When creating a quiz in Canvas, you can choose between a Classic Quiz and a New Quiz. Classic Quizzes have been more commonly used and most academics are more familiar with this quiz type. However, New Quizzes are slated to replace the Classic Quiz engine with no future updates planned for Classic Quizzes.
This resource has been designed to provide more information on the features of New Quizzes to help inform your decision when creating quizzes in Canvas. See this resource for information on Classic Quizzes and the Classic Quizzes/New Quizzes Comparison Document.
While considering which quiz type to use, consider all quizzes in your course and choose the quiz type which will fit all your needs, where possible. While it is not a requirement to use the same quiz type for every quiz in your course, consistency can be useful for a positive student experience.
Features & Considerations
Feature | Considerations |
|---|---|
Editing a New Quiz | Click the blue Build button to access the new quiz editing interface where you can change settings and questions. |
Additional question types in New Quizzes | New quizzes have four question types that are not available in Classic quizzes.
|
Item Banks replace Question Banks | Item Banks need to be shared with the course by ticking the setting upon creation. If this is not ticked, then item banks are only accessible by the user who created them. In classic quizzes, Question Banks are automatically shared with any teachers in the course. Canvas cannot convert Question banks (Classic) into Item banks (New). |
Points in New Quizzes | For New Quizzes, you must enter the total points of the quiz into the details page (located before clicking Build). This is best done once the quiz questions and their values have been finalised to ensure they match. For Classic Quizzes, points are automatically determined by the questions created in the quiz. |
Moderation New Quiz | There are various moderation features in New Quizzes: |
Accommodation settings | Accommodation settings include adding or removing time for all quiz attempts, and multiplying time limits by a set multiplier. These are not available in Classic quizzes. |
Build on last attempt | This setting allows for students to take additional attempts on a quiz, only re-attempting those questions they answered incorrectly. |
Reopen quiz attempt | This setting allows you to reopen a student’s attempt after they have clicked submit. Students must have time left on their original attempt to do this. Note: New quizzes don’t allow instructors to extend time for current attempt while students are still taking the quiz – this is only available in Classic quizzes. |
Waiting period between attempts | This setting allows you to implement a forced waiting period for students between attempts for quizzes with multiple attempts allowed. |
Regrading New Quiz | If you find an error in your quiz questions after students have begun their attempts, there are some options for regrade. Instructions and information can be found here: |
Further Considerations
Interface & Design
New Quizzes introduces an interface shift for both academics and students. To ensure a positive student experience, choosing one quiz type for all quizzes is advised.
Using a blend of quiz types is possible, however in this instance, it is advisable to provide a practice quiz in the new interface if it is the first use. If using both quiz types in your course, you may wish to use one quiz engine for practice or ungraded quizzes to help differentiate content.
Migration & Workload
When migrating Classic Quizzes to New Quizzes in Canvas, consider the workload involved, especially if you plan to use existing quiz questions or question banks.
Canvas cannot convert Question Banks (Classic) into Item Banks (New). Assess your time availability for transitioning questions and banks to New Quizzes. Basic quizzes without groups or banks can be easily migrated with the click of a button.
Assign to
The Assign to area, is where the due date, available from and available until dates and times are set.
Important!
In Canvas, attempts in progress will be automatically submitted once the available until date/time passes, regardless of how much time remains on the time. Students must allow themselves sufficient time for their attempt.
If one or more students are required to attempt the quiz on another date, you can click the ‘+ Add’ button to configure dates for the specific student(s).
Releasing results
With a manual grade posting policy, to release overall grades have a look at the Canvas Guide. To automatically have the grades released as soon as a student completes the assessment, navigate to the Grades area, hover over the relevant column heading and click the three vertical dots and then select Grade Posting Policy and set this to Automatically release grades.
A grade posting policy may also be set course-wide by navigating to the Grades area, clicking the settings icon in the top-right and then, setting the Grade Posting Policy to either automatic or manual.
Please note: It is not possible to schedule the release of grades in Canvas.
Further Resources
For comprehensive guides on building New Quizzes, please refer to the Canvas Instructor Guides.
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