Learn different options for gating student access in the curriculum.
Notes: Passing thresholds can be set at an Admin level in Canvas and at a course level in all LMS's. Leverage the Teach Graded Items Location document in the Teacher Resource Guide to help you determine which assignments have an open ended teacher graded item.
Related Article: Edit Passing Threshold settings, Manage Module Settings
It can be challenging to strike the right balance between students moving through curriculum with ease and students slowing down and showing true mastery. As you prepare for your course start and on the different settings and access for your students, review some different options and considerations to determine the best fit for your school or class.
Options for your consideration:
Free Access – No Gating, no Passing Thresholds
Overview: In Unit Settings, remove any passing thresholds for assignments. This will allow students to progress forward regardless of scores earned or ungraded teacher assignments.
Considerations: This format will allow students to work at their own pace without the potential for a roadblock where students can’t progress as they await teacher grading. This option would require teachers to be on high alert to identify and address assignments where a student rushed or failed to show proficiency. Teachers would need to reach out to students to provide interventions and encourage additional attempts.
Passing Thresholds with Unlimited Attempts
Overview: Assignments would have a pre-set minimum threshold to meet in order to move throughout the modules, but unlimited attempts to meet these thresholds.
Considerations: Students would have many attempts at mastery, but students may be temporarily delayed while awaiting teacher grading for each attempt if any questions require teacher attention. Additionally, Canvas sends the most recent grade to the gradebook so students may need to reach out to the teacher to request the highest score be manually recorded.
Passing Thresholds, Limited Attempts
Overview: Standard attempts are typically 3 for a checkpoint (the opportunity to learn from mistakes and try again), one attempt for assessments and projects, and unlimited attempts for workbooks. Students would need to earn a pre-determined passing threshold to proceed to the next assignment.
Considerations: For assignments that contain teacher graded items, students may need to wait to proceed until teachers have graded the assignment, which potentially is a barrier to momentum.
No Passing Thresholds on Assignments, Only on Assessments
Overview: Admin would set the passing threshold as 0 for assignments, and a minimum expectation set for assessments only. (This could also be done manually at a course level.)
Considerations: This format allows students to move freely throughout a module but would require mastery on assessments to be obtained before moving on. Teachers would need to keep an eye out for possible intervention needs prior to assessments.
Remove Passing Thresholds for Assignments That Have Teacher Graded Assignments Only
Overview: Using the Teacher Graded Items Location document in the Teacher Resource Guide, modify requirements to submit only for those assignments (optional to do all except assessments). If no TGIL document exists within a Teacher Resource Guide, there should not be any graded open-ended questions unless they are in-line questions that do not go to the gradebook. Exceptions would be projects, discussions, or essays that have a rubric to support grading.
Considerations: This would require some front loading to make those adjustments. Most assessments do not require teacher grading so assessments could still be mastery based.