Scales are a grade type within Totara Learn that offer an alternative to numeric grading. You can share scales across the site (standard scale) or have them be local to a particular course (custom scale). Once a scale is created it will be accessible to use for anyone who has access at that level e.g. a standard scale is available to all editing
users as it is site level, a custom scale is only available to others with editing right on that particular course.
You can set Scale as the grade type when setting up a grade item or activity on a course.
Creating scales
Anyone with editing rights can create a grade scale on a course and Site Administrators can also create a scale on a site level.
Creating a scale from a course
It is possible to create a new grade scale from a course by following these steps:
- On the course go to Grades > Scales from the Administration block.
- Click Add a new scale.
- Configure the settings to your preferences.
- Click Save changes.
Creating a scale at site level
If you are a Site Administrator then you can add a scale at the site level which will be usable by any trainers or administrators on the site.
- On the course go to Grades > Scales from the Administration menu.
- Click Add a new scale.
- Configure the settings to your preferences.
- Click Save changes.
Settings
| Setting | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The name of the scale. It is recommended this is descriptive. | - |
| Standard scale | If ticked the scale will be shared across the site for anyone to use. | This is ticked by default if adding the scale at site level and cannot be unticked in that case. |
| Scale | Enter the scale here separating each scale point with a comma. The scale should range from the lowest point to the highest e.g. Poor,Good,Excellent. | - |
| Description | You can describe the scale here. This might include guidance for how it should be used or an expansion of which each scale point represents. | - |
Editing scales
Editing a scale works in a very similar way for a scale added at a site or course level. You can only edit a scale that you created.
- Go to Grades > Scales from the either Administration block (on the course) or the Administration menu (on the site).
- Alongside the scale you wish to edit click the cog icon (
). - Configure the settings to your preferences.
- Click Save changes.
Deleting scales
You can only delete a scale that you created. However, it works in a very similar way for both site and course level scales.
- Go to Grades > Scales from the either Administration block (on the course) or the Administration menu (on the site).
- Alongside the scale you wish to delete edit click the cross icon (
).
Totara Academy
The Totara Academy has a whole course dedicated to using Grading, completion and certificates in Totara Learn. Here you can learn more on how to use these tools, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.
