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Grading & Moodle

  • The points accumulated in laboratory are scaled to 25% of the final grade for the full course.
  • Lab instructors will use Moodle to enter grades:
    • Accessing Moodle:
      1. Go to Moodle.
      2. Use your ISU email address and password to log on.
      3. Click on 'Dashboard' and then click on the Moodle Metacourse/Moodle Child-course under the 'Courses' tab.
    • Create a Moodle group for each lab section.
    • Grades must be entered into Moodle each week. Please make sure grades are entered before the next lab period.
    • Instructors must export and save their gradebook from Moodle at least once a week in case a server error occurs. It is the responsibility of the lab instructor to recover any lost grade data.
    • Mass emails can be sent to each section separately using Quickmail.
  • Mid-term (labs 1-6) and Final (all) lab grades will be calculated each semester:
    • Assignments for labs 1-6 must be entered into Moodle by the Wednesday of Mid-term week
    • Assignments for all labs must be entered by the Monday of Finals week.

Adding Students to Moodle Groups

You will need to add the students that are in your assigned lab section to Moodle Groups:

1. You have access to the Moodle Metacourse and the Moodle child-courses for the lab sections that you teach. The child-courses populate the metacourse with student information. We will use the child-courses for class-lists only. Look for the lab section child-courses that you teach; they will be gray not orange. Click on one and then click on Grades in the left navigation bar. A list of students will show up to the right of the left navigation. This will be your class-list for your lab section. You can export it or just open it in another browser window.
2. On the main page of the Moodle Metacourse, click on the gear icon in the upper right corner. Once expanded, click on More.
3. A Course Administration window will open, look under Users and select Groups.
4. Create your section by clicking on the Create group button and naming your group after your last name and the section number of the lab section you are teaching.
5.
Click on the Add/remove users button under the 'Members of' box.
6. A new window will open. Type in the name of a student in the search box below the box. Once the student name appears in the box, click on the name, and then click on the Add button.
7. Repeat for all students in your lab sections.

Entering Grades

Student grades need to be entered into Moodle each week:

1. Click on the Grades link on the left navigation bar.
2. A Grader Report window will open. >
3.

Under the Grader Report heading there will be a drop down menu called Visible Group. Select your section from this menu (only one section or all sections can be viewed).
4.

Click on the button. The cells will become live. Enter your grades.
5. Once you have entered your grades, click on the button. If you do not save, the grade data will be lost.

Exporting files

It is very important that you back up your Moodle grade data each week after you enter grades:

1.

Click on the Grades link on the left navigation bar.
2. Select your section from the Visible Groups drop-down menu.
3.
From the Grader Report drop down menu Export > Excel spreadsheet.
4. The Export to Excel spreadsheet window will open, scroll down, and click on the orange button.

Using the Moodle Participants list to send emails:

You will need to email your students several times a week using Moodle:

1.

Click on the Participants link found in both the left and right navigation bars. Scroll down to select your section:
2.

Scroll down to the bottom of the Participant list for your section, select Show all 25 (# will vary depending on the size of the section), and then the Select all 25 users button. From the drop down choose Send a message.
3.

Compose a message in the dialog pop-up box that opens.
4. Click on the Send message to 24 people button. The # dropped to 24 from 25 because it is not including your email in the final total.

 

  • To reduce academic dishonesty between:
    1. Lab sections - we do not let the students leave the lab with their completed task sheets and their pre-/postquizzes.
    2. Semesters - we do not return graded task sheets or pre-/post-quizzes.
  • Pre-quizzes (Google Drive):
    • The quiz will cover the important terms and any information from the task sheet before completion. 
    • If a student is late, they cannot take the pre-quiz.
    •  The quiz sheet will be provided by the instructor.
    •  Pre-quiz -ten (10) multiple choice questions per lab section (each worth 1 pt)
  • Post-quizzes (Google Drive):
    • The quiz will cover the important terms and any information from the task sheet before AND after completion.
    • Post-quiz - three (3) multiple choice and two (2) short answer in complete sentences (each worth 3 pts)
    • The quiz sheet will be provided by the instructor
    • If a student does not stay for the entire lab period and does not hand in a completed task sheet, they cannot take the post-quiz.
  • Task sheets: 
    • Students receive 5 points for completing the task sheet; however it is not graded for accuracy but it does need to be in English.
    • If they do not hand in their completed task sheet, they cannot take the post-quiz and they will not receive five completion points. Task sheet breakdown:
      • incomplete 0 pts (less than half the questions completed.) 
      • half complete 2.5 pts (at least have the questions completed reasonably well)
      • fully complete 5 pts (all questions completed reasonably well.)
    • Do not return task sheets. Please leave the graded materials in the Biol 1100L cupboard of LS 208.
  • Extra credit: only the extra credit options listed on the mainpage of the Moodle metacourse site (under the Extra Credit heading) are allowed. Do not award any other extra credit.
  • Please grade all items in a timely manner; within a week of receiving them from the students.
  • Pre-quizzes (Google Drive):
    • The quiz will cover the important terms and any information from the task sheet before completion.
    • If a student is late, they cannot take the pre-quiz.
    • The quiz sheet will be provided by the instructor.
    • Pre-quiz -ten (10) multiple choice questions per lab section (each worth 1 pt).
  • Post-quizzes (Google Drive):
    • The quiz will cover the important terms and any information from the task sheet before AND after completion.
    • Post-quiz - three (3) multiple choice and two (2) short answer in complete sentences (each worth 2 pts)
    • The quiz sheet will be provided by the instructor 
    • If a student does not stay for the entire lab period and does not hand in a completed task sheet, they cannot take the post-quiz
  • Task sheets:
    • Completed in the lab using information found within the task sheets themselves, supplies offered in lab, the course textbook, and other materials defined by the task sheet. They cannot use search browsers.
    • If a student does not hand in a completed task sheet, they cannot take the post-quiz.
    • Each task sheet is worth a specific amount and each question on each task sheet is also worth a specific value (shown by the point values listed in the instructor manuals for 1101L and 1102L). It is expected that the lab instructor will accurately grade each question and take off points if the questions are not fully correct.
  • Journal Article Assignment (JAA): up to one WEEK late BUT it will be worth only 50% of the points obtained from correctly answering the questions; after that no late work will be accepted.    
    • Q & A format:    
      • Return to student if the student didn't list the question #s but instead wrote an essay.
      • They have 1 buisness day to resubmit without missing points.    
      • They do not need to write out the actual question.
    • Plagiarism - 10 questions overall (2, 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 6):
      • 5 questions or less - take off all points for that question regardless of the amount of plagiarism.
      • 6 or more questions:
        1. go to writing center tutor (student makes an appointment);
        2. instructor must receive confirmation from tutor after appointment has been completed
        3. resubmit JAA in their own words (3 business days after the time/date you sent your email)
        4. 10% off points earned
  • Extra credit: only the extra credit options listed on the mainpage of the Moodle metacourse site (under the Extra Credit heading) are allowed. Do not award any other extra credit.
  • Please grade all items in a timely manner; within a week of receiving them from the students.
  • Post-quizzes (Google Drive):
    • Eight quizzes will be given throughout the semester at the end of specific labs.
    • Each quiz is worth 20 pts.
  • Task sheets:
    • Completed in the lab using information found within the task sheets themselves, supplies offered in lab, the course textbook, and other materials defined by the task sheet. They cannot use search browsers.
    • If a student does not hand in a completed task sheet, they cannot take the post-quiz.
    • Each task sheet is worth a specific amount and each question on each task sheet is also worth a specific value (shown by the point values listed in the instructor manuals for 1101L and 1102L). It is expected that the lab instructor will accurately grade each question and take off points if the questions are not fully correct.
  • Journal Article Assignment (JAA): up to one WEEK late BUT it will be worth only 50% of the points obtained from correctly answering the questions; after that no late work will be accepted.    
    • Q & A format:    
      • Return to student if the student didn't list the question #s but instead wrote an essay.
      • They have 24 hours to resubmit without missing points.    
      • They do not need to write out the actual question
    • Plagiarism - 10 questions overall (2, 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 6):
      • 5 questions or less - take off all points for that question regardless of the amount of plagiarism
      • 6 or more questions:
        1. go to writing center tutor (student makes an appointment);
        2. instructor must receive confirmation from tutor after appointment has been completed
        3. resubmit JAA in their own words (3 business days after the time/date you sent your email)
        4. 10% off points earned
  • Extra credit: only the extra credit options listed on the mainpage of the Moodle metacourse site (under the Extra Credit heading) are allowed. Do not award any other extra credit.
  • Please grade all items in a timely manner; within a week of receiving them from the students.
  • Quiz banks are found in the Google Drive folder for each lab course.
  • Handout pre-quiz sheet and post-quiz sheet bundles during the first lab.
  • The students will use the same quiz sheets for the duration of the semester.
  • Neither pre-quiz nor post-quiz bundles leave the lab with the students.
  • Hand them out before the students take the quiz each week. Collect the after the students take the quizzes.
  • All sheets need to be in the bundle. At the end of the semester, both bundles must be deposited in LS 208 for shredding.
  • Rules for taking the quiz:
    • Random assigned seating is required during the quiz. The instructor has the right to move students to new seats if necessary.
    • No materials of any kind on the table, with the exception of a writing utensil and the quiz sheet bundle.
    • Only the a writing utensil, this quiz sheet bundle, and the knowledge the student has can be used to take the quiz.
    • Electronic devices (excluding the ISU lab computers and equipment) are NOT allowed in the lab.
    • If a student has an electronic device on or near them OR anywhere near their seat, the student will receive a zero on the quiz.
    • If the lab instructor observes a student looking at another student’s quiz, BOTH students will receive a zero.
    • Students must sit arms length from each other during the quiz if space allows.
    • No student can touch another student.
    • No talking during the quiz.
    • The quiz sheet bundle must be folded lengthwise as the student takes the quiz and when they turn it in.
    • The entire quiz sheet bundle must be turned in after each quiz.
    • A student cannot make up a missed quiz UNLESS they have an absence excused in advance by the lab instructor for an ISU sponsored event ONLY.