Grading: Ensuring Graded Elements Do What You Intend

Representing graded components of your class properly in the Canvas learning management system is essential for sharing accurate grades with students and for ensuring transparency between your expectations and theirs.

Guiding Questions

1. Can students easily find the syllabus?

   • Can they view it without having to download it? 
     • How do I edit the Syllabus in a course?
   • Are there clear, measurable learning objectives?
     • See: Articulate Your Learning Objectives for tips, action verbs, and examples or the Teaching Handbook Course Objectives page for a summary.
   • Does it include relevant WWU policies, accommodations info, flexibility statement, etc.
     • Syllabi@wwu – WWU syllabus policies in one place
     • WWU Teaching Handbook: Syllabus Guidelines 
   • Is the method for determining the course grade clear? Does it indicate points or percentages for various assignments?
     • How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?
2. Do the assignments align with the learning objectives and the point distribution indicated on the syllabus?
   • Can you eliminate or streamline any assignments in the alignment process?
   • Can you simplify and clarify the grading process by using rubrics?
     • How do I add a rubric to an assignment?
   • Can you use discussion boards or quizzes to keep students accountable for readings or as a tutorial?
     
     
3. Can you organize the course via the modules instead of with a separate course schedule?
   • Can you minimize the navigational items in favor of placing content in the modules? 
     
     
4. Does the navigation show only the course content that you intend to show?
   
   
5. Is the home page set as a welcome page, modules, or syllabus?
   
   
6. Is everything published or hidden as you intended?
   • Have you viewed the course in Student View?
     
     
7. Are your course materials accessible for those who need visual or auditory accommodations?
   • Self-enroll in the Accessibility Primer for Instructors (a self-directed Canvas course) to review methods.
     
     
8. Did you know you can mute grades while you are grading?
   
   
9. Is Canvas properly calculating (and showing) the course grade?

For assistance with Canvas, see: Canvas Help at WWU.