How to set up alternative assignments in Gradebook

[MaryAnnMcFarlan]

I am trying to give students a choice for their daily homework assignments: they can either take a quiz or do a write-up of their readings for the same 10 points. I need to figure out how to set up the gradebook to reflect that they will consistently need to do one or the other, but that they won't be penalized for the option they don't choose. 

Currently the gradebook gives an automatic zero for missing assignments, but I can change that setting if need be. 

Also, the course is currently set up with weekly modules, but we hold class 2x/week, so to create a module each time students have this choice would require tearing the entire course apart. 

What are the best options for this situation?

[oneilllj]

Hi @MaryAnnMcFarlan 

It sounds like you have some great ideas for students in your class re options for assessments. Have you considered the use of Assignment Groups?

You could create an assignment group for Module 1 and include the two different assignments under this (eg quiz or write up). Then when grading, you mark under each submission and click excused for the one not selected. After this, you can view gradebook under the group for their marks. 

This might be of some interest for your review.

Thanks

Jen

[Ron_Bowman]

@MaryAnnMcFarlan -

This is an excellent example of the beauty of being able to have an assignment group within another assignment group.  You have the top group as Assignments.  Then as sub assignment groups you have assignment #1 which has your two options and you get to put in the rule of drop 1 lowest grade - and you keep the auto 0 applied to unsubmitted work.  Unfortunately that is not available.

However, you could just set up one assignment group for each assignment with the two options in each of those with the setting mentioned above.  This would be a disaster for me as I use weighted gradebooks.  However, if you are using points based gradebooks you should be ok.

Ron

[MaryAnnMcFarlan]

I'm not thrilled about having 25 separate assignment groups and then having to rework the weighted gradebook. As a stopgap, I think I will give put both assignments into the Assignments category of the gradebook, but make the quizzes worth 10 points and the write-ups worth 0 points. That way students will either get their points from one or the other. It may cause headaches or confusion in other places (the calendar, or missing assignment notifications), but hopefully we will know if we need to continue with both options in a few weeks. A quick and dirty solution, but it sounds preferable to creating 25 new assignment groups.

[Ron_Bowman]

@MaryAnnMcFarlan -

I agree with your assessment of the situation.  I would test out your idea before completely integrating it.  The easiest way to be able to do that would be to go to the beta instance of your course.  The beta course is a week old snapshot of your current Canvas courses - you can play around in them with various ideas and not have it affect your actual courses.  I believe that is available to everyone and is not something that has to be setup.  for me the address is https://#####.beta.instructure.com/  where #### is my institution name used in accessing canvas.  These courses get updated once a week.  

There is also a test canvas login that I have access to, and I do not know if that is from my institution or Canvas.  For that one, just replace beta with test.

Good Luck -

Ron