[New Quizzes] New Quizzes Question Type - Drawing

[brendan_lake]

Many of our fully-online courses (particularly in science and math) require that students draw a diagram or process in their assessments, and when combined with proctoring tools, this becomes a complicated process.  The current workaround is that students download a PDF as a question type within a proctored exam and submit this later as an assignment submission, but there are many technological and time-consuming issues with this process for both students and instructors, including confusion about the numerous steps, printing issues, scanning issues, uploading, file type errors, verifying that students completed the drawing within the time allotted, and others. 

This would be vastly improved and streamlined if instructors could simply create a "drawing" type question directly in Canvas where students would use a mouse or other device to input lines and text that would then be manually graded by the instructor.

It would be a very helpful function to allow instructors to annotate drawing corrections directly on the student's entry when grading.

Note: Quizzes.next currently presents a number of technological issues with our proctoring tools, and instructors have expressed that using a multiple choice question where students would simply recognize the correct drawing from a list is unacceptable for their learning outcomes.

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[michelle_souvan]

I agree that this would be extremely helpful!  In addition, improving the draw function in the annotator in DocViewer would allow instructors to give better feedback directly on student work (Math especially!)

[acausti1]

Precisely, Michelle!  As a chemistry instructor, it would be wonderful for both students and faculty alike to get this feature added into Canvas.

[gasstationwitho]

A drawing tool would be useful, but if SpeedGrader is any example of what Canvas is capable of, I'm afraid the software team is not up to the task.

[kylara]

They wouldn't need to code it from scratch. There are plenty of web apps and such out there for simple drawings. The first approach I would try would be to embed or link to something like Google Drawing.

(The current problem with simply linking to Google's tool is that everyone has to have their own google account in order to save and submit drawings. But I think Canvas could code a widget such that everything was saved to one Google Drive owned by the class, department, or instructor. The next more complicated step would be to have individual student's entries uploaded to Canvas for grading through SpeedGrader.)

[mjacobson]

If there was a way to integrate ChemDoodle (for example) as an external tool that would be amazing.  

[lgiancar]

Canvas should also provide not only an "inking" tool (as is available in speedgrader used with a browser) but also an "eraser" tool (which is ONLY available in the app for devices!). These tools should be duplicated in all versions of speedgrader so that we can annotate as we would on paper. This is especially important in chemistry and math where providing written feedback on student work can't easily be typed.

[brendan_lake]

Excellent suggestion, Leanna.

[michelle_souvan]

An eraser would be wonderful.  Improvement of the current draw tool so that it does not immediately draw the box with the check or garbage can to allow for a more detailed annotation would be extremely welcome.  Even a pull out draw box like a sticky note that can expand would work better.

[petern]

Great idea!

[aric_wagner]

Yes, I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure something out like this.  I love Canvas, but as a math teacher, I can't fully utilize the online platform without this feature.  It hasn't been a huge issue until now when all our instruction is via online platforms.  I want to give the quizzes online, but I need to see their work.  Adding this feature would allow this without having them submit a separate upload.  I know this is also by far the number one complaint regarding Canvas of math teachers in my school, not having a convenient way to show work online on quizzes and tests.  With distance learning a highly likely scenario for many school districts because of Covid in the upcoming school year, this feature is an urgent need before fall comes.  All that I think is really needed for math teachers is just adding a pen tool to the essay type questions.  This way they could show their work with their stylus, and be able to type in an explanation if the question warrants one.