[New Quizzes] Create Item Banks from MSWord

[rledda]

It would be useful that when you create a question [item] bank at the account level being able to upload a huge number of questions once by using a word document. Now, the only way to do this is to create them one by one.

Rosalie

[tzw0043]

Hi all, I agree that this function should be added directly to Canvas, making it MUCH easier to create test banks. However, in case any one else finds this useful, I have found a work around for uploading test banks into Canvas without typing each question out. I also did this using my publisher's pdf test banks. 

I referenced this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5BPee8OC1k. Essentially, this uses a free generator that converts Word questions to questions compatible with Blackboard. You will need to utilize a free Blackboard course shell (Blackboard Course Sites) to upload test banks using the question pool you generated, and then export/download that Common Cartridge file from Blackboard (easy). Then, you can upload that into Canvas directly into a new or existing test bank. 

After trying this, I do have some tips/updates that will hopefully make it easier: 

1. Getting the formatting right for the generator was a little tricky. It was easier for me to mark correct answers directly in the online question generator than to attempt formatting it in word. If you don't have the formatting completely right in Word (e.g., mine used the automatic number formatting), go ahead and generate the test questions online and this should put the choices and numbering in the right format. I copied text directly from Word after transforming a publisher's pdf bank, but you could try copying directly over from the pdf and maybe even Excel. 

2. Reference this video for how to upload the .zip file from the generator to Blackboard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1el9m5bdyM

3. Downloading the BB file will download all content associated with the course. If you want test banks to be uploaded into different test banks in Canvas, you will need to select the "Select specific content" option in Canvas when you upload the BB file. 

Hope this is helpful!

[sueharlan]

I also have found Respondus 4.0 to be easy to use and a big time saver. Although we are using the old quiz tool, I was able to quickly import a Vietnamese language quiz into Canvas. Respondus advised me to use Word .docx for non-English UTF-8 characters. Except for quiz titles, everything came out beautifully!

[lph]

Hi

I know my vote was cast months ago but please hear me out.

I have over 10,000 physics questions (yes, you read that correctly) sitting in MS-Word format. There is no way that I’m going to sit and put these questions into Canvas one at a time. Instead, I’m importing from book publishers and entering my own formula questions. [Sidebar: I am currently stuck on Angel formats not importing]. 

I can’t imagine that I’m the only one with banks of questions that are sitting around which could be used. 

If Canvas developers could at least figure out a workaround to get these into Quizzes.Next then the feature would save countless hours. Hours I currently refuse to use towards retyping. 

Pretty please. I can offer free hugs and a thank you.  

[James]

lph

I haven't tried it since we're not using Quizzes.Next, but there is a feature option to allow importing Quizzes into Quizzes.Next: How do I migrate a Canvas quiz to Quizzes.Next? 

[demellon]

You are not the only one.  Text import mode, please!

[gwied]

Respondus 4.0 is your friend for importing thousands of questions to Canvas. I have used this tool on multiple occasions to get legacy exam/quiz files from Word into Canvas quiz banks.

[kuehnjm]

In this area --  adding quiz questions and answers more efficiently -- I honestly don't care what the format is for being able to do that, just that there is an easier and less time-consuming way to do it. An online quiz is supposed to save time but it takes an eternity to create them in Canvas -- even when you just have a True/False type of test. Perhaps looking at a better interface for creating quizzes would (also!) be helpful. I am confident I can learn how to do whatever process would save me time (I've tried a few, and based on comments here, I'll be trying a few more). I just don't want to spend several days adding questions to a bank (i.e. I might have 160 questions but the students will get only 60 of them) for random selection.

Please Instructure -- can you help us out?

[jeff_lau]

It is amazingly ridiculous that there is not already a batch upload function in Canvas for test and quiz questions.  Come on- let's get with it people!  This should be a basic functionality in any current assessment environment.

[sarah-canatsey]

Respondus doesn't work on MACs.

[sarah-canatsey]

Doesn't work with MACs,