MyMathLab - Search/Email By Criteria

My friend Donna Densmore posted a good article on Instuctor Exchange on one of my favorite MyMathLab features – the “Search/Email by Criteria” option that is built into the MyMathLab Gradebook. Basically, the feature allows you to select users based on their performance and send them an email message. This beats the old system where we had to select students one at a time in the email window, cross-referencing our gradebook to select the correct students.

Click Here To See Donna's Article



In the MyMathLab Gradebook, the feature is located under the “More Gradebook Tools” menu.

• Once you select it, you have the option of choosing students based on: Overall score, Category averages, Assignment Performance, Work Activity, or Name.
• Once you settle on an option, you set the parameters for which students will be selected – overall score > 90, no score on quiz 4.2, 100% on HW 7, etc.
• You will get a preview of which students will be notified. You can unselect any student you wish.
• On the last screen you are able to type an email message that the students will see.
• The actual email does not list the students in the To: field, so student information is not shared with others. You will receive a copy of the email, and your copy will contain a list of the students that the email was sent to.

Progress Reports
I use the overall score to mail out progress reports, as well as end-of-semester grades. I start by selecting all students whose overall score is above 90%. I add an email message letting them know that their current grade is an A. I then repeat for students whose grade is above 80%, deleting the students that were above 90%, and let them know they have a B. (Unfortunately you can not use a compound inequality such as 80 < score < 90 at this point.) I repeat for C’s, D’s, & F’s.

Final Grades
I use a similar approach for sending out final grades at the end of the semester. This allows me to avoid using the Course Compass Gradebook to post final grades. I’m much happier with my students using only one Gradebook.

Warnings/Reminders
On the day that a homework assignment or quiz is due on MyMathLab, I will go through and send an email to any student whose score is below 70% on that assignment, including those who have not started yet. (There is an option for also selecting students who have no score.) In the email I remind them that the deadline is that night in case they have forgotten. It also gives me a chance to remind my students that they should continue to work on their homework until it is perfect, and that they can continue to retake the quizzes.

Pat on the Back
Early in the semester I will seek out those students who earn 100% on a homework assignment, an A on a quiz, or a passing score on an in-class exam. I use the Search/Email function to congratulate the student on their performance and encourage them to keep working hard. Students, especially developmental math students, need all of the encouragement we can offer.

In Conclusion
I think that you’ll find the Search/Email function to be quite helpful. If you have any questions on the function, or any comments in general, either leave a comment on this blog or send me an email through the contact page on my web site – georgewoodbury.com .

I am a math instructor at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, CA. If there are topics you’d like me to address in future MyMathLab articles, send in your requests through the contact page on my web site. – George