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An Evolving GradeBook
UC Davis' Interactive Online Grading System Arrives
 MyUCDavis features a number of course management tools developed with you, the UC Davis instructor, in mind. In collaboration with the Academic Computing Coordinating Council (AC4) and a group of UC Davis faculty, the MyUCDavis team has developed a tool called "GradeBook." Just like the paper ledgers of old, this tool was designed to keep track of student grades. And just like existing software programs which automate grade calculations, GradeBook eliminates busy work for the instructor. What makes GradeBook different from traditional grading programs is that it was designed in-house to be integrated with other computer systems on campus. It also offers interactive features that allow you to communicate grades to students throughout the quarter.Tailored to UC Davis Faculty
In order to make this tool practical to UC Davis instructors, the developers went straight to the source and asked faculty members for input about GradeBook's design. According to Richard Sutherland, a member of the MyUCDavis GradeBook development team, the interaction with a UC Davis faculty focus group was "instrumental in producing a product that met the diverse needs of the faculty and teaching staff." Easy, Integrated and Flexible
Because of GradeBook's integration with the current MyUCDavis course management tools, much of your "busy work" is handled automatically. GradeBook connects directly with the Banner Student Information System, retrieving course, student, and grade information in a dynamic, real-time fashion."Since GradeBook interacts with the Registrar's database, the student list is automatically up- to-date, and final grades can be submitted to Banner online," says GradeBook user Dr. William Fink, Chemistry Professor. At any point in the quarter, you can select specific ways for students to confidentially track their progress by viewing individual grades, class rank, grade distribution, maximum and minimum scores, and more. Flexibility with grading strategies is another helpful GradeBook feature. You can customize the main categories of a course (e.g., homework assignments, quizzes) and weight them individually or evenly. You can even give your teaching assistants access to your GradeBook so they can enter student scores and grades. GradeBook also allows you to download and upload grading sheets in Microsoft Excel format, allowing the importing of Scantron grading reports. Already Popular
Since its introduction in January 2002, 73 Gradebooks have been in active use and more than 100 instructors have accessed the entire GradeBook Quick Start Guide, which you can view by clicking on the "MyClasses" tab (which is available only to instructors and their teaching assistants) at MyUCDavis. |
