PioneerWeb Grade Center Notes
In the last issue, we provided tips about checking your letter grading schema and using categories to prepare for a weighted column. Now here are notes about organizing and hiding columns in the Grade Center.
You don't have to organize your columns, but for some people it makes more sense to have the columns in a different order. In the Full Grade Center, click on the "Manage" button and choose "Column Organization". Your columns are now all in a list, and by dragging them (click and drag on the four-sided arrow to the left of a column) up or down, you move them left or right in the Grade Center (up = left; down = right). "Submit" button saves the changes and takes you back to the Full Grade Center.
Grade Center columns have two different properties that hide them from view: one affects whether a column is hidden from students, and the other affects whether it's hidden from the instructor. If you are looking at the drop-down menu from the column header, you'll notice "Show/Hide to Users" and "Hide Column".
- "Show/Hide to Users" hides the column from students, but the instructor can still see it. When you are viewing your Full Grade Center, columns which are hidden from students have a circle-backslash ( ⃠ ) symbol in the header.
- "Hide Column" hides the column from the instructor, but the students can still see it. This is the setting that can cause confusion, because students can still see information from that column, unless you also "Show/Hide to Users". If a column is hidden from the instructor it won't show up in the Grade Center. But when you click the "Manage" button and select "Column Organization", hidden columns are still there and are indicated by a lighter gray and italic font. To unhide a column, use the checkbox to select it and click the "Show/Hide" button at the bottom. "Submit" button saves the changes and takes you back to the Full Grade Center.
- If you ever want to hide a column from students and instructor, we suggest using "Show/Hide to Users" first, then "Hide Column".
Watch a video tutorial from Blackboard related to these topics -- http://ondemand.blackboard.com/r91/movies/bb91_grade_center_customizing_grade_center_view.htm
Faculty or staff who have questions about Grade Center or other Pweb features can contact Stephanie Peterson or Jake Madren.
Stephanie Peterson [petersos] ext. 9840.
Jake Madren [madrenj] ext. 4348.
Think Before You Click - How to avoid being the victim of Phishing
What is phishing?
Phishing is an attempt to gain usernames and passwords by masquerading as a trustworthy source through an electronic communication [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing].
This summer campus was hit extremely hard with faculty, staff and students falling for a variety of Phishing emails. When cybercriminals get even one of us to fall for their phishing attempt it creates problems for all of us.
For more on this topic please read Think Before You Click.
Simplifying Network Access: Bradford Network Access Control
A simplified, easier to use solution for network attachment is planned for campus-wide availability on January 9, 2013. Bradford Network Access Control will offer Grinnell's network users many advantages that are not currently available with our Cisco environment.
- Network attachment will be more automated, quicker, and less time consuming. Gone will be the days of minutes of extensive wait time and multiple password entries.
- Multiple devices will be able to be attached to the network. PC's, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices will be able to be concurrently attached to the network under one user id.
- Guests to Grinnell College will be able to easily attach to the network through self-serve features, making us a friendlier environment to them.
- Increased security. All of the above will be accomplished while providing our community with an increased level of security to protect our network environment.
This is one of numerous advancements ITS is introducing with the intent of making your life easier and improving our technology.
ITS Blog
Stay on top of changes in ITS by subscribing to the ITS blog: Jottings from Ray Kuntz, Director of ITS. You can access the blog through www.grinnellits.blogspot.com.
ITS Administrative Office Phone Number Change
Please note that the "new" ITS Administrative Office phone number is extension 9990. If you have any questions concerning phones or need to reach any ITS administrators please use this number.
If you need any technology or computer questions answered please call extension 4901, which will direct you to the Technology Services Desk.
