How to Assess a Discussion Topic or Thread by Groups

The purpose of this article is to explain how to assess group discussion board topics in the Brightspace learning environment.

You can assess learners’ participation in discussion topics that have been associated to a grade item. The gradebook will contain only one score for the entire topic. You will have two choices for assessment:

Assess all posts and replies in a topic, and assign a single score for the entire topic
Assess every post and reply in a topic individually. Brightspace will then calculate a single score for the entire topic based on the calculation method chosen when the topic was created.

If your topic is moderated, you must approve posts before you can assess them.

Assess the Entire Topic
Assess Individual Threads

Assess the Entire Topic

Step 1

Navigate to the Discussions tool

*Note: Assess Student only appears when a topic has been associated to a grade item. For instructions on associating a topic to a grade item, click here.

Click the next to the title of the topic
Click Assess Topic

Step 2

Filter for Groups

Select Groups from the View By drop down menu
Click Apply

Step 3

Select your group

Select the group you want to grade from the drop-down menu
Click Apply

Step 4

Click Topic Score for the student you want to assess

Step 5

Give feedback and scores

Enter feedback comments (optional)
Assign a score for the entire topic. You can choose to publish this score as soon as it is saved.
Click Save and Close

Repeat these steps for each student listed in the group.

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Assess Individual Threads