How are you applying late penalties for late assignment submission?

Tara.D.148

Hi everyone,

Given that an automatic late penalty is not a feature in Brightspace (and not gaining much traction in PIE), I am curious how other institutions/organisations are currently applying deductions for late submission penalties, please?

Mostly, our academics are calculating this manually, but this is time-consuming and problematic. We do have some using a grade item and a formula for each assessment, and others using a negative 'Bonus' grade item value. However, both of these are problematic and do not align with plans for a university-wide automated, consistent gradebook set-up and transfer process.

Both methods still involve manual calculation of the amount to deduct, so it can be prone to error. We see inconsistencies in how academics/markers interpret and apply the University policy - i.e. when the first 24 hours starts, or where they apply the penalty e.g. 5% from the maximum value or 5% from the student's mark. Both also require careful explanation for students, particularly the 'Bonus' given it shows as a 'Bonus' in the student view of the gradebook.

These are the PIE items I have found, but both have been around for a while with little traction.

Automatic Late Penalty: View Submission (D4169) Submitted: 10/18/2017 Not Planned

Late Submission Penalty Deduction Toggle: View Submission (D8470) Submitted: 11/05/2021 Under Consideration

Furkan.K.312

Thank you for asking the question:
I looked into it, and applying late penalties for assignment submissions in Brightspace can be challenging due to the lack of an automated feature. Here are some insights on how other institutions are managing this:

Current Practices:

Manual Calculation: Many institutions still rely on manual calculation of late penalties, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors

Grade Item Formula: Some use a grade item with a formula to calculate the penalty for each assessment. This method requires setting up a formula that deducts a percentage based on the number of days late

Negative 'Bonus' Grade Item: Others use a negative 'Bonus' grade item to apply the penalty. This method involves adding a grade item with a negative value to deduct points from the student's score

Challenges:

Inconsistencies: Manual methods can lead to inconsistencies in how penalties are applied, such as differing interpretations of when the first 24 hours start or whether the penalty is deducted from the maximum value or the student's mark

Student Confusion: The use of a 'Bonus' grade item can be confusing for students, as it appears as a bonus in their gradebook view

Potential Solutions:

Standardized Policies: Establishing clear, standardized policies for late penalties can help reduce inconsistencies. This includes defining when the penalty period starts and how the percentage is calculated.

Automated Scripts: Some institutions have developed custom scripts or tools to automate the calculation and application of late penalties. These scripts can be integrated with Brightspace to streamline the process.

Feedback and Advocacy: Engaging with the Brightspace Product Idea Exchange (PIE) to advocate for the development of an automated late penalty feature can help bring attention to this need

Example Formula Setup:

Grade Item Formula: Create a grade item with a formula that deducts a percentage based on the number of days late. For example, if the penalty is 5% daily, the formula could be: Final Grade = Original Grade - (Days Late * 5%).

Negative 'Bonus' Grade Item Setup:

Bonus Grade Item: To apply the penalty, add a grade item with a negative value. For example, if the penalty is 5% per day and the assignment is 2 days late, the bonus grade item would be -10%.

By implementing these practices and advocating for automated solutions, institutions can better manage late penalties and ensure consistency across courses.

Is there a specific method you're considering or need more details on?

Brightspace Community Discussion on Late Penalties