The fact that the gradebook columns use the enitre title of an assignment to determine the column width is a factor of much consternation among instructors. Compounding matters is the exceedingly wide spacing to the column border, adding needless empty space to the bloated column widths. Together these factors make it nearly impossible to get any sort of compact view in the gradebook. Instead, every column is an inch or more wide (when it only needs to be 2 or 3 characters wide) resulting in endless scrolling left and right in the gradebook, especially as we get to later portions of the semester. This ends up impacting what titles I give my assignments to try to compact the width, but then my cryptic shorthand makes it harder for students to understand the titles clearly. Then still with all the border space you can't get it very compact, even if you use single-character titles.
A universal solution exists! DIAGONAL HEADERS for gradebook columns! It's a thing. [See file attached for an example.] Most reputable spreadsheet programs can do it. This would fix both the main and auxiliary problems. It could even allow me to fit an entire semester of grades on one screen! This would be an absolute godsend if it were implemented. Please please please make this happen someday (soon). Thank you.
admin,instructor,ta,designer
