Grading Information
Grading Scales
One of the first things you'll want to communicate to your participants (after welcoming them to the course, of course!) is the grading scale you will be using. Many institutions and organizations have standard scales used in all courses, so you may just need to point out this standard grading scale. Notify your learners if there is a specific grading scale in a place, such as the syllabus, that is easy for learners to find and reference.
If you use a weighted grade system, make sure this system is clearly explained somewhere in the course so students know exactly what is expected. This is a good topic for either your welcome email or a post in the Facilitator Forum. Making your expectations clear upfront will help avoid confusion and conflict later.
Record Keeping
It is imperative that you keep a backup copy (ideally multiple copies) of grades in addition to those in your LMS. If something happens to the server and the course is lost, the Gradebook will be lost with it. Check your institution's policy on how long grade records must be kept. If a participant receives a low grade it is especially important for you to also save all communications (emails/messages/summaries of phone calls), copies of assignments with your comments, and the grading rubrics you used. Some colleges allow participants a full year to contest a grade.