Scales

Scales are a non-numeric way of evaluating students' performance. Instead of giving an assignment a number from 1 to 100 as a grade, you can give the student a word or a small phrase as standard feedback.

Scales may be used in Forums, Glossaries (for rating) and Assignments (for grading). Custom scales can be created where you would like to assign non-numerical or non-numerically assigned lettered grades.

Creating a new scale

New scales may be created by Teachers with editing rights or by Administrators (pre 1.7) or by any user with the managescales capability (1.7 onwards).

1. Click on the Scales link in the course Administration block.
2. On the Scales page click the "Add a new scale" button.
3. On the next page give your scale a name that will identify it among other scales.
4. In the Scale box, create your scale. Each item in the scale should be separated by a comma. For example if you would like two options in your scale (complete and incomplete) type: incomplete, complete. You can use as many options here as you require. Other examples could include a four option scale refer, pass, merit, distinction or Excellent, Average, Acceptable, Hesitant (Fail) depending on your curriculum/course needs.
5. Write a detailed description for your scale. Your students will have access to the description, and you can use this to give them additional feedback. The more details you put in the description, the more students will understand what each scale item means.

Using a new scale

When you create a new graded or rated activity, you should find the name of your scale in the drop-down Grade option. When you mark the activity you will now be given the options defined in your scale rather than the standard numerical values.

Editing a scale

A scale can only be edited if no assignments are using that scale. Click the Scales link in the Administration block, if a scale has zero Activities, you will see an Edit, move Down, and Delete icon in the Actions column.

Example scales

• The Cool Scale - The coolest thing ever!, Very cool, Cool, Fairly cool, Not very cool, Not cool
• General Introductions (The Affirmative Scale) - Welcome!, Glad to have you here!, Great post!
• Generic Social Forum (This scale only worked prior to the averaging function) - Awesome!, Very cool., Interesting., Hmmm. Tell me more., I don’t understand. Please clarify.

Site-wide scales

Administrators may create site-wide scales by "promoting" a scale created for a course. To achieve this, add a new scale, then use the move down arrow to move the scale from custom scales to standard scales (i.e. site-wide).

Separate and Connected ways of knowing

Moodle's default scale Separate and Connected ways of knowing gives you three options: Mostly Separate Knowing, Separate and Connected, and Mostly Connected Knowing. These phrases relate to a theory about how people approach the world. Separate knowers try to remain objective and avoid personalizing knowledge. They like to debate and critique new ideas. Connected knowers learn in a socially connected, empathetic way. They try to find consensus instead of confrontation.

See also

• Using Moodle Chapter 12: Grades and Scales