In previous semesters, Moodle users have experienced grading conflicts and unintended overrides when multiple graders attempt to make changes to a gradebook at the same time.

 To help prevent errors and unintended grade overrides, we have added a few features to the Grader report in Moodle at UMass Amherst.

• A warning appears when editing is turned on in the gradebook,
  “Notice: Changes you make to this page cannot be saved if records are updated by another user, or in a different browser window, while this page is open.”

• If someone else has entered and saved grades since you began editing the gradebook, you will not be able to Update your changes.  In this case, you will see a an alert in a red block above the grading table,
  ”ALERT: Your changes have not been saved because the gradebook was updated in another browser window by you or another user while this page was open. Your browser may allow you to view or print your changes if you hit the back button now.”

This one-at-a-time problem affects entering grades directly in the gradebook on the Grader report screen, importing a spreadsheet to the gradebook, entering grades using “Quick grading” on the Assignment submission screen, rating Forum posts, or manually grading Quizzes.
Note: Viewing grades does not cause problems, only adding or editing grades.

Strategies for Multiple Graders

The most effective way to avoid grading conflicts is to develop a strategy for managing grading activity with multiple graders. Possible approaches include:

• Agree to a regular schedule so that each grader “owns” the gradebook for a particular block of time during the day/week.

• Designate one person to be in charge of data entry in the Moodle gradebook. For example, all graders could add grades to a Google spreadsheet and one grader could regularly import all of the data into Moodle.

• Use Moodle’s Quickmail block, regular email, or text messaging to notify other graders when and for how long you will be grading.

• Add a Comments block to the Gradebook so that graders can check in and out (see below).

• Create Moodle assignments rather than manual grade items and grade them one student at a time from the Assignment submission screen (see below)

Add the Comments block to the Gradebook

An Instructor (or a Course Designer) can add the Comments block to the Gradebook page.  Graders can use this block to post a comment when they start editing the gradebook so that anyone who enters the gradebook after them will see that edits are in progress. Once they are done editing, the grader can delete the comment. Comments have time stamps, so this should help with management if someone forgets to “sign out” after an extended period of time.

Note: Comments do not refresh automatically, so always reload the page before you click Turn editing on to make sure that someone else has not started editing.

To add the Comments block to your gradebook:

1. On your course page, click Turn editing on.

2. Open the gradebook.

3. At bottom left, find the Add a block… block, and select Comments.

Note: This Comments block will only be visible to TAs and Instructors because it is only present in the gradebook.

Grade Assignments One Submission at a Time

More than one grader can safely grade Moodle Assignments at the same time IF they work from the Assignment submission screen, grade one student at a time, and do not use the Quick grade feature. For more see Grade Assignments in Moodle: Enter Grades and Feedback One Assignment at a Time.