Exporting grades from Moodle to Sisu

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By selecting a degree programme you are able to see the general content as well as the possible degree programme-specific content.

At the University of Helsinki, grades are recorded in the Sisu student information system. When using the Moodle online learning environment in your teaching, you can record grades in Sisu in three ways:

When the Moodle area has been 1 Send grades from Moodle to Sisu 2 Use SIMU 3 Record grades in Sisu
Created on the course page in use in use in use
Ordered using the form not in use in use in use

Table: Exporting grades from Moodle to Sisu. The way in which the Moodle area has been created affects how grades are exported from Moodle to Sisu. If the Moodle area has been created on the course page, you can send grades from Moodle to Sisu, use the SIMU tool or record grades in Sisu. If the Moodle area has been ordered using the relevant form, you can use SIMU or record grades in Sisu.

1. Send grades from Moodle to Sisu

Choose this option when student information in the Moodle area has been synchronised with Sisu (the Moodle area has been created on the course page) and the grades can be found in the Moodle gradebook under the Course total column.

2. Use SIMU

Choose this option when the grades do not appear in the Moodle gradebook.

3. Record grades in Sisu

Choose this option when the grades do not appear in the Moodle gradebook or the number of grades to be recorded is small, or in MOOCs and Moodle courses available on the DigiCampus.

1. Send grades from Moodle to Sisu

You can use this feature when: 

  • The Moodle area has been synchronised, which means that the students’ role is synced in Moodle. You can check this in your Moodle area under Participants. Sisu-synchronised Moodle areas have been created on course pages  (see Course pages – User instructions).

and

  • The grade appears in the Moodle gradebook (under Grades) in the Course total column.

If the grade does NOT appear in the Course total column, choose option 2 or 3 or adjust the settings of the Moodle gradebook so that grades are automatically calculated in the Course total column. For advice on changing the settings of the gradebook, please see the Moodle.docs: Grades (Moodle.docs), complete Moodle training, or send an email to moodle@helsinki.fi.

You can export grades from the same Moodle area to Sisu several times. This does not affect previously confirmed passing grades. However, a failing grade will be replaced by a passing grade even if the grade has already been confirmed in Sisu.

It is possible to export grades from Moodle to Sisu one group at a time. In this case, set visible or separate groups to group mode from the course settings in Moodle.

Send grades from Moodle to Sisu

Video tutorial (in Finnish): Exporting grades to Sisu when the Moodle area has been ordered on the course page (1:17 min)

  1. Access your Moodle area.
  2. Click on Grades in the navigation menu to view the Moodle gradebook
  3. Make sure that the grade appears in the Course total column without decimals. If necessary, follow these instructions to remove any decimals:
    1. Select from the drop-down menu Gradebook setup.
    2. Click on Edit > Edit settings next to the column in which the course title is displayed.
    3. Under Overall decimal places, select 0.
    4. Save the changes.
  4. Select from the drop-down menu Export and from the adjacent drop-down menu SISU Grade Export. Select the right date under Evaluation date and click on Submit.

The Export and SISU Grade Export tabs in the Grades section in Moodle.

  1. Log in to Sisu and confirm the grades there. See instructions at Recording the grades of completed studies.

I failed to send grades from Moodle to Sisu. What went wrong?

Check the following in Moodle:

  • Has the Moodle area been ordered from the course page? Make sure that the participants’ role is synced in the Participants section of the Moodle area.
  • Does the correct grade appear in the Course total column of the Moodle gradebook?
  • Is the rating scale in Moodle the same as in Sisu?
  • Has either Letter or Real been selected in the setting Grade display type of the Course total column, depending on which you use in Moodle? Make sure you have not accidentally selected, for example, Real (percentage).
  • Do grades appear in the Course total column without decimals? If necessary, remove any decimals. See item 3 of the instructions above.

If you are still unable to send grades from Moodle to Sisu, please send an email to moodle@helsinki.fi.

Check the following in Sisu:

  • Make sure that students have received the correct grades and that all sections (language, credits, any feedback) have been completed.
  • If you are unable to confirm grades, make sure not to include ‘empty’ credits, that is, students who have not completed the course (first select all and then remove any such students).

If you are still unable to send grades from Moodle to Sisu, please send an email to assessment@helsinki.fi.

2. Use SIMU

You can select this option when

  • The grades appear in the Moodle gradebook in any column under Grades.

You can obtain an Excel file from Moodle, including student numbers, course grades and other information required by Sisu. Copy the required information from the Excel file and paste it to SIMU, the Sisu converter. Edit the information in SIMU so as to be Sisu compatible, then export the file to Sisu. To conclude, confirm the grades in Sisu.

Export grades from Moodle to Excel, copy and paste to SIMU and export to Sisu

Video tutorial (in Finnish): Exporting grades from the Moodle gradebook to Excel and from Excel to SIMU (5:39 min)

  1. Download SIMU (the Sisu converter). You will need SIMU for item 11 of these instructions.

In Moodle:

  1. Access your Moodle area.
  2. In the navigation menu, click on Grades.
  3. Check the column in which the grade appears, making sure it is in a format accepted by Sisu, that is, 0–5 (without decimals), Fail, Pass, Sat or G (case insensitive, i.e., uppercase and lowercase letters are not treated as distinct). If necessary, remove decimals:
    • Select from the drop-down menu Gradebook setup.
    • Click on Edit > Edit settings next to the column where the grade appears.
    • Under Overall decimal places, select 0.
    • Save the changes.
  4. Select from the drop-down menu Export and from the adjacent drop-down menu Excel spreadsheet.
  5. Under Grade items to be included, select the grade you wish to export to Sisu.
  6. Check the section Export format options. If relevant, select setting Letter rather than Real. Under Grade export decimal places, select 0.
  7. Download.

    In Excel:
     

  8. Remove the columns lnstitution, Department and Email address from the Moodle Excel.
  9. Select and copy (Ctrl+C) the assessment information required for SIMU: first name, surname, ID number and grade as well as any written feedback.

    In SIMU:
     

  10. Open SIMU and click on Enable content. Paste (Ctrl+V) the copied assessment information.
  11. Enter the missing assessment information (credits, date of completion and language of completion).
  12. Click on Check information: If the columns contain information that Sisu does not accept, they will appear in red. If necessary, edit the information.
  13. Click on Save as Sisu assessment csv file.

    In Sisu:
     

  14. Log in to Sisu, find the relevant course, open its Assessment tab and click on Import assessment information.
  15. Select the SIMU file on your computer and send it.
  16. Check and, if necessary, supplement the assessment information (e.g., Additional information that will be included in transcript of records).
  17. Confirm the assessments. See the instructions at Recording the grades of completed studies.

3. Record grades in Sisu

You can always save grades directly in Sisu, regardless of whether the Moodle area was created on the course page or through the order form.

Select this option when

  • You need not record many grades
  • The grades to be recorded do not appear in the Moodle gradebook
  • The grades to be recorded are associated with MOOCs or Moodle courses available on the DigiCampus

See Sisu instructions: Recording the grades of completed studies

Recording grades for MOOCs

DigiCampus

Students do not register for a MOOC until they have successfully completed the course activities. This is usually done through the Moodle settings Completion tracking and Restrict access by making the registration link available only to those who have completed the activities. This ensures that information will appear in Sisu only regarding students who have completed the course, thus expediting the recording of grades.

Tip: Use the Bulk edit information feature to record assessments for several students at a time. On the Assessment tab in Sisu, you can use the filter for unconfirmed grades to view only those students who have not yet had their MOOC grade registered.

If students can register for a MOOC before completing the required activities, the teacher must access the MOOC area to verify which students have completed the course and must then record their grades manually. See Sisu instructions: Recording the grades of completed studies.

MOOC Center online learning environment

The transfer of grades to Sisu has been automated. See Courses.mooc.fi (MOOC-centrum) instructions (wiki)

Support and video tutorials

Video tutorials (in Finnish):

Note, these videos are for Moodle 3.11, UH is using Moodle 4.

Moodle guide for teachers

Moodle training (on Flamma, requires login)

moodle@helsinki.fi

See also the most common problems when recording grades.