Bb Learn 9.1 SP13
Setting Up Percentage and Letter Grade Columns
Some instructors like to display students’ running totals as percentages and/or letter grades. Before
creating a Percentage or Letter Grade column, make sure your Total column is calculating accurately,
as we’ll be basing the percentage and letter grades off the data in the Total column.
Access the Grade Center
1. Log into Blackboard Learn and enter your course.
2. In the Control Panel, click on the Grade Center link.
3. From the drop-down menu, click on the Full Grade Center link.
Create Percentage Column
1. Click on the Create Calculated Column button in the Action Bar at the
top of the page, then select Total Column from the drop-down menu.
2. Name the column as desired (Percentage, Total Percentage, etc.)
3. Set the Primary Display to Percentage.
Katie Baer
Educational Technology Designer
Kent State University at Stark
February 2015
Bb Learn 9.1 SP13
4. Under Section 3: Select Columns, click the radio button to select “Selected Columns and
Categories.” A table will appear below.
5. Under Columns to Select (top left pane), click on the Total column, then click the > button to pop it
over to the Selected Columns section (right pane).
6. Under Section 4: Options, set “Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations” to No.
7. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
You now have a column that translates your total (points) column into a percentage column for students
to view.
2
Bb Learn 9.1 SP13
Create Letter Grade Column
Set Up Grading Schema
Before you can use Letter Grades in Blackboard Learn, you need to
assign which percentage ranges equal which letter grades (e.g. 93100% = A, 90-92% = A-, etc.).
1. Navigate to the Full Grade Center.
2. Click the Manage button in the Action Bar across the top of the
page, then select Grading Schemas from the menu.
3. Click the Create Grading Schema button at the top of the page
to create a schema to match the percentages and letter grades
in your syllabus.
4. Give your schema a name that you will remember later.
Note: Blackboard has a default grading schema called “Letter” so your schema name should be
different.
5. Fill in the Schema Mapping section, inserting extra rows as needed. You must fill in both sides of
the table. See example screenshot on the next page.
3
Bb Learn 9.1 SP13
Example: Schema Mapping
6. Click Submit to save your new grading schema.
7. Return to the Full Grade Center.
Create Letter Grade Column
Now that you’ve established the grading schema in your course, you can create a column to convert the
total points or percentage to a letter grade, based on this schema.
1. In the Full Grade Center, click on the Create Calculated
Column button in the Action Bar at the top of the page,
then select Total Column from the drop-down menu.
4
Bb Learn 9.1 SP13
2. Name the column as desired (Letter Grade, Final Letter Grade, etc.)
3. Set the Primary Display to the Schema created. Be careful not to use the default “Letter” option.
4. Under Section 3: Select Columns, click the radio button to select “Selected Columns and
Categories.” A table will appear below.
5. Under Columns to Select (top left pane), click on the Total column, then click the > button to pop it
over to the Selected Columns section (right pane).
5
Bb Learn 9.1 SP13
6. Under Section 4: Options, set “Include this Column in Grade Center Calculations” to No.
7. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
You now have a column that translates your total (points) column into a letter grade column for students
to view.
6