Understanding the relationship between an assignment on PS Learning and PS SIS Gradebook

[skrishna]

Hi all -

So, if a teacher creates an assignment on PS Learning, it automatically shows up on the SIS Gradebook in the next scheduled push, correct? Then, if the teacher decides to delete that assignment on PS Learning, does it automatically delete it on the gradebook in the next sync too? 

I guess my question is how are the two connected apart from the PS Learning >> PS SIS Gradebook and not the other way around.

Thanks.

[KElms · Accepted solution]

Hi, 

We have found that assignments created in learning and sent to PTP have to be deleted in Learning first and then in PTP.  Creation of the assignment and grades get pushed one way only (Learning > PTP). Deletions don't.  I am not sure if they are meant to or not, but...

Also, I have seen that some people are reporting that once an assignment is deleted in Learning, it becomes greyed out in PTP and can't be deleted.  If it happens, the teacher can only unpublish that assignment and delete the scores.

This is apparently a known issue, but you should probably report it if you see it happening on your instance.

Kim

[skrishna]

Thank you Kim. That is good to know. We are getting ready to open up the live grade push between Learning and the PT Pro. So this is good data to start communicating the teachers on.

Shall update this thread as and when we find out more from our experiences.

Cheers,

Shashi

[jhanlon]

In PTP if you go to edit an assignment in the gradebook and it came from learning you get a message it was created in learning with a link to that assignment in learning.  You can delete it from there.  We are also getting the known issue where a few teachers did this and the column stayed in PTP

[KElms]

Right...the workflow should always consider that the data push is one way only and from Learning > PTP. As long as your teachers remember this, there isn't much of a problem. Except for the new issue of being unable to delete from PTP, of course.

[jhanlon]

Do you keep the gradebook in PS Learning Active even though you are using the PTP gradebook?  If a teacher scores something in Learning and it syncs.  If they adjust the score in PTP will it revert to what is in learning?

[KElms]

We don't use the PSL gradebook at all and all grading either originates in PTP or gets pushed there (Powerschool is our report generator). 

Edits made in PTP stay. So, unless the teacher changes the grade again in Learning, it doesn't write back to PTP.  We have had to be very clear with teachers that any grade changes in PTP are not reflected in Learning, so there is a danger that a student could see one grade in PTP that is different than what they see on the assignment in PSL.  

Our recommended work flow is that all work that originates in a PSL assignment always be marked in Learning and never edited in PTP.  This really only works for our schools/grades using traditional grading.  For standards-based programs, it doesn't really work well as there is not a way to grade multiple standards individually on a single assignment in Learning that will passback to PTP.

k

[skrishna]

Hi K - We are in a similar situation with MS and HS being standards based. It would be great if PS Learning "read back" standards from PS SIS. That way there would be less confusion in some ways. So, the way I am understanding this, the following workflow should do if teachers choose to use PS Learning as the main assignment creation spot (which they might since it has Google Classroom like features for collecting student work etc):

Creating assignments

1. Create assignments/activities in PS Learning. 

2. Sync puts it in PS SIS Gradebook. Attach standards from PT Pro and grade it.

Deleting assignments

1. Delete it first in PS Learning. 

2. Sync will/should delete it in PT Pro. If not then unpublish it in PT Pro and make scores 0s.

Does this sound about right?

Thank you!

Shashi

[KElms]

This is correct, except for the sync deletion in PTpro. I’ve never seen that happen; we always have to delet in both places. However, lately there have been some reports of being unable to delete in PTP after an assignment is deleted in Learning. If that happens, that’s when the only option left is to unpublish and delete scores.
K

[skrishna]

Hi K -

Also: We are not enabling the Learning Gradebook since we are standards based and its just easier for teachers to go directly to PT Pro Gradebook. Making any assignment, even without Learning Gradebook active, adds a column entry in the PT Pro Gradebook, right?

We open grade push soon so the most answers I can get the better! 🙂 

Thanks again.

Shashi

[KElms]

Yes, as long as the class pages are attached to a course that has been imported from the SIS, when they send to the gradebook it will show up there; the learning gradebook setup is not necessary/doesn't effect that.

[skrishna]

Perfect. Exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks, K!

[jhanlon]

So if a teacher gives a grade of 9/10 in leanring then after the sync if they change it to 10/10 in PTP it will stay unless they touch the assignment again in learning?  I am wondering if we disable the gradebook if anything will get messed up

[KElms]

Right. Once they change the grade in PTP, the link is essentially broken.  However, if they change the score in learning to 8/10 (let's say) it will push the 8/10 in to PTP overwriting the 10/10.

[skrishna]

Got it. Although I dont think we will use Learning to enter the scores (well, except maybe the IB classes...we are not sure yet). It will only be used primarily to create assignments requiring student work to be collected online and then those entries , when synced to PT Pro, will be directly graded there by attaching standards. Lets see how it all goes. Big shift for us. 

Thanks K.

[mwimpey]

HELP!

My district has a hybrid schedule and is wanting to start using the sync with PS and Schoology's grade book. Some teachers attempted last year, and it was a disaster.  I am the district PS Admin (new to this role as of this July).  The school's IC has contacted me to help her set up the communication between PS and the Schoology grade book.

We have a strange, hybrid schedule, however. Some courses are everyday, all year long. Some courses are everyday, but only for 1 semester. Some courses are every other day, all year long. Some courses are every day, but only for 1 9-week period.

Then, of course, we have those EOC courses that need the 20% for that exam. These courses are both year long (everyday) and semester (everyday).

I am not sure how to set up the term weights or dates to accomplish this task. I've played around with it, but if anyone has any suggestions--please advise.  Our teachers report Friday and we want to be ready for them.

Thanks!

M Wimpey

[Reshma]

Hi @mwimpey!

Thank you for the question in PowerSchool Community!

Hybrid Schedule shouldn't affect setting up the term weight or dates as Schoology considers the length of the course such as semester-long or full term.  You can find more information from here in the Schoology Help Center: Grading Periods: Best Practices for System Admin