How do I create an item from within an assessment in Mastery Connect?

In Mastery Connect, you can create items while creating or editing an assessment. To author a new item in an assessment, specify the item basics, which include the item name, an item bank for it to be added to, the question type, and standard. You can also select additional options such as an item difficulty, Depth of Knowledge, Bloom's Taxonomy, or Spanish language.

Alternatively, you can create items directly in the item bank as a teacher or as an administrator (admin).

Notes:

  • You can edit items in an assessment only if the assessment is in its first draft state. Once you finalize and create the assessment, the items are added to the selected item bank. If you revert a created assessment to draft state, the items remain published; you cannot edit them.
  • Items that you create in your personal item bank automatically become available in the district teacher item bank when the assessment is no longer in draft mode.
  • Items that you create in your personal item bank cannot be reserved in the district teacher item bank.

Open Assessment Editor  

To create an item in an assessment, you must first create or edit an item-based assessment.

When you edit or create an assessment, the assessment opens in the Assessment Editor. You can view the assessment status and type [1].

You can also view the title, subject, core, and grade level of the assessment [2].

Note: To create new items in an assessment, the assessment must be in draft state.

Open Author New Item

To create a new item, click the Add Item icon [1]. Then, click the Author New Item link [2].

Alternatively, click the Add Item button [3]. Then, click the Author New Item link [4].

Enter Item Name

Enter Item Name

In the Author New Item window, enter an item name in the Name field.

Select Question Type Group

Select Question Type Group

To select a question type, click the Question Type drop-down menu [1]. Then, click an item type group [2].

Select Question Type

Select Question Type

The selected question group displays [1].

Select a question type within the group [2].

To select a different question group, click the Back link [3].

Select Destination Item Bank

Select Destination Item Bank

To select an item bank, click the Destination Bank drop-down menu [1]. Then, select one of the available Mastery Connect item banks such as your district's teacher bank [2], your district bank [3], or your personal bank [4].

Notes: 

  • Available item banks depend on your role and the kind of assessment to which you are adding items.
  • While the assessment is in draft state, the items you create are only accessible in the drafted assessment. Once you finalize and create the assessment, the items are added to the selected item bank.
  • Items you add to your personal bank become available in the district teacher item bank when the assessment is no longer in draft state.
  • If you plan to add a passage to an item, you must create the item in the item bank that contains the passage.

Search Standards

Select Standard

Click the Standard drop-down menu.

Select Standard

Select Standard

The Standards drop-down menu displays standard abbreviations and standard descriptions. To hide standard descriptions, click the Hide Details link [1]. To display descriptions, click the Show Details link.

You can search for a standard based on its abbreviation. If standard descriptions are displayed, you can also search based on words in the standard's description. To search for a standard, enter text or numbers in the Standard field [2].

To select a standard, click the standard link [3].

Notes: The list of standards includes only those related to the subject, core, and class of the assessment.

Select Additional Settings

Select Additional Settings

To select optional settings for difficulty level, Depth of Knowledge (DOK), Bloom's Taxonomy level, or language, click the Additional Settings link.

Select Difficulty, DOK, Blooms, or Language

Select Difficulty, DOK, Blooms, or Language

To select a difficulty level, click a Difficulty radio button [2].

To select a depth of knowledge, click a DOK radio button [1].

To select a Bloom's Taxonomy level, click a Blooms radio button [3].

To select a language, click a Language radio button [4].

Open Item Editor

Draft Item

To create the item as a draft in the assessment, click the Author button.

Compose Item

In the Item Editor, you can view the item name, the selected item bank, and the item's standard [1].

To add item-level tools to the item, click the tool buttons [2].

To add a passage to an item, click the Passage button [3].

To edit the item name or other settings, click the Settings button [4].

Compose the item using the available fields and options [5]. Learn more about composing a specific item type.

Save Draft

Save Draft

To save the item in draft state, click the Save Draft button [1].

To discard the item, click the Close icon [2].

Note: To publish an item, you must create the assessment. The process of creating the assessment publishes drafted items to the destination bank.

View Item in Assessment

View the drafted item in the assessment.

You can edit an item while the assessment is in the draft state. Learn more about editing an item within an assessment.