Import Assessment Instruments

The Import Instruments tool is useful if you wish to create assessment instruments offline in an Excel spreadsheet instead of directly in the Anthology Portfolio application. This method can save time when entering instruments into the system as less navigation between screens is required.

NOTE: If you have Mac Office 2008, you will not be able to use the Assessment Instrument Creation Form. Mac Office 2004 and 2011 are supported, as these versions allow for the necessary macros.

Step 1: Access Assessment Instruments

Step 1: Access Assessment Instruments

1. Open the Main Menu.

2. Select Curriculum menu.

3. Select Assessment Instruments.

Step 2: Import Instruments

Step 2: Import Instruments

On the Assessment Instruments screen:

4. Click on the Import Instruments button.

Step 3: Download Instrument Creation Form

Step 3: Download Instrument Creation Form

On the Assessment Instrument Importer screen:

5. Click the Download the Instrument Creation Form button.

Once the download has completed, locate the Excel spreadsheet on your local hard drive and open it.

Mac Users

Mac Users

If you are using a Mac computer, you will be automatically prompted to enable or disable macros. On the warning pop-up window, click to Enable Macros.

Windows Users

Windows Users

If you are using a Windows computer, you must select to enable macros yourself before you can begin creating your Assessment Instrument. To do this locate the Security Warning and click Options.

Ensure the Enable This Content is selected. Click OK.

Step 4: Fill Out the Instrument Creation Form (Excel File)

Step 4: Fill Out the Instrument Creation Form (Excel File)

6. Select the instrument Type.

7. Enter the instrument Name, and optionally a Description.

NOTE: If you do not wish to enter a description, it is recommended that you delete the default 'My Rubric Description' text that is provided in the form. If you do not remove this text, the description of your instrument will remain as 'My Rubric Description' when you import it into your system.

8. Enter the number of criteria for the instrument and allow the form to generate the cells.

9. Enter the number of options (Performance Levels) and allow the form to generate the cells.

You can now begin filling in the cells to create your rubric:

10. Enter the labels for your Performance Levels. You can also change the values if needed.

NOTE: If you wish to include an N/A value, enter -1 as the value for this performance level.

11. Enter the Criterion names and descriptions.

12. Enter the Performance Level descriptors for each Criterion.

NOTE: If you are copying your text from another source (i.e. MS Word document, PDF, website, etc), you must only paste into one cell at a time. You cannot copy and paste multiple cells worth of text at once, as this will break the necessary macro settings embedded in the form.

NOTE: Carriage returns cannot be included in the Assessment Instrument creation form (i.e. if your original document contains text on multiple lines due to using the return button, the carriage returns will need to be removed before or after pasting the text into the Assessment Instrument creation form).

Ensure that you have saved the completed Excel file before continuing to the next step.

TIPS & TROUBLESHOOTING

TIPS & TROUBLESHOOTING

Line Breaks:

When entering lengthy descriptions, the text should not wrap within the cell (see example below). If there are line breaks within your descriptions (this can occur when copying and pasting text from other sources where line breaks are present) the system will not allow you to import the instrument.

All text entered into a cell must be on the same line (see example above). If the text appears on multiple lines, this indicates that line breaks are present and they will need to be removed.

Bullets:

If you would like to create bullets within your criterion descriptions, use the caret ^ symbol on your keyboard. This symbol should be inserted directly into the sentence without using the return button to move the text for the next bullet onto a new line, as this will create line breaks (mentioned above).

Step 5: Save Instrument Creation Form as Tab Delimited File

In order to import the Assessment Instrument into your Anthology Portfolio system, you will need to save the file in tab delimited format.

Mac Users

Mac Users

Once you have finished creating your instrument, click File > Save As...

1. Enter the name for your instrument.

2. Select the Tab Delimited Text format.

3. Click Save.

Select Save Active Sheet.

Click Continue. You will now have an Excel and a Text version of your Assessment Instrument. You can close the Excel file without saving.

Windows Users

Windows Users

Once you have finished creating your rubric, click the Microsoft Office Button > Save As.

1. Enter the name for your Instrument.

2. Select the Text (Tab delimited) format.

3. Click Save.

Click OK.

Click Yes.

Step 5: Upload Assessment Instrument

Step 5: Upload Assessment Instrument

Return to the Assessment Instrument Importer screen,

13. Click the Choose Group button to select which department will own the instrument.

NOTE: If you do not select a group the instrument will remain unassigned.  

14. Click on the Choose File button to select the file from your computer.

15. Click Upload.