View resources for creating online quizzes and tests, such as how to import tests in Word format into Canvas and maintain academic integrity.
Using Quizzes and Exams in Your Course
- Consider alternate exams: Delivering a secure exam online can be difficult without a good deal of preparation and support, so consider giving open-book exams or other types of exams. They can be harder to grade, but you have fewer worries about test security.
- Canvas Quiz Tool: The Quizzes tool, despite its name, can be used for both low-stakes assessments (for example, quizzes, practice quizzes, or surveys) and high-stakes assessments (tests or exams). Its strength lies in the ability of Canvas to automatically grade many question types, including multiple-choice, true/false, matching, numeric, and fill-in-the-blank. You can also include short-answer and essay questions, and grade those manually using SpeedGrader.
- Embrace short quizzes: You can give small quizzes to hold students accountable or do spot-checks on their learning, and this might be ideal to keep students on track. Short quizzes can be a great way to keep students engaged with course concepts, particularly if they are interspersed with small chunks of video lecture. Consider using very-low-stakes quizzes to give students practice at applying concepts—just enough points to hold them accountable, but not so many that the activity becomes all about points.
- Move beyond simple facts: It is good to reinforce concepts through practice on a quiz, but generally it is best to move beyond factual answers that students can quickly look up. Instead, write questions that prompt students to apply concepts to new scenarios, or ask them to identify the best of multiple correct answers.
- LTS Help: If you have your tests in text or Word format, LTS can import them into Canvas for you. Refer to the Quiz or Test Import Options guide for more information.
- Check for publishers' test banks: Look to see if your textbook publisher has question banks that can be loaded into Canvas. Even if you don't use these questions for your exams, they can be useful for simple quizzes. Some textbooks also have their own online quizzing tools that can help keep students engaged with the material. Use the question bank as a starting point and modify the questions as needed for your quiz.
- Proctoring: Proctoring is available through the Spring 2022 semester. However, we encourage you to consider using other strategies such as time limits, randomization, and higher-level questions instead of the online proctor tool.
Questions to consider about online assessment
1. What are the two or three most important concepts you want your students to learn?
2. Based on your outcomes, is an exam the best way to measure learning in your course?
3. Could your exam be broken up into smaller quizzes using shorter time limits?
4. If you use an exam, will multiple choice, true/false, and matching questions tell you what the students have learned and meet the outcomes? (Canvas can auto-grade these question types)
5. Would short answer or essay type questions be best for you to see if students have met the outcomes? (You can grade these using SpeedGrader)
6. Would a small project/demonstration/lab report be best for students to show they have learned the outcomes?
7. Do your students have to present (by themselves or in a group) or can they prepare the presentation and post it either with presenter notes or audio on the slides to demonstrate the outcomes? If presentation skills are not an outcome in your course, do they have to present their work?
Considerations When Using High Stakes Testing Online
1. Tell your students nicely “This test/quiz is to be completed by yourself, with no resources, other devices, or people.”
2. Tell your students how the test/quiz meets the objectives of the course, explain this with a positive tone, and ask them to demonstrate their best work, re-read the directions to ensure they completed all parts of the requirements.
3. Use the options in the Canvas Quiz tool to help with academic integrity.
A. Time limit
B. Randomize the questions
C. Randomize answer choices
D. Question banks with more questions than any student will receive
4. See the sample academic integrity statements below. You may use these or edit them to meet your needs and the needs of your class.
Example 1: “I pledge to do my own academic work to the best of my abilities. I promise to be truthful about my academic work, not to cheat or steal the words or ideas of others, nor will I help fellow students to violate the Code of Academic Honesty.”
Example 2: “I pledge to be fair to my classmates and instructors by completing all of my academic work with integrity. This means that I will respect the standards set by the instructor and institution, be responsible for the consequences of my choices, honestly represent my knowledge and abilities, and be a community member that others can trust to do the right thing even when no one is watching. I will always put learning before grades, and integrity before performance. I pledge to excel with integrity.”
5. See the link below for a sample agreement signature form. You are welcome to use it as a guide if you want to include a signature form.
This link is an example of an Academic Integrity Agreement signature form. http://web.cs.ucla.edu/classes/spring18/cs32/agreement.pdf
Quiz or Test Import Questions
If you have your tests in text or Word format, LTS can import them into Canvas for you. Refer to Quiz or Test Import Questions guide for more information.