Total Column - Calculate as Running Total option
This page explains how setting the option to Calculate as Running Total as Yes or No impacts your students' total grade.
All columns in the grade center can be edited to suit the needs of the course, including the Total column.
"Total" column default settings
The "Total" column is automatically in the grade center of every course.It is automatically set to allow students to view it in their My Grades menu item (in the student view), and to include "All Grade Columns" in the Total.
The very next option in Section 3. is the option to Calculate [those column grades] as [a] Running Total.
Currently the default setting for Calculate as Running Total is Yes.
These should be changed if there are practice assignments/tests, extra credit, or other optional or excluded graded items.
What does "Calculate as Running Total" mean?
When this option is set to Yes, it will only calculate into the Total grade the columns for which attempts have been made, and grades have been entered.
If a student has not attempted an assignment or test for any reason, it will not calculate a late or unsubmitted assignment as a zero.
This can give a student false hope that they are in good standing if, in fact, they have not attempted assignments.
There are two ways to make sure a student's grades reflect unattempted assignments or tests.
How to Edit Column Information
1. Go to the Grade Center in the left hand menu and click “Full Grade Center.”
2. Go to the right of the title of the Total column, and click on the gray down arrow (the arrow for that column is to the right of the column name).
3. You will see this. Click “Edit Colum information.”
4. Section 3 in the Edit Column Information window allows the professor to include only those columns that should be included in the final grade.
5. If you change the radio button to Selected Columns and Categories, you will see this:
6. Select which graded items to include in the Final Grade (Total).
7. Then, if you want students to see their progress, rather than their expected grade based on attempted assignments and tests, select "No" for Calculate as Running Total.
The Other Way
If a professor prefers to have students view what their total grade would be if their grade was based on only their current submissions:1. Leave Calculate as Running Total as Yes
2. Manually enter a 0 (zero) for unattempted assignments.
This is an easy solution, however may not be practical for professors with larger class sizes or multiple sections and or courses.
