Grade Submission Tool

For step-by-step instructions on how to submit final grades to MyNIU, click here.

Why use this tool instead of posting grades manually in MyNIU?

The Grade Submission Tool allows NIU faculty to publish grades from the Blackboard Grade Center directly to MyNIU. Faculty who use the Blackboard Grade Center to calculate final grades will be able to choose to export final grades from Blackboard instead of manually entering grades in MyNIU, saving time and the opportunity for data entry errors. After submitting grades using this new tool, faculty will simply login to MyNIU to view the final grades and post for student viewing.

What are the steps to using the grade submission tool?

The steps are simple and may vary slightly depending upon how the Grade Center is used and whether grades are calculated automatically in Blackboard or tabulated manually. The steps to use the Grade Submission Tool include:

1. Customize the default letter schema in the Grade Center to match the grading scale for the course
2. Assign letter schema to the total score and/or weighted total column
3. Set an external grade column in the Grade Center that contains the final grade
4. Review scores and/or letter grade in the external grade column and assign letter grade to be exported to MyNIU
5. Within the Control Panel select Course Tools, then Grade Submission and Submit Grades
6. Login to MyNIU to confirm grades and complete posting

Note - Steps 1 and 2 assume use of the Grade Center to tabulate a final score and if desired apply weighting to calculate a final grade for the course. Faculty choosing to manually make these calculations and/or simply post the letter grades in Blackboard can add a new column manually, enter final grades for each student, and then skip to step 3.

What is an external grade?

An external grade represents the student’s final grade for the class. By default, the Total column is always set as the external grade. To change this, you can designate an existing column (Weighted Total) or create a new grade column. The grade submission tool uses this to determine what the grade roster should be.

Can a TA use the tool to submit final grades?

No, only the official instructor of record can submit final grades to MyNIU using this tool.

Can the tool be used to submit final grades for a master course in Blackboard that includes students from multiple sections?

Yes. The grade submission tool will allow you to export grades for all combined sections as long as you are the instructor of record of every section.

I manually enrolled students from other sections in my Blackboard course. Can I use the tool to submit grades for these students?

Grades for students manually enrolled from other sections can not be exported to MyNIU.

After submitting grades from Blackboard, can changes be made before final posting in MyNIU?

Yes, grades submitted from Blackboard can be changed if needed when reviewing in MyNIU before final posting.

Do faculty still need to login to MyNIU to post final grades if they use the Grade Submission Tool?

Yes, faculty need to login to MyNIU to the Self Service Faculty Center to confirm grades submitted from Blackboard and post.

I submitted grades but I don't see them on MyNIU? Where are my grades?

Submitted grades may take up to 15 minutes to appear in MyNIU.

I tried submitting grades but it says that a grade roster is not available. What is a grade roster?

Grade rosters enable you to enter final grades in MyNIU. You cannot export grades from Blackboard until a grade roster exists for your course in MyNIU. Please check with the office of Registration of Records to find out when a grade roster will be available for your course.

When can I submit my grades?

Grades can be submitted during MyNIU's allowable window.

Can I re-submit my grades?

No. You can only submit grades once per course. If you made a mistake during the submission, you will have a chance to review the grades and make any changes in MyNIU before doing the final posting.

Is there a deadline for submitting grades from Blackboard to MyNIU?

Faculty can submit grades until midnight on the date that MyNIU's window officially closes. That is, the night before the official deadline.

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Last Updated:12/13/2012