The purpose of this article is to explain how to assess users’ posts in Brightspace discussion threads.

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:

1. Assess all posts and replies in a topic, and assign a single score for the entire topic
2. 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.

1. Click the next to the title of the topic
2. Click Assess Topic

Step 2

Locate the student you want to assess, and click Topic Score

Step 3

Give feedback and scores

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

Repeat these steps for each student listed in the topic.

Assess Individual Threads

Step 1

Navigate to the thread you want to assess

*Note: Assess Student only appears when a topic has been associated to a grade item.

1. Click the next to the name of the thread
2. Click Assess Student

Step 2

Give feedback and scores

*Note: From here you can review and score all the posts made by the student on this topic.

1. Enter feedback comments (optional)
2. Assign a score for each post contributed by the student. The system will calculate a topic score based on the calculation method assigned during topic setup.
3. Click Save and Close