Section Syncing Workaround Guidance

Currently Gradescope is unable to automate syncing of multiple teaching groups from Moodle. While the issue is being looked into, this guidance will guide you on how to manually sync multiple teacher groups from Moodle to Gradescope.

Note: ‘sections’ in Gradescope is an alternative term for ‘groups’ in Moodle.

Table of contents

1 Part 1: Sync the Gradescope Roster
2 Part 2: Add Section Information
3 Part 3: Prepare the Syncing Spreadsheet
4 Part 4: Export Moodle Participant Data
5 Part 5: Match Moodle Groups to Gradescope Sections
6 Part 6: Auto-Assign of Section Numbers
7 Part 7: Update the Gradescope Roster with Final Section Data
8 Part 8: Re-upload the Updated Roster to Gradescope
9 For Future Updates

If you have small course, complete Part 1 and Part 2 only. For larger classes, complete all parts.

Part 1: Sync the Gradescope Roster

After creating your course on Gradescope, go to the Roster tab located on the left-side navigation.
At the bottom of the screen, click on ‘More’ tab and select ‘Sync LSE Gradescope Roster’.
Uncheck the box for ‘Let new users know they were added to the course’.
Make sure all your group teachers are listed with the Instructor role. If they are not, update their roles accordingly.

Note: If Moodle groups were synced during Part 1 you do not need to do Part 2. However, if it has synced over but sections are incorrect, you can edit and insert the section numbers by clicking on the pencil icon for each line. For adding sections to large numbers of students, continue on with the following parts.

Part 2: Add Section Information

At the bottom of the screen, click on ‘More’ tab and select Download Roster and open the CSV file in Excel.
You’ll see columns like: ‘First Name’, ‘Last Name’, ‘Student ID (SID)’, ‘Email’, ‘Role’.
Add a new column called ‘Section’ and assign section numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3…).
Save the file.
Back in Gradescope, click on Add Students or Staff then CSV file.
Upload the amended downloaded roster file with the new section field and click ‘Next’.
Check the fields are correct and match. (E.g. The ‘Name’ column is filled with student names). Amend if neccessary.
Uncheck ‘Let new users know they were added to the course’ and click Import.

Note: If your downloaded roster has only a ‘Name’ column, please refer to Gradescope’s guidance on splitting names and follow the steps before completing the next parts.

Part 3: Prepare the Syncing Spreadsheet

Return to the downloaded Gradescope roster that you saved.
Download this .
Copy the columns A–F from the downloaded Gradescope roster that you saved and paste into the matching column labels in the ‘Section Syncing spreadsheet template’. Make sure the ‘Email’ column is in Column D of the template.

Part 4: Export Moodle Participant Data

Go to Moodle and click on the Participants tab which can be found at the top navigation bar of the course.
Select all users.
At the bottom, under ‘With selected users’, choose: Comma separated values (.csv) under the greyed out category ‘Download table data as’.
Open the downloaded Moodle CSV in Excel. You’ll see columns: ‘First name’, ‘Last name’, ‘Email address’, ‘Groups’.

Note: You will be able to differentiate between the Gradescope and Moodle CSV by the last column. The Moodle CSV will have ‘Groups’ in column D, while the downloaded Gradescope roster that you saved will have the inserted ‘Section’ column.

Copy the columns A-D from the downloaded Moodle participants CSV into the columns M–P of the . Make sure ‘Email address' goes into Column O.
After importing the Moodle data, check that Column L in the template now shows all student email addresses in lowercase. If it does not show in lowercase, check you have followed the parts correctly.

Part 5: Match Moodle Groups to Gradescope Sections

In Columns R and S, match the unique Moodle groups to Gradescope section numbers: For example: ‘MA103:L, MA103:A:7’ would be section number 7 and complete the following two sub steps:
1. Manually scroll through Column P (Moodle ‘Groups’) and list all unique groups in Column R.
2. Assign section numbers in Column S to the unique group names. Use the group number as the section number when possible. This process ensures that the unique groups are matched to a section number.

Part 6: Auto-Assign of Section Numbers

You should now see that columns G,H, and I of the spreadsheet are populated:
- Column G = student’s Moodle group
- Column H = corresponding Gradescope section number
- Column I = new section IDs. The default value is 99 for unmatched students (e.g., auditors)

Part 7: Update the Gradescope Roster with Final Section Data

Copy the values (not formulas!) from Column I of the template, starting from cell I2 down to the end of the list.
Paste these into the ‘Section’ column of the downloaded Gradescope Roster CSV that you saved.
- Use Paste Special → Values Only to overwrite.
Save the file.

Part 8: Re-upload the Updated Roster to Gradescope

Go to Gradescope > Roster > Add Students or Staff.
Choose CSV file and upload the updated downloaded Gradescope roster.
Uncheck ‘Let new users know they were added to the course’.
Click Import.
All students should now be assigned to the correct Gradescope sections.
Markers can now use the ‘Grade by Section’ option.

Note: new students who join and submit work later may appear with no section. In order to prevent this, it is best to update the roster.

For Future Updates

Keep the final version of your section syncing spreadsheet.
To update the roster weekly (e.g., for class changes), you can skip Parts 1, 2, and 5.
You can reuse the spreadsheet next year unless new groups are added.
If your course has over 1,000 students, extend the formulas in Columns G, H, I, L to cover all rows.

Acknowledgment to Prof Peter Allen from Mathematics Department for the development of the guide.

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