Viewing and Grading Assignments

To grade an assignment, take the steps outlined below and as demonstrated in the video:

1. Select Assessments in the navbar, and then Assignments
2. Select an assignment folder link
3. Scroll down to the table to view users’ submissions
4. Select the link to a submitted file to view it
5. If using Turnitin, refer to Similarity Reports and Score to better understand similarity ranges before continuing with the steps below

Enter a score using one of the two following workflows:

Option A) Using the Rubric

If using the Avenue to Learn rubric tool:

Read more

1. In the Evaluation and Feedback panel, select the rubric title (below the grid icon*) to open the rubric in a pop-up window
2. Select a score for each criterion by selecting a box in each row; at the bottom of the rubric, the Overall Score will be tallied automatically
3. Selecting an Add Feedback link will open an input area for feedback; clicking an ‘out of’ score will allow you to adjust the points
4. When done, select the Close button to close the rubric pop-up and transfer the score to the Evaluation and Feedback panel
5. The rubric score will now be displayed in the Evaluation and Feedback panel; additional Feedback can be added here (scroll down, if necessary, to see the Feedback input area)
6. When done, select the Save Draft button to record the information (publish releases the score immediately for student viewing; however, it is recommended that all students be graded first in draft mode before publishing the grades in bulk)
7. Proceed to the next student and repeat steps until all submissions have been evaluated
8. When done, select the Back to Folder Submissions button
9. On the Folder Submissions screen, select the checkbox in the first table row (the header row) to select all rows
10. Select Publish Feedback to release all scores for student viewing
11. The word Published, and the publishing date and time, will be displayed beside each user’s name to indicate a successful release of scores

View Video

Adjusting the Criteria Score

The rubric is organized by criteria and levels. Each level of achievement (e.g., meets all expectations, meets most expectations, meets some expectations, and does not meet expectations) is defined by an overall score range (e.g, does not meet expectations has score range of 0 – 7 points) and overall descriptions of what each level looks like.

Option B) No Rubric

Granting Special Access

“Special Access” is a tool allowing instructors to set distinct availability dates and times for specific students. It may be used to extend the deadline for students needing extra support or to grant a deadline extension. It’s also applicable after an assignment’s end date has passed, aiding students with valid reasons for missing the deadline or those required to submit additional materials.

To add special access to an assignment using the new assignment creation experience:

Viewing an Assignment Submission Log

Assignments have a log that allow you to filter and determine when a learner submitted a file, and whether the learner or instructor deleted the submission.

1. On the Assignments page, from the context menu of an assignment, click Submission Log.
2. Filter the log as applicable, by Submitted (shows all submissions), Deleted, Restored, or Started.
3. Sort by Date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the late penalty automatically applied? Do late penalties need to be manually calculated?

No, late penalties are not automatically applied in Avenue to Learn. When an assignment is submitted after the due date, the instructor is responsible for manually calculating and applying the late penalty to adjust the assignment grade.

To apply the late penalty:

Why does selecting “does not meet expectations” on the rubric award a passing grade?

Analytic rubrics are structured with various levels of achievement and their corresponding point ranges. For example, these levels might be “Does Not Meet Expectations,” “Meets Some of the Expectations,” “Meets Most of the Expectations,” and “Meets All Expectations.” Each level has an associated point range, such as 0-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10, respectively.

When you select a level on the rubric, like “Does Not Meet Expectations,” the system automatically assigns the highest point value within that level’s range — in this case, 4. This is why even a “Does Not Meet Expectations” level can still award a non-zero grade.

However, this score isn’t locked in. If you wish to adjust it, click on the score in the text input box and assign the appropriate point value. Remember, the full point ranges for each level are outlined in the assignment guidelines.

Using Rubrics

For more information about how to evaluate and assess using rubrics, check out the video below:

References

Brightspace Tutorials. (2017, June 1). Assignments (Dropbox) – grade submissions in assignments – instructor. YouTube. https://youtu.be/PONZCLWVThg

Brightspace Tutorials. (2019, September 4). Assignments – add restrictions to an assignment – instructor. YouTube. https://youtu.be/bA9Z20y_nIY

D2L. (2020, April 16). Easily evaluate and assess students with rubrics in Brightspace. YouTube. https://youtu.be/BbZ10LqIskY

D2L Knowledge. (2023, July 7). Set release conditions and special access in assignments. Brightspace. https://community.d2l.com/brightspace/kb/articles/3406-set-release-conditions-and-special-access-in-assignments