Display the current course grade to students in Grades in D2L Brightspace

How can I display the current course grade to my students? What's the difference between the 'drop ungraded items' and the 'treat ungraded items as zero' options in grade settings?

Check the final grade released in settings

You can set-up the grade book so that students have access to their current course grade. 

First, check which final grade (calculated or adjusted) will be released to students. 

1. Navigate to the Grades tool. 
2. Click the Settings link. 
3. Click the Calculation Options tab. 
4. Under the "Final Grade Released" section, check which final grade will be released to students.
   
5. Click Close.

Options to release the current course grade to students

If your grade book is set to release:

• The Final Adjusted Grade, then you can create a calculated grade item.
• The Final Calculated Grade, then you can release the final calculated grade.

How is the current course grade calculated over time

With either option you choose (creating a calculated grade item or releasing the final calculated grade), the current course grade calculation is affected by how the grade book calculates “ungraded items”. Navigate to the Grades tool > Settings page > Calculation Options tab > to find the "Ungraded Items" options.

• When Drop ungraded items is selected, each student's current course grade only includes items with grade scores. The student’s final grade would start relatively high and could lower over time, as more grades are entered for assignments.
  
• When Treat ungraded item as 0 is selected, each student's current course grade includes all graded items, including those in which the student has not completed or has not been assessed with a score. The student’s final grade would start relatively low and could increase over time, as more grades are entered for assignments.