[ARCHIVED] How does Roll Call Attendance figure into the overall student grade?

[barbara_j_fitzg]

I want to award attendance/participation points for my classes. If I create an assignment the points seem to skew the grade?

[kblack · Accepted solution]

Hi  @barbara_j_fitzg  Welcome (belatedly) to the Canvas Community. You are correct: it skews the grade because unless you changed the point value immediately--and I mean immediately--after taking attendance the first time, Roll Call is set to automatically calculate at 100 points.  Period.  This is covered in more detail in the documentation here: How do I edit the Roll Call Attendance assignment?  While it does state that the point value can be changed, note the following:

If you are not using weighted assignment groups and just want to edit the points assigned for Attendance, you can edit the point value in the assignment. However, this adjustment is only recommended if (1) you are never going to change the point value again and (2) you make the adjustment after your first roll call entry.

At this point in the term--assuming your term is coming to an end--it is probably best to place it within a weighted assignment group, as the information above mentions, so that the 100-point assignment more accurately reflects the true weight you want to give it.  Of course, that could lead to an entirely different set of problems for other things. 

What you CAN do is run a roll call attendance report to at least get a run-down of attendance dates for everyone (it will be in a CSV/spreadsheet file) and then delete the assignment altogether if it is skewing things so badly that it would be best to do so at this point.  (Do NOT delete it until you run the report and look over the report, however!  Save the original CSV download; you may need it later.  Once you delete the assignment that data will be gone.) You can then create another assignment of your own, make it a "no submission"-type of assignment, and then record the grade you want with the point value you want based on that attendance report.

If you're thinking this is a bit of a pain, you are not alone.  You can read over and comment on the following Feature Idea, where many share their tales of woe with this tool: https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1090-attendance-overhaul .  Hope this helps a bit, BJ....at least in explaining why you're seeing what you're seeing.