Using the Learning Mastery Gradebook [Teachers]

The Learning Mastery Gradebook helps instructors and admins assess the outcome standards being used in Canvas courses.

Viewing Learning Mastery Gradebook

To use the Learning Mastery Gradebook, you must first toggle it over in the top left corner of your gradebook. Click “Gradebook” then “Learning Mastery” to switch views.

The Learning Mastery Gradebook is organized like the assignments gradebook with student names on the left [1]. Similar to the assignments gradebook, you can click a student's name to go to their Grades page. Each column consists of a course outcome and the outcome grade for each student [2]. Also like the assignments gradebook, the columns can be sorted, resized, and reordered. Click an outcome column heading to sort the outcome by student name [3].

The Learning Mastery Gradebook also contains a sidebar that shows the outcome levels for the course [4]. The sidebar can be minimized and expanded by toggling the gray arrow icon at the top of the sidebar. You can filter outcomes or students that have no outcome results [5]. You can also export a report of student outcomes [6].

The Learning Mastery Gradebook displays 20 students per page. Use the numbered page navigation buttons at the bottom of the gradebook to view additional students on other pages.

Using Decaying Average

The gradebook in the Elementary course uses the “decaying average” setting in Canvas. The Decaying Average calculation factors the average of all assessment items while weighing the most recent (current) submission to any assignment associated with this outcome at a higher percentage.

The Canvas “decaying average” method uses a simplified approach where Canvas calculates the average of all prior assessments and applies the value as a weighted percentage formula, instead of the alternative approach of simply using the prior decaying average.

By default, the Canvas decaying average is set at 65/35, meaning the current item is weighted at 65%, and the average of all other user scores is weighted at 35%. Note that the average is rounded to the next two decimals. If there is only one result, then the single score will be displayed.

For example, a student has four aligned items with scores of 4, 3, 2, and 5 (scores listed chronologically from oldest to most recent). If the current item is set to be weighted at 65% of mastery, prior scores are weighted at 35%:

Current item score: 5
Average of prior item scores: (4 + 3 + 2) / 3 = 3
Calculated score: 5 (.65) + 3 (.35) = 3.25 + 1.05 = 4.3

Viewing Individual Assignment Grades

To view a student’s individual assignments and grades, click on the student’s name in the grade book. A column will pop up to the left.

Click the button that says Grades, indicated in green on the screenshot above. This will take you to the assignment grading page. From here, you can see assignment scores, late assignments, and grades categorized by assignment group.

Note: you need to scroll to the bottom of your page to see assignment group grades. The assignment groups Voyage Start/Stop, Practice Annotations, and Library are not assessed and only used to organize the Canvas course.