10 Ways to Maximize Efficiency and Engagement in Canvas Grading: A Faculty Guide
December 7, 2023
Emerging Technologies, Teach-Tech-Talks (TTT), Teaching and Learning
Teach-Tech -Talks (TTT) Session 2: Dr. Susan Boyer
On Thursday, December 7, the IDEAS team held the second session of the Teach-Tech-Talks (TTT) series. The guest speaker was Dr. Susan Boyer, an experienced instructor from the Isenberg School of Management. Having played a significant role in the initial pilot of Canvas, Dr. Boyer has extensive experience with grading both in-person and online students. In her talk, she shared practical tips and strategies that have made her grading process on Canvas more efficient and engaging. Her advice provided useful pointers for faculty members aiming to improve their use of Canvas.
Here are the top 10 ways from Dr. Boyer to maximize LMS Canvas for efficient grading:
Select a section title below to find out more about these innovative Canvas strategies.
Canvas allows you to add a Notes column in the Gradebook. This feature is incredibly useful for keeping track of additional student information or miscellaneous course notes.
How to enable it:
Access the settings widget in the Gradebook.
Click on “View Options” and select “Notes” to make it visible.
You can also optimize the color codes (Status Color) for different assignment statuses.
Remember!
Students cannot see the Notes.
Once enabled, these settings carry over to your new courses.
Providing feedback through audio or video in SpeedGrader can be a game-changer. It's usually quicker than typing, and students appreciate the personal touch.
How to enable it?
Navigate to SpeedGrader from the To-Do list on the Dashboard or Homepage.
Locate the audio/video icon and record your feedback.
Remember!
Students tend to prefer this form of feedback, as it creates a more personal connection and enhances instructor presence, especially in large classes.
Note that the “Speech to text” function might not be very accurate.
Repetitive feedback is a common issue in grading. A comment library in SpeedGrader can save you significant time, ensuring consistency in feedback across different students and classes, particularly for general or generic feedback.
How to do it?
In SpeedGrader, click the Comment icon.
Add frequently used comments to the library.
These comments can be easily inserted and edited before sending them to students.
Efficient grading also involves organizing submissions. The default sorting is sorting by alphabet, but more can be done, such as sorting by those who have submitted the assignment.
How to do it?
Use the setting widget to access options.
Choose your preferred sorting method and save the settings.
Allowing multiple submissions can be beneficial for students, but it's important to manage them effectively.
How to do it?
When creating the assignment, make sure you enable the multiple submissions option.
Once students submit the assignment, you can view how many times a student has submitted an assignment in the SpeedGrader.
Remember!
The most recent score replaces previous ones.
Be careful with feedback on multiple submissions, as students may only see feedback from the latest submission.
Canvas supports anonymous grading by TAs, but there are some nuances to be aware of:
Comments made by TAs are not anonymous.
Grading with a rubric is not anonymous, while entering a point score is.
Text file annotations in SpeedGrader are anonymous but not the strikeout or bubble features.
To navigate SpeedGrader more efficiently, take advantage of keyboard shortcuts.
How to use it?
Access shortcuts through the setting widget.
Use shortcuts like 'J' for the next student, 'C' to leave a comment, and 'G' to change grade.
Canvas allows for seamless import and export of grades using CSV files.
For Importing:
Create or use a provided CSV file.
Upload data in Gradebook and save changes after review.
For Exporting:
Export scores from the Gradebook as a CSV file.
It's advisable to manage the data in Excel before re-uploading to Canvas, as downloaded Files are not sorted in a useful way for Canvas Grading.
Weighted grading can reflect the diverse importance of different assessments. Canvas allows for straightforward setting up of these weights directly in the Assignments section.
How to Set Up?
In Assignments, click the three dots and select assignment group weights.
Canvas Gradebook allows you to communicate with students based on their performance and submission patterns, fostering a more interactive and responsive learning environment.
In the Gradebook, use the “message students who” feature to target specific groups based on their academic activities. For example, you can send a message to those who:
Have not yet submitted
Have not been graded
Scored more than
Scored less than
Reassigned
These tips and tricks are more than just features; they are ways to make the grading process not only efficient but also a part of a holistic educational experience. By integrating these into your Canvas workflow, you can significantly enhance your and your student's experience in the educational journey.