The Discussion Grader simplifies the process of evaluating a student’s participation in Blackboard discussion forums by allowing an instructor to access to a single page with every message that the student posted to a particular forum, number of words per message, and number of original messages and replies. After evaluating this information, the instructors can then easily enter a grade for the student which will be stored in the Blackboard gradebook for the course.
Accessing the Discussion Grader
To access the Discussion Grader tool in Blackboard, enter your course and click the Control Panel button on the lower left side of the screen below the course menu.
Next, click on Discussion Grader under Course Tools.
Grading a Discussion
- If you have existing discussion forums, you will be prompted to select the discussion forum from the list. Select the forum you want to see by clicking on the forum title.
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Next select the existing gradebook item that you wish to associate with the discussion forum. If you don't already have a gradebook item associated with the discussion form create a new gradebook entry. If you choose to create a new gradebook entry you will be asked to enter an item name, category, possible points and grade display type.
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Upon clicking Submit a new column will be created in your course’s gradebook spreadsheet.
- Select the student whose participation you wish to view or grade. After selecting a student you will be able to see the number of messages the student posted to the forum and number of replies to other messages, followed by a summary of the student’s postings that gives you the number of words per message.
- Enter the student’s grade and click Submit.
