[Gradebook] EASY CSV IMPORTS for grading

[mathlete]

Problem statement:

How is this topic ( https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/I-can-not-import-grades-to-quot-the-Override-quot-co... ) seen as "resolved" ?? Educators are asking because this is necessary. The problem is that Canvas does not understand HOW absolutely absurd it is to be capable to import a CSV file EASILY into Canvas gradebook, especially when other gradebook competitors have done this for YEARS. Teachers utilize a plethora of online resources that automatically grade student work, and they create CSV reports, and it should be EASILY accessible to then add those reports to ONE Canvas assignment at a time and it ENTER in the gradebook. This shouldn't be cumbersome, but Canvas seems tone deaf to that sooo many educators have asked for this in various ways and it still can't be fixed ***properly***.

Proposed solution:

How is this topic ( https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/I-can-not-import-grades-to-quot-the-Override-quot-co... ) seen as "resolved" ?? Educators are asking because this is necessary. I have already replied to many singular topics started by other educators about "pushing CSV files into the gradebook" because Canvas needs to WAKE UP and REALIZE they are sooo behind the times. They are not answering educator's questions and it seems like they don't understand why this is so crucial to educator success. Apparently, Canvas does not understand the actual NEED for educators to be able to ***easily*** import CSV files into assignments. School Loop has had this capability for years and it allowed teachers to import grades from other websites with EASE. Teachers are tired of Canvas "speed" grader which is tedious and cumbersome, when it doesn't have to be. Again... Teachers NEED to be able to easily import from other online assignment portals, such as Khan Academy grades, etc. The TOP priority should be that at the BARE minimum, grades can easily be uploaded from a CSV file. Secondary to that, comments should ALSO be able to be uploaded as well.

User role(s):

admin,instructor

[SamGarza1]

Hi @mathlete, thank you for contributing to the community. I understand that this is a significant pain point for you and I'd like to understand more about the specifics. When you're importing grades are there specific fields or types of information that you're seeing the most issues with? It also sounds like you're doing these imports for individual assignments; can you tell me more about your workflow?

[mathlete]

Teachers use a variety of websites to offer learning opportunities and homework. I will give you an example that was beyond easy for School Loop to be able to "push" grades in, yet for some reason, Canvas can't get it down. 

Students would be given a math assignment through McGraw Hill ALEKS, which allows them to easily get a variety of math questions, be able to retake questions with different numbers with ease, etc. This is not a type of assignment, I would "build" into Canvas, it *needs* to be done on the McGraw Hill ALEKS website, since that's such a great math program.

Students complete this ONE assignment and then I would simply download a CSV file from the ALEKS website and IMPORT those grades easily and smoothly into the School Loop website. 

The only thing School Loop would ask is which columns I wanted it to care about, so basically their name/student ID column and their grade column - and... even better yet, I could have it add another column into the COMMENTS section. 

However, if Canvas cannot do the COMMENTS, I would at least take it being capable to easily push in their SCORES.

Being a middle school teacher with 6 full class periods, I have 160 students that do 5 assignments per school week. It is incomprehensible with all the technology of 2023, that I still have to put those in manually. 

[SamGarza1]

Hi @mathlete , Thank you for the additional information. I'm going to add this idea to a theme so it can be prioritized and voted on by the community during the next voting period. I did want to ensure you had seen this community page that goes over current functionality. .

[mathlete]

I have seen that page already and this current functionality is not effective for teachers. It would require just as much work, if not more work, to put it into a spreadsheet prior to pushing it back into the Canvas gradebook. 

Again, School Loop had this with such ease. It is fully possible to be created on the tech end. 

Start video at 1:45  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTEA41NOXdA

This teacher is downloading grades from another website, in this instance Google Classroom, but I was able to download grades from Khan Academy, ALEKS, and tons of other programs that already grade an assignment and then just "push" it easily into the SchoolLoop gradebook. 

I know educators would desperately like to be able to import grades from a CSV file created by other programs/websites and EASILY import into the Canvas gradebook. 

[DanBurgess]

Problem statement:

Instructors need the ability to upload comments into the gradebook via a CSV file. Some external tools provide comments in the CSV export they provide to upload to the LMS's gradebook. Currently these comments have to be manually entered into Canvas.

Proposed solution:

Proposed Solution: * Allow a comments field (column) in the gradebook import csv file. * Display the comment in a similar way that assignment comments are currently handled. * BONUS POINTS: Allow the comments to be exported in the Gradebook export csv In addition to the previously stated reason (external tools may have comments that instructors want to capture in Canvas), some instructors in larger courses find entering comments in a CSV file and bulk loading into Canvas would be more efficient than having to enter in Speedgrader on a student-by-student basis.

User role(s):

instructor

[KristinL]

Hi @DanBurgess -

Thank you for sharing your idea with the Instructure Community! I wonder if [Gradebook] EASY CSV IMPORTS for grading would accomplish the same thing you described in your thread. If so, I'll merge the ideas so it's easier for our Product Team to track. If not, that's okay too! Thank you!

[mathlete]

https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/Import-Comments-into-the-gradebook/idc-p/581482/emcs...

In this other post, it was mentioned that these two should be merged - however I want to be very clear, that my post is not for "comments" only, but to be capable of easily importing CSV files from other platforms directly into ONE assignment at a time in Canvas assignments

[DanBurgess]

Hi @KristinL,

There seems to be a lot in that idea request, but I do see that including comments in the CSV is tucked in at the end. I am a little worried that request has a lot of passion expressed that has be parsed through to understand the request and the proposed solution.

I'll defer to you if you think merging it would be a better way to address what does appear to be an overlap. 

[KristinL]

As these comments will be added to the thread, I think it'll be best to merge them. The PMs review all of the comments, so the need for and importance of the CSV will be noted.