Intended Audience: Mentors
Introduction
The pacing tool replaces traditional pacing documents by providing students with a customized assignment schedule based on enrollment and end dates. It streamlines planning, simplifies grading, and enhances communication among students, teachers, and mentors. This tool ONLY applies to courses in Brightspace. Essentials credit recovery courses housed in the Buzz learning management system do not have this pacing tool.
Why The Change
Online learning success relies on steady pacing, starting assignments early, and progressing consistently. Research from Michigan Virtual confirms that students who stay on pace perform better and feel less stressed. Recognizing this, we introduced enhanced pacing tools and clearer grade reporting.
Although the new pacing tool provides target submission dates and the system automatically enters a “zero” into the gradebook if an assignment is not submitted by the target date, students still can work at their own pace and have the ability to submit work after the zero grade has been submitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Core Features
- What are Target Submission Dates?
- Does this apply to credit recovery courses in the Buzz learning management system?
- What happens when a student misses a target date?
- How should I explain automatic zeros to a student who asks about them?
- Will instructors need to reopen assignments that receive automatic or manual zeros to allow students to complete the assignment?
- How are student submissions displayed?
- Why are there due dates for things that aren’t graded assignments or assessments?
- Grading: Grade to Date
- Flags &Visual Indicators
- Grading Policy Clarifications
- Mentor View of the Student Pacing Tool
- Troubleshooting & FAQs
- Do Buzz Courses have a pacing tool?
- What should I do if I get a "Something Went Wrong" error?
- Why does "Grade to Date" say "Not Available"?
- What happens if a student turns in an assignment after receiving an auto-zero?
- Why don’t DBAs show submission dates?
- Why can’t I see a student’s pacing guide?
- Can I download a pacing guide for a student?
- How should I explain automatic zeros to a student who asks about them?
Core Features
What are Target Submission Dates?
These are automatically generated deadlines for each assignment based on the student’s enrollment and end date. They ensure pacing toward on-time course completion.
Does this apply to credit recovery courses in the Buzz learning management system?
No. Buzz does not have a pacing tool. The ability to test out of lessons, assignments, and quizzes makes applying a pacing tool far too complicated as the assignments and quizzes each student needs to complete can change based on pre-test scores.
What happens when a student misses a target date?
The system records an automatic zero (0%) for that assignment. When the student completes the assignment, the zero will go away.
How should I explain automatic zeros to a student who asks about them?
Let students know the Brightspace Pacing Tool uses automatic zeros to show what their grade would look like if they did not complete missing work, similar to how grades reflect missing assignments in a traditional classroom. This gives them a realistic view of their current progress. Reassure them that they can still submit overdue assignments for credit within their course window, and their grade will update once those are scored.
Will instructors need to reopen assignments that receive automatic or manual zeros to allow students to complete the assignment?
No. Because nothing was submitted, there is nothing to clear out. Students can submit ‘zero’ assignments without any instructor intervention.
How are student submissions displayed?
They include the submission date, points earned, and a percentage. Below you will see a student submission followed by an automatic zero.
Why are there due dates for things that aren’t graded assignments or assessments?
Lesson materials are included in the pacing tool because they take time for students to complete and are factored into the weekly pacing schedule along with graded work. For these non-graded items, the “submission date” shown is simply the date the student accessed the material in Brightspace; it does not confirm completion, only that the student opened it at least once.
Grading: Grade to Date
What is "Grade to Date" and how is it calculated?
It reflects real-time progress by dividing points earned by the total points assigned to date (not the total points in the course).
What if a student is ahead of their pacing guide? Will that throw off the Grade to Date?
If a student works ahead, the system will adjust the overall points possible (based on what was due and what has been completed past that point) and points earned into the calculation, ensuring that scores do not exceed 100%.
How should I explain automatic zeros to a student who asks about them?
Let students know the Brightspace Pacing Tool uses automatic zeros to show what their grade would look like if they did not complete missing work, similar to how grades reflect missing assignments in a traditional classroom. This gives them a realistic view of their current progress. Reassure them that they can still submit overdue assignments for credit within their course window, and their grade will update once those are scored.
Do automatic or manual zeros count as a completed assignment?
Yes, the SLP counts anything with a score, zero or not, as a completed assignment.
Flags &Visual Indicators
What does the "Due Today" flag mean in the Student Pacing Tool?
The "Due Today" flag appears when a course activity is due within the next 24 hours. It serves as a helpful reminder for students to complete tasks that are coming up soon. Once there are no activities due in that timeframe, the flag will automatically disappear.
What does the "Overdue" flag indicate?
The "Overdue" flag is displayed when at least one required activity has passed its target submission date without being turned in. Even if the student later submits the assignment, this flag remains visible for the rest of the course as a record that the item was submitted after the recommended date.
Grading Policy Clarifications
Are students penalized for late work in flex-paced (non-AP) courses?
No. They may submit late work without penalty through the end of the term. Assignments will still show as "off pace."
What about AP courses?
AP courses retain hard due dates. Teachers will apply penalties manually.
Will instructors need to reopen assignments that receive automatic or manual zeros to allow students to complete the assignment?
No. Because nothing was submitted, there is nothing to clear out. Students can submit ‘zero’ assignments without any instructor intervention.
How should I explain automatic zeros to a student who asks about them?
Let students know the Brightspace Pacing Tool uses automatic zeros to show what their grade would look like if they did not complete missing work, similar to how grades reflect missing assignments in a traditional classroom. This gives them a realistic view of their current progress. Reassure them they can still submit overdue assignments for credit within their course window, and their grade will update once those are scored.
Mentor View of the Student Pacing Tool
How do mentors access the pacing tool?
Mentors log into Brightspace with their credentials, select the course they want to review, and choose 'Student Pacing Tool' from the course navigation bar.
What does a mentor see?
Mentors see the same student table as instructors, showing student name, submissions to date, Grade to Date, and pacing status. Mentors cannot see students who are completed or not yet started.
Can mentors view individual pacing guides?
Yes. They can click a student’s name to open that student’s individualized pacing guide, which is nearly identical to the student view. Mentors can also download and print the student’s pacing guide as a PDF, a feature only available to mentors and students.
Can homeschool guardians see the pacing tool?
No. Homeschool guardians do not have access to the Student Pacing Tool. They will need to work with their student to view or print the individualized pacing guide if needed.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Do Buzz Courses have a pacing tool?
No.The ability to test out of lessons, assignments, and quizzes makes applying a pacing tool far too complicated as the assignments and quizzes each student needs to complete can change based on pre-test scores.
What should I do if I get a "Something Went Wrong" error?
Follow these steps:
- Refresh your browser.
- Still not working? Clear your cache/browsing data and restart your computer.
- Still not working? Submit a Customer Care Ticket.
Why does "Grade to Date" say "Not Available"?
No assignments have been submitted or graded yet.
What happens if a student turns in an assignment after receiving an auto-zero?
The zero is replaced by the new score, but the overdue flag remains.
Why don’t DBAs show submission dates?
They are not submitted through Brightspace as they are set as “Observed in Person,” and the student does not physically submit anything. Note: Some courses still require students to submit something in addition to completing the discussion with their teacher; these assignments WILL have a submission date that triggers automatic zeros.
Why can’t I see a student’s pacing guide?
Refresh the page. Initial load times vary.
Can I download a pacing guide for a student?
No, only students and mentors can download the PDF.
How should I explain automatic zeros to a student who asks about them?
Let students know the Brightspace Pacing Tool uses automatic zeros to show what their grade would look like if they did not complete missing work, similar to how grades reflect missing assignments in a traditional classroom. This gives them a realistic view of their current progress. Reassure them they can still submit overdue assignments for credit within their course window, and their grade will update once those are scored.