print a list of grades before you submit your grades and give the list to your Department/Faculty.

Is there a User's Manual for GradeBook?

You can find a complete User's Handbook at the following URL : http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/index/gradebook/userManual.pdf

If you have any questions or for any problem please check the GradeBook FAQs and if you cannot find the answer then email us at [email protected]