Releasing Columns in myUCF Grades
Every column inside myUCF Grades is created with a default setting of being invisible to students, whether you uploaded it yourself, created it inside the pagelet, or had Testing Services upload ScanTron results for you. The reason for this is to grant instructors time to verify everything is in order before allowing students to see the grades. You must manually change this default setting each time. To do so, scroll to the top and locate the "Organize" section on the right. Pull down the menu to "Manage Columns" and click GO. Each grading event is its own column. Place a check mark in the box atop each column that you want to let students see (it's also possible to checkmark multiple columns at once), and then find the "Release Columns" option in the middle of the right side of your screen. Pull down the menu to "yes" and click GO. The students will now be able to see those grades when they log in.
Note: by default, the first name, last name, and student ID are not displayed to students. You may also "release" these columns if you so wish. If they are released, students will see their own names and then the grades you have released to them, all arranged on one row. If the name columns are not released, students will still see exactly one row of information (their own), but they will only see the grades and the titles you have assigned to the grading events.
Note: the "Hide Columns" feature also found in "Manage Columns" is not to hide or reveal columns from students, but to hide them from YOU. If you choose to "hide" columns, they will not show up in the default view of your class. They will, however, always be there in the "Manage Columns" view. Instructors tend to use the "Hide Columns" feature only if they have a lot of grading events and don't want to scroll to the right all the time when using the main view.
Note: the option listed as "Allow Students Access" (under Access on the main screen) refers to students who have been denied the right to see this course in their list of courses, for instance if they have dropped the class. Changing that does not alter the (in)visibility of grading events.
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For Further Assistance
If you're having difficulty locating the Grades pagelet or trouble accessing it, contact the UCF Help Desk (407-823-5117 or helpdesk@mail.ucf.edu). The Faculty Center (407-823-3544 or fctl@mail.ucf.edu) is happy to consult with you about further applications or complications using myUCF Grades. Additionally, the Faculty Center offers regular workshops and one-on-one consultations on creating and maintaining Excel gradebooks.
