SimpleGradebook Support Forum

Hello Tim

When I tried to register for a teacher account to try your grade book I received an SQL error.  Two ties resulted in the same error below

Warning: mysqli_errno() expects exactly 1 parameter, 0 given in /home/dash34/public_html/gradebook/login.php on line 270

Warning: mysqli_error() expects exactly 1 parameter, 0 given in /home/dash34/public_html/gradebook/login.php on line 270
A MySQL error has occurred.
Your Query: INSERT INTO users (personal data removed here')
Error: ()

There is a circumstance where this can occur.  If there is an assignment category that has assignments in it, but the student has not yet achieved any marks for any assignments in that category, their mark will not change when a grade of zero is entered for a subsequent assignment in that category.
 
For example, suppose your class has two categories, Assignments and Portfolio, each worth 50%.  While there are no assignments in the Portfolio category, the mark will be calculated out of 100% for the Assignments category.  However, as soon as at least one assignment is entered in the Portfolio category, the category now is worth 50% of the total mark and the student's grade will include the marks in that category. 

In this situation, the student mark will change if a zero is entered in the Portfolio category.  However, PUTTING IN A ZERO FOR A SECOND ASSIGNMENT in that category will not change the mark - the student has no marks in the category, and an additional zero does not change that.

Note that if all the assignments in that category are excused (left blank, or "exc" is entered), the mark will once again be based on the other categories only.

The best way to do this is for the parent to create a simplegradebook parent account on behalf of the tutor, and enter the secret code for the student to access the grade information.  Then provide the account login and password to the tutor.  When the tutor's work is completed, simply change the password to the account or delete it.

For example, create a simplegradebook account with the login "sallystutor".  Enter the secret code.  Provide the login "sallystutor" and the account password to the tutor.

Note that the tutor will be able to see the student's grades in all courses.

To grant access to your class go to the Classes screen.  Next to your class there is an Access button - click that.  The dialog box that comes up will ask you to search for the teacher or teacher assistant that you want to give access to.  You can enter either their first name or last name. 

Once you locate the teacher you will see a drop-down box next to their name that allows you to grant them View Only or Full Access.  With View Only they will be able to see the class but not change anything.  With Full Access they can manage the class just like a teacher.

Note that when there are two or more teachers with Full Edit access to a class, a primary teacher should be chosen.  That teacher's name will appear on the report cards.  To select the primary teacher, go to Settings for the class and click the radio button next to the primary teacher's name.

Using the Classes menu item, search for the teacher's classes.  Once you have found them, there is a check box at the bottom of the list that, if checked, will refresh the display and show the archived classes. 

There are three steps, each with a video to explain the process:

1) Create a Field Set in Myeducationbc (this only has to be done once - ever!) - Create a Field Set
2) Extract an Excel file for each class. Extract Classes
3) Copy and Paste the student information from Excel into simplegradebook.Import the Classes

If you have questions after viewing the videos, please post them on the support forum!

If you click the Assignments button you will get a spreadsheet of all the assignments.  There is a checkbox called "Hidden" next to each assignment that will let you hide the assignments from students and parents.  Please note that if the hidden assignments are worth marks, they will still be calculated into the displayed grade.

If you don't want the hidden assignments included in the displayed grade, you can temporarily set what they are worth to zero in this spreadsheet.  Don't forget to put them back though!

Administrators can:
View Student Information including overall grades and details of teacher assessments
Create a Student Watch List (students whose academic progress is a concern)
Combine Students (when two different student records have been accidentally created for the same student)
Create Semester Codes
Create a New Access Code for the School (to be used by teachers and administrators when joining the school)
Change the School Name
View a Teacher's Classes (note: view only, grades can not be changed)

Once a school has been created, there will be a secret code for the school visible to the first person that created it.  The code is available by choosing Profile->Schools->View My Schools. Anyone with that code can now join the school.

All that is needed to create an administrator account is to make the account (use Create Educator Account on the login screen and choose the Administrator option) and then join the school using the code. 

Note that it is very important that the code remain secret from parents and students, otherwise they can view private information for other students.

Simplegradebook pro teachers can view class averages for percentage and letter grade classes.  A checkbox has been added at the bottom of the gradebook spreadsheet. Checking the box will result in both overall class and assignment averages being displayed.

Class and assignment averages are NOT updated when a new grade is entered.  If you want to see updated averages, refresh the page.

Averages are calculated as follows:
1) excused assignment grades (for example, ABS, or blank) are not included in the average
2) grades of NHI, DNW or INC are calculated as zero
3) performance scale grades (ME etc.) are not included in the calculations

Parents and students are not able to view class or assignment averages.  Simplegradebook/Newcastle Technologies recommends that teachers use caution when clicking the averages checkbox to make sure that they are not accidentally shown to students, for example if the gradebook is being displayed on a display projector.