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Review the pedagogical and technical information below to inform your progress in Week Six. Have questions about what you learned here or ideas for future tips? Join Coffee & Answers (open support Zoom sessions with the Academic Technology Team) or email the Office of Teaching and Learning.
Pedagogical
How do you craft a more human-centered approach to grading?
Technical
What are the tools that help streamline the grading process?
Canvas offers flexible grading processes, but its real strengths emerge when assignments, feedback, and grading policies are set up intentionally. With a few key tools, instructors can grade more efficiently while providing clearer guidance to students.
Most grading happens in SpeedGrader, where instructors can review submissions, assign scores, and leave feedback in one place. SpeedGrader works with all major submission types and integrates seamlessly with rubrics, which help ensure consistency and transparency. When rubrics are used, Canvas can automatically calculate scores, reducing manual errors and saving time—especially in large courses. Instructors can also choose whether grades are posted automatically or held until all submissions are reviewed.
Canvas supports multiple forms of feedback, including written comments, inline annotations, and audio or video responses. Many instructors find that brief recorded feedback feels more personal to students and takes less time than extensive written notes. Because feedback appears in several locations, it’s helpful to show students early on where and how to review it.
If your Syllabus breaks down grades that are weighted between different categories, it’s important to set up those weights in Canvas as well. Weighted grades are managed through Assignment Groups. Ensuring assignments are grouped correctly and weights total 100% is essential for accurate grade reporting.
With thoughtful setup, Canvas can make grading clearer, faster, and more transparent for everyone.
Please join any Coffee & Answers open support session for a live demonstration of any of these tools!
Are these tips helpful? Do you have a topic we should include in future weeks? Please let us know by emailing otl@sju.edu!
Additional Resources