Information Technology Services

by IDLT

Using Grade Center Smart Views for More Efficient Grading

Have you used the “Tests” or “Assignments” links available under the Full Grade Center in your course management menu? Those are default Smart Views included in every shell template, and you can create your own! A Smart View is a focused look at the Grade Center. It shows only the columns that match a set of criteria, and the view is saved for continued use. As an instructor, creating custom smart views to make grading management less of a hassle.

Instructors who teach merged sections, have large class sizes, group their students, co-teach, have teaching assistants, want to identify students who are at risk due to lower scores, or are overwhelmed by the grade center grid can benefit from establishing Smart Views.

If you work with other graders or instructors, you can create smart views that isolate the students into groups or isolate the columns assigned to that grader—or both! As you create groups in your course, there’s a quick option to “Create a Smart View” of those students. That Smart View initially includes all the columns in your grade center for the students within that group only, and you can add criteria to the Smart View if you want to limit them more. Using unique categories for your grade center columns might help you establish Smart Views more efficiently as you structure your grade center.

If you decide to work with Smart Views, remember:

• Only those with grading privileges can see your Smart Views (instructors, TAs, and grader roles), so you can name them and use them accordingly.

• Smart View settings can always be adjusted to broaden or narrow the visible students and columns.

• Changes you make to a column’s information while you are in a Smart View applies to all students and grades in the column. For example, if you realize you need to grant an extra point because of a scoring error, editing that column’s point total edits it for all students in the course.

• Setting up groups to establish a Smart View of students doesn’t require any commitment to using the other group tools with your students.

As always, if you have questions or need assistance with your Blackboard Grade Center, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk at 618-650-5500 or help@siue.edu .