Documentation

Last Updated: October 27, 2025

Learning Outcome Validation

Understanding how GradIn validates learning outcomes is essential for accurate assessment. The validation process follows a clear, transparent methodology based on criterion-level grading.

Grade Levels and Percentages

GradIn uses six grade levels to assess student performance. Each grade level corresponds to a specific percentage used in outcome calculations:

Validation Logic

GradIn uses a two-step process to calculate and validate learning outcomes:

Step 1: Criterion Grade Calculation

For each criterion within an outcome, the grade is determined by taking the maximum value of all grades obtained by the student for that specific criterion.

This approach supports a growth mindset by recognizing students' improvement over time. Students can demonstrate mastery through multiple assessment opportunities, and only their best performance counts.

Step 2: Outcome Grade Calculation

For each learning outcome, the grade percent is calculated as the simple mean (average) of all criterion grades associated with that outcome.

Outcome Grade (%) = (Sum of all criterion grades) / (Number of criteria)

Step 3: Outcome Validation

An outcome is considered validated when:

• All criteria have been assessed at least once (no missing data)
• The calculated outcome grade meets or exceeds the validation threshold set for that outcome (e.g., 75%)

Practical Example

Consider a learning outcome "Master Signal Processing Fundamentals" with a 75% validation threshold and three criteria:

Outcome Grade: (100 + 75 + 75) / 3 = 83.3%
Result: ✓ Validated (83.3% ≥ 75% threshold)

Student Import - CSV Format

Gradin allows you to import student rosters in bulk using CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files. This is useful for quickly populating a course with students at the start of a semester.

CSV File Structure

The CSV file can optionally include a header row, but it is not used by the application. The columns must be in the exact order shown below, regardless of whether a header row is present:

Example CSV Files

Option 1: With Header Row (Optional)

You can include a header row for readability, but it will be ignored by the application:

lastName,firstName,email,schoolID,group
Fourier,Marie,marie@example.com,SP001,A
Laplace,Alan,alan@school.edu,SP002,A
Hilbert,Isaac,isaac@school.edu,SP003,B
Euler,Ada,ada@school.edu,SP004,B
Gauss,Niels,niels@school.edu,SP005,B
Nyquist,Grace,grace@school.edu,SP006,C
Hamming,Claude,claude@school.edu,SP007,C
Dirichlet,Lise,lise@school.edu,SP008,C
Shannon,Benoit,benoit@school.edu,SP009,D
Hartley,Sophie,sophie@school.edu,SP010,D

Option 2: Without Header Row

You can omit the header row entirely. The column order must still be exact:

Fourier,Marie,marie@example.com,SP001,A
Laplace,Alan,alan@school.edu,SP002,A
Hilbert,Isaac,isaac@school.edu,SP003,B
Euler,Ada,ada@school.edu,SP004,B
Gauss,Niels,niels@school.edu,SP005,B
Nyquist,Grace,grace@school.edu,SP006,C
Hamming,Claude,claude@school.edu,SP007,C
Dirichlet,Lise,lise@school.edu,SP008,C
Shannon,Benoit,benoit@school.edu,SP009,D
Hartley,Sophie,sophie@school.edu,SP010,D

How to Import

1. Prepare your CSV file with the correct format
2. In Gradin, navigate to the course where you want to import students
3. Tap the import button and select your CSV file
4. Review the preview and confirm the import

Course Outcomes - JSON Format

Gradin supports importing pre-defined learning outcomes using JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format. This allows you to quickly set up assessment frameworks for your courses.

JSON File Structure

The JSON file must contain a root object with an outcomes array. Each outcome includes:

Criteria Structure

Each criterion in the criteria array contains:

Example JSON File

Here's an example of a Signal Processing course with 5 learning outcomes:

{
  "outcomes": [
    {
      "name": "Understand the fundamentals of signals and systems",
      "description": "Students will be able to describe and analyze basic properties of continuous and discrete-time signals and systems.",
      "threshold": 50,
      "criteria": [
        {
          "name": "Signal classification",
          "description": "Can distinguish between continuous-time and discrete-time signals, and identify deterministic vs. random signals."
        },
        {
          "name": "System properties",
          "description": "Understands linearity, time-invariance, causality, and stability in systems."
        },
        {
          "name": "Basic transformations",
          "description": "Applies basic operations such as time-shifting, scaling, and reversal to signals."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Analyze signals in the frequency domain",
      "description": "Students will be able to represent signals using Fourier series and Fourier transforms and interpret their spectra.",
      "threshold": 50,
      "criteria": [
        {
          "name": "Fourier series understanding",
          "description": "Can compute and interpret the Fourier series coefficients for periodic signals."
        },
        {
          "name": "Fourier transform application",
          "description": "Can compute the Fourier transform for standard signals and understand magnitude and phase spectra."
        },
        {
          "name": "Spectral interpretation",
          "description": "Can relate signal characteristics to their spectral representation (e.g., bandwidth, harmonics)."
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Best Practices

• Outcome Names: Keep them concise and action-oriented (e.g., "Analyze signals in the frequency domain")
• Descriptions: Clearly state what students will be able to do upon completion
• Threshold: Set realistic mastery thresholds (typically 50-70% depending on difficulty)
• Criteria: Make criteria specific, measurable, and aligned with the outcome
• Number of Criteria: Include 2-5 criteria per outcome for effective assessment

How to Import

1. Prepare your JSON file with the correct structure
2. Validate your JSON syntax using a JSON validator
3. In Gradin, create or open a course
4. Navigate to the outcomes section and tap the import button
5. Select your JSON file and confirm the import

Download Sample Files

You can download sample template files to help you get started:

• Sample Student CSV Template
• Sample Course Outcomes JSON Template

Need Help?

If you encounter issues with importing data or have questions about the file formats, please contact us at:

Email: vincent.choqueuse@icloud.com