Using the Attendance Journal
============================

The Journal provides a method of tracking classroom attendance as well as other data attached to specific class meetings, such as class participation grades.  The current emphasis is on creating a fast and convenient method for teachers to enter this data during class.  More advanced attendance functionality, such as excuse workflows, will follow in subsequent releases.

Finding the Journal
-------------------

While logged in as a teacher, there are two ways to access your Journal.  On your calendar view, you can follow the "Journal" link on each section meeting event.  You can also follow the **Journal** link in the top bar:

   .. image:: images/journal-1.png

Entering and Saving Data
------------------------

The tabs across the top of the grid allow you to switch between months, and the column headers correspond to days, with time or period name in a row below.  If the section meets multiple times within the same day, there will be multiple columns with the same date and different time/period listed.

To navigate around the worksheet, you can use the mouse to click directly on a cell or use the arrow keys to move from cell to cell. 

In each cell, you can either enter:

  - an "a" for an absence;
  - a "t" for a tardy (late) student;
  - a number from 0 to 9, where "0" will register as "10."

   .. image:: images/journal-2.png

You must click **Save** to save your work.

Journal Statistics
------------------

The **Absences** column totals the student's absences for the entire Term (not just the current month).  For example, viewing the **October** tab carries across the **September** statistics from above.

   .. image:: images/journal-7.png

The **Average** column provides the average of the numeric scores for the term.  Note that if no score is entered for a given day, it is not included in the calculation.  That is, an empty cell does not equal "0" when the average is calculated.


