How to calculate and drop the lowest combined score for paired assignments (Quiz + Group Assignment)?

YuniPark70477486

I am transitioning a course from Moodle to Canvas and am trying to figure out the best way to handle paired assignment scoring and a "drop lowest" rule.

In the course, each lab module consists of two distinct items submitted separately by students:

1. Online Pre-Lab Quiz (10 points)
2. Group Lab Assignment (10 points)

In Moodle, I was able to create a custom calculated grade item (Combined Lab Score 1 = Quiz 1 + Group Lab 1) worth 20 points total, put all 5 combined scores into a category, and set a rule to drop the 1 lowest combined lab score.

Because Canvas does not have custom calculated grade items or formulas, dropping the lowest scores within an Assignment Group drops individual sub-items (e.g., Quiz 1) rather than the paired lab unit (Quiz 1 + Group Lab 1 together).

Aside from manually calculating these combined scores in Excel at the end of the term, is there a recommended Canvas workflow or workaround to pair two separate submissions into a single 20-point unit for dropping lowest scores?

Thank you for any advice or insights!

Jeff_F

Hello @YuniPark70477486 -
Canvas does not currently support calculated gradebook columns that combine multiple assignments into a single score before applying drop rules. As a result, a "drop lowest" rule in an assignment group will drop individual assignments rather than a paired Quiz + Lab combination.

One Canvas native workaround is to create a separate no submission assignment for each lab unit (Lab 1 Total, Lab 2 Total, etc.), each worth 20 points. Students would still complete the quiz and group assignment separately, but you would record their combined score in the corresponding Lab Total column. Place only the Lab Total assignments in an assignment group configured to drop the lowest score.

Another option is to redesign each lab as a single 20-point assignment that includes both components, allowing Canvas to treat the entire lab as one item for drop calculations.

Of these approaches, the Lab Total assignment method most closely mirrors the Moodle workflow while still using Canvas's built in grading features.