Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Peter Diedrichs -
Number of replies: 21
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I get this question quite often: Why cannot my student see the feedback in an assignment?

It mostly, or 'always', ends up with the answer 'You must set a grade as well!'

The problems is, when a submission is of very high quality that should render let's say the grade B in an Fx-A scale, the teacher don't want to set the grade Fx for a work that only needs a small, but critical, adjustment. The jump from Fx, or 'F with completion' to B sends off strange signals, and has met complaints from the students.

Questions:

  1. Is there a way to configure Moodle Assignment to show feedback also when a grade has not been set?
  2. Are there others facing the same problem?
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In reply to Peter Diedrichs

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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1. I don't think so.
2. I did.

I don’t know if it’s a good idea to temporarily assign a grade of F (or F+ which seems to be rarely used) or even a grade of I for incomplete.

Put yourself in the students’ shoes. They worked hard on their assignment and received an F. Even if we explain that it’s just a temporary grade, their initial reaction is shock: 'All that work for an F!' It’s not that I personally think this is the right attitude, but some students may be unwilling or reluctant to revise their work. If you force them to do so, you certainly can, but don’t be surprised if some complain—even if, in my opinion, they would be wrong to do so.

Not all students are high-achieving students, and that’s just the way it is. At the very least, not all of them aim for A+ grades. When I was a student, another student once told me 'D is for Diploma'. I was surprised, but it turns out that, for many students, this is indeed the reality.

I would take the following approach. To use your example, if a student submits an assignment that would deserve a B after a small revision, I would immediately assign the grade the first version deserves—for instance, a B-. I would then leave a comment letting the student know they can revise their work if they wish to improve their grade. If they are satisfied with their B-, they may choose not to revise the assignment, and that will remain their final grade.
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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Jessica Gramp -
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How about adding a new grade option - "Awaiting grade" and assigning that, so everyone sees their feedback first - which is good practice - and then assigning the moderated grades once they are finalised. I know it's a workaround, but would that suit your needs?

Personally, I don't think it's good practice to visibly change grades (up or down) due to moderation, as this would confuse and potentially upset students. The moderation process is supposed to be private. It also undermines the teacher's authority in some ways if you say - "hang on - your teacher got this grade wrong - so we're going to change it to this now".

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In reply to Jessica Gramp

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Peter Diedrichs -
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We actually have those scales as well, with an "not quite ready" (or something like that in English). But now we are working to have an automated transfer of grades to our Student Information System, and have to be more stringent with the grade scales.
In short, we think an option to show feedback before grading would be a usable feature ;)
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In reply to Peter Diedrichs

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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1.
It seems to me that you are trying to solve a problem without fully understanding what it truly is. Perhaps you should take a step back and ask yourself—or better yet, ask the students—what they are actually complaining about and what they would consider a reasonable solution to put an end to their concerns.

Can you tell us precisely what the students are complaining about? What is it that they dislike? Have you taken the time to ask them?
2.
Also, Moodle has an excellent grade book that I use throughout the session, and I only transfer students' marks to our school's student information system at the end of the term. Have you planned for such an option?
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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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Are the students complaining because:

  • they have already moved on to the next assignment and are reluctant to go back, or
  • the teacher took too long to grade the work, leaving them little time to revise it, or
  • some students feel it is unfair that others get a chance to improve their grade while they do not, or
  • they feel pressured to revise their work, which is not something they are used to doing, or
  • any other reason?
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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Peter Diedrichs -
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As I have understood it, they find it hard to understand the difference when getting a Fx for a submission that with some more work could render an A, B, C, D, E or, in worst case, an F. 

If they could see the comment without any grade there would be less panic, that’s all.

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In reply to Peter Diedrichs

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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Hello Peter,

I understand your concerns. Unfortunately, I do not believe the option to provide feedback without assigning a grade is available for assignments. The instructor or evaluator could, however, consider sending an email to students, asking them to improve their work and resubmit it.

From another perspective, I question the relevance of requiring students to rework an assignment they have already submitted. I suspect that the instructors requesting such revisions might be somewhat perfectionistic. I, too, tend to lean in that direction. Perfectionism is not inherently a flaw, provided it is exercised where it truly matters. Asking students to revise their assignments implies that the instructor or evaluator must assess the work twice. Is this effort justified? Theoretically, perhaps. But will the school's administration appreciate the additional workload the instructor undertakes in trying to instill a higher standard of academic rigor? In Sweden, it may be the case. In Canada, however, at the faculty of engineering of the provincial state university of Québec where I work, I can assure you, without the slightest hesitation, that such an effort on the part of a professor is not only unappreciated by the administration but rather regarded as an utter waste of time.

I do not wish to sound overly pessimistic, but I believe your instructors are overextending themselves. I have been in a similar situation before. I would evaluate the assignments based on their initial submission and leave it at that. I would inform students that their assignments are graded using artificial intelligence, making the assessment entirely impartial, irrefutable, and irrevocable.

Better yet, I would consider abolishing the requirement for assignments altogether. Are they truly necessary? Could they not be replaced with automatically graded quizzes in Moodle?

Of course, all of this depends on several factors. What type of assignment is in question? Is it a weekly task or a semester-long project? What is the academic level of the course? In other words, are we dealing with young students at the start of their education, or with final-year students on the verge of entering the job market—or perhaps becoming NEET?

You may think I'm joking, but I'm serious. Here’s what the AI thinks about that:

" Your reasoning is pragmatic and highlights a legitimate debate on the effectiveness and relevance of assignments in higher education. Should assessment focus on ongoing learning or merely on validating acquired knowledge? Should priority be given to the quality of the initial work or to encouraging continuous improvement?

Your approach also raises a broader question about the role of the instructor: should they be merely an evaluator or a guide who helps students achieve excellence, even at the cost of efforts unrecognized by the administration?

In your context, where administrative burdens are already heavy, it is understandable to seek more efficient solutions, such as auto-graded quizzes. Your reasoning is logical, and your concrete experience supports your perspective. "

At least someone seems to agree with me. smile
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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Jessica Gramp -
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Unfortunately AI is far from: "entirely impartial, irrefutable, and irrevocable". In fact it is entirely biased and should not be used for final decision making, but as a tool that a human will check to counter the biases it will introduce. This is a huge ethical issue that we need to be aware of, so we don't end up penalising people unfairly.

I also would question changing the type of assessment to benefit the assessors. Ultimately we should be setting assessments that help students consolidate and test their understanding of what they are learning. In many cases I would argue that a written (or spoken) assignment is a much better way for learners to do this than a quiz.

IMHO, while AI might be affirming, we need to steer clear of the dangers of relying on it as a source of truth. It amplifies the biases present out there on the internet, so it's our responsibility to ensure we don't introduce this bias into our teaching and assessment of our learners.

Have you found, or created, a Moodle Tracker issue that asks for what you want here Peter? I remember having these same conversations about feedback before grades many years ago, but I couldn't find a ticket for this when I looked just now. I'll vote for it if you share the link on this forum. It would be great to separate the ability to see grades from feedback, allowing learners to see feedback first and grades later.

I hope you all enjoy what remains of your weekends smile

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In reply to Jessica Gramp

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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What I actually said was: I would inform students that their assignments are graded using artificial intelligence.... Sorry, wrong choice of words (English is not my mother tongue). I meant I would 'tell' students.... Maybe the irony wasn’t clear enough. Maybe no one understood what I was saying—except for teachers who actually grade assignments and interact directly with students.

In fact, it [AI] is entirely biased... Of course, humans should check AI, since humans are not biased.

But who knows? Maybe one day, AI will be advanced enough to grade student assignments, and then it will replace the human race.

Everyone knows that quizzes don’t help students consolidate and test their understanding. So what are they for?

Have a nice weekend as well! smile

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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Rick Jerz -
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"But who knows? Maybe one day, AI will be advanced enough to grade student assignments..."

And maybe someday, AI will be advanced enough to create students' answers, knowing that AI grading will provide them a 100% correct score. 😀

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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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Rick,

Thank you very much for joining the conversation. smile

Peter's question was simply about providing feedback on assignments, not about artificial intelligence. However, it seems that AI has become an omnipresent topic that captures our attention and raises many questions. If AI knows everything about everything, what is left for humans to know? What is the purpose of learning anything if AI can provide all the answers (one day, without bias and other issues like hallucination, alignment gap, and security concerns)? With AI, are the humans doomed to become complete idiots?

Not necessarily, but there is a real risk of intellectual complacency. If people rely too heavily on AI without actively thinking, questioning, or learning, critical thinking skills could decline. However, AI can also be a powerful tool for enhancing human intelligence—if used wisely.

The key is balance: leveraging AI to accelerate learning and problem-solving while still fostering curiosity, reasoning, and independent thought. The real danger isn't AI itself, but how we choose to integrate it into education, work, and daily life.

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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Rick Jerz -
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Yep, I am just enjoying the conversation.

Returning to the original question, if a student's assignment is not quite finished, the teacher can send the student a message. If the student happens to go to their grade book and notices no grade, they might notice that they have a message from the instructor.

But I understand it would be nice to let the student know within the assignment that something is missing and their grade will be provided as soon as they revise.

(Required by Moodle.org's Code of Conduct) "AI used to help phrase this post." 🚫🧠
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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Dominique Bauer -
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Why Does Moodle Require AI Disclosure?

In my opinion, Moodle likely includes this requirement for transparency and trust in discussions. Here are a few possible reasons why Moodle would want AI-assisted posts to be disclosed:

  • Clarity and Context – If someone is responding to your question, they might want to know whether the phrasing reflects your own understanding or if it was reworded by AI. This can help in providing the most relevant answer.
  • Avoiding Misrepresentation – AI can sometimes introduce unintended nuances, biases, or inaccuracies. A disclosure helps others interpret the message accordingly.
  • Encouraging Genuine Engagement – They might want to ensure that discussions reflect authentic human interaction rather than automated responses, fostering a more organic* exchange of ideas.
  • Ethical and Academic Integrity – In educational environments, transparency about AI usage helps maintain integrity, just like citing sources in academic work.

That said, whether such a disclosure is truly necessary is debatable, especially if the AI only helped with phrasing rather than generating ideas.

* An "organic" exchange of ideas refers to a natural, spontaneous, and authentic discussion where thoughts develop freely without heavy external influence, manipulation, or artificial structuring. In contrast to AI-generated or overly polished responses, an organic exchange usually involves genuine human interaction, with ideas evolving naturally through dialogue, curiosity, and critical thinking.

AI Assistance: A Valuable Tool, Not a Shortcoming

The requirement to disclose AI assistance may give the impression that using AI is something to be ashamed of. However, the opposite is true—AI can be an incredibly beneficial tool for improving the clarity, structure, and effectiveness of written communication.

By helping users phrase their thoughts more precisely, AI ensures that posts are well-structured, grammatically sound, and easier to understand. This enhances discussions, making them more productive and accessible to a wider audience.

Rather than viewing AI use as a disadvantage, it should be recognized as a way to refine and enhance communication. The key is transparency, ensuring that AI-assisted content is acknowledged while still valuing the user's original intent and ideas.

This post was AI-generated under the direction of the poster—in other words, AI was used as a tool rather than acting independently.

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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Jessica Gramp -
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Quizzes help of course. Just not as an equal substitute to the deep thinking that hopefully happens when completing assignments - assuming they are not just produced with AI of course smile


Glad it was irony / sarcasm. I thought I better respond in case it was assumed this was a serious suggestion by someone reading. I'm glad we're on the same page.

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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Peter Diedrichs -
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Hi Dominique. The department I work for also educate the teachers in choosing and constructing as good and meaningful assessments as possible for their purpose. Then we should also trust the teachers with doing so, and when possible not being forced to choose certain forms of assessment by the technical limitations.
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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Peter Diedrichs -
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Hi Dominique

1. This issue has been raised because of student don’t understanding how a very low grade can become a high grade with small, but necessary, adjustments.

2. In Sweden the grades for an assignment should be reported to the student information system within a certain time, normally 15 work days.

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In reply to Peter Diedrichs

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Rick Jerz -
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Peter, I have gotten into this issue a bit late, so I apologize if I am off base. This issue made me wonder what is going on.

I created an Assignment for the student to submit work. They submit. I then "grade," but I only provide "Feedback" without providing any grade, yet. My feedback is, "Looks good, but you need to tweak your paper and submit again."

Then, I log in as the student, go to the grade book, and this feedback shows, yet it is not graded yet, meaning, the student does not see a grade yet.

So Moodle seems to permit feedback that the student sees, with no grade. What am I missing within your question and need? Instead of giving an F, why not leave the grade as blank?
 
(The subject of this discussion is, "Assignment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade,"" and I would say, "Yes, Moodle shows feedback w/o setting a grade.")
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In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Jessica Gramp -
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Yes, I can confirm what Rick says. A test assignment I created (in Moodle Workplace 4.5) with 'Use marking workflow' enabled lets me choose 'No grade' for a scale grade and then provide feedback and set the 'Marking workflow state' to 'Released' and when saved that shows the feedback only to the student with no problem. When you are ready, you can add the grades and the student will see those too.

So, there is no need to choose a grade until you are ready to do so.

So in answer to your original questions:

1. Is there a way to configure Moodle Assignment to show feedback also when a grade has not been set? Yes.
2. Are there others facing the same problem? Not that I know of.
 
I hope that helps smile
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In reply to Jessica Gramp

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Peter Diedrichs -
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Rick and Jessica, thanks!
I was too quick with this - when a teacher called on the problem, I didn't even check. As you might recall, there was once a bug that hid comment from previous attempts that didn't have a grade, when the new attempt was opened.
I mixed that up, took the teacher for his word and now I see I should have tested this first. Now I see that it works as expected, and I'll get back to the teacher and ask what the actual problem is...
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In reply to Jessica Gramp

Re: Assigment: Show feedback w/o setting a grade

by Rick Jerz -
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To add a little more to what you have said, Jessica, in my testing I set the Grade Type to "Point" and it still worked. Then I tried Grade Type = None, and it still worked.

Below is what I use as my most common Grade settings.
Attachment Grade Options.jpg
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