New Gradebook & Google Assignments

Kathy Hannon

We are integrated with Google Assignments and Gradebooks. With the New Gradebook, our faculty are finding out that they can't commit grades until all students have returned their work. Is anyone else who is using Google Assignments finding the New Gradebook unable to commit until all have submitted?

Megan Day

Uh oh. I definitely hope this isn't the case. We're heavily using the Google Assignments integration. I haven't heard of issues yet but we only started classes on Thursday and are on a rotating block schedule so won't have teachers grading until the middle of this week. I personally have a couple Google Assignments assigned and will let you know if I notice the issue by Tuesday afternoon.

Ben Leddy

Hi Kathy -- can you describe a bit more what's happening? The Google Assignments LTI, and all LTI grade pass back integrations, actually bypass the commit process. That is, since the grades are being put by the LTI tool directly into the gradebook, we don't save those in a draft state, and they are essentially "committed" upon being passed back by the tool. Feel free to reach out at ben.leddy@blackbaud.com, happy to chat more.

Kathy Hannon

Hi Ben - I have 2 faculty that reported – when they grade google assignment - through the LTI, all the grades show for the assignment but the Commit isn't showing. If they add 0 for those that are missing, the Commit shows up to commit. Then they erase the 0 - if left students can't turn in late - and commit all works. It's weird

Ben Leddy

Ah, thank you for clarifying. I'm happy to share that I believe things are working as expected -- the grades are being passed directly from Google to us, so there's not even a commit option showing. But I understand where the confusion stems from. I will connect with our team to make sure we can clarify in our documentation.

Kathy Hannon

Thank you Ben - I have confirmed that grades will sync with gradebook and there is no commit. The grades immediately publish if you have the assignment set to publish grade.

Ben Leddy

Thanks for confirming. In terms of control over when grades are shown, I do believe Google Assignments has a similar "Return grades" option, so that might be a good route for your teachers if they are looking to delay when those grades are actually sent back to Blackbaud. Do feel free to reach out with any additional questions!

Rush Hambleton

I my experience during September (with about 20 assignments), the LTI integration does honor the Commit process. That is, after I approve the grades/comments in Google Assignment, I then go back into BB, refresh grades, and then Commit there, too.