The Plus (+) Assessment feature allows teachers to quickly enter data for assessments given outside of Otus (observation, exit, slip, etc.). This assessment is created directly in the assessments or standards gradebook.
Create the Assessment
Step 1: Navigate to the Gradebook Module. Select the Assessments tab if entering points-based scores, or the Standards tab if entering standards-based scores.
Step 2: Select the + symbol just above the First Name column.
Step 3: Fill out the assessment information.
Assessment Title: Type in the title of your assessment.
Type: Choose from the various assessment types available.
Points/Grading Scale: Determine the number of points (Assessments view) or the standards grading scale (Standards view).
Link Standards: Choose which standard(s) to link the assessment to (this is required in the standards gradebook, but optional in the points gradebook).
Submission Date: Similar to a due date, the submission date is a date stamp for when the grade was entered into the gradebook. You can choose a future or past date if you wish.
Add to: Choose the class or classes you wish to assign it to.
Include Score in Final Grade: toggle off if you don't want this assessment to be included in the calculation in the student's final overall grade (this is not an option for standards-based assessments).
Enter Grades
Assessments View (Points-based)
If you created your Plus (+) assessment in the assessments view of the gradebook, a new column will be created with the assessment title at the top. Double-click in the score field for any student to begin adding point totals.
You can score multiple students at once by selecting the checkmark to the left of the student names.
You can change the status by double-clicking On Time and choosing from Late, Missing, Excused, or Excluded.
Standards View (Standards-Based)
If you created your Plus (+) assessment in the standards view of the gradebook, click in the applicable column to select a score (performance level) for each student.
You can give all students the same grade by selecting Grade All before making your selection.
💡 Tip: Need to access the assessment again to enter additional grades? Navigate to your assigned assessments, select the appropriate class, and click on the assessment title. That will take you back to the to the grading view.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
Click to view FAQ and troubleshooting details.
Click to view FAQ and troubleshooting details.
Do Plus assessments appear on the student's or family's notification feed?
No, Plus assessments do not appear on the student or family notification feed.
How do I assign a Plus assessment to specific students?
You can do this through the Manage Assignees menu by unassigning the assessment from selected students after the assessment has been created. Check out this article for more instructions on using Manage Assignees.
Can I view the data for the Plus assessment for all of my classes at once?
Yes! If you add the assessment to all of your classes at one time, you can then view the aggregate data in Assessment Analytics. This also applies for administrators who are assigning a plus assessment to an entire grade level or multiple classes at once.
Can I unassign a Plus assessment?
Yes, you can unassign a Plus assessment in the same way you unassign any other Otus assessment. Click here for instructions on unassigning an assessment.
Can I clone a Plus assessment?
No. Since Plus assessments are never actually in draft form, they are unable to be cloned. Fortunately, creating a Plus Assessment is such a quick and easy process that creating a new one with the same settings won't take long at all!
Can I assign a Plus assessment to additional classes after it's been created? Additional classes can't be added to a Plus assessment that has already been created. You will need to create a new Plus assessment in the correct gradebook and select any additional class you'd like to be included from the dropdown menu.
How can I use Plus assessment for extra credit?
Make the assessment worth 1 point (the point total must be greater than 0 in order to calculate correctly in Otus), then give the students a grade above 1 point for the amount of extra credit you'd like to give. This is only available for a points-based assessment.