The resources in this "Survival Guide" have been developed and compiled for instructors who are new to Canvas and also for those who have some Canvas experience but would like additional reinforcement and helpful tips. Each page of the Survival Guide has two sections ("Getting Started" and "Going Deeper"), which are organized on separate tabs. The "Getting Started" content begins with a brief introduction to the page's content followed by a short tutorial video and, in some cases, annotated screen captures explaining how to access and use that tool or feature. The "Going Deeper" content includes resources for instructors who are comfortable using Canvas but might be looking for some examples of instructional techniques or ways to address specific challenges, or maybe even just a little inspiration.
Canvas Quizzes is an assessment tool that you can use to create quizzes, quiz-style assessments, and exams within the Canvas learning management system. Using Canvas Quizzes, you can craft a wide range of question types, from multiple-choice to mathematical problems, while customizing settings to match your specific instructional needs. Whether you're looking to assess student knowledge, facilitate formative assessments, or simply gauge learning progress, Canvas Quizzes provides a platform for designing, administering, and grading assessments.
This page explains:
Canvas provides two quiz engines: Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes.
Similarities and differences between the features and options provided by the two quiz engines.
Overviews of how to use each quiz engine.
Let's explore further!
Video Tutorials: Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes
Canvas currently offers two quiz engines: Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes. Canvas is slowly transitioning to the New Quiz engine and for now (and the foreseeable future) you can build your quizzes in either or both engines; you do not need to choose one or the other. Classic Quizzes is the default in our Canvas courses. To use New Quizzes, you will need to enable it in your courses. Directions for enabling New Quizzes is below. If you have any questions as you're deciding which quiz engine you'd like to use, feel free to reach out to our instructional designers.
The table below shows some advantages and disadvantages of the two quiz engines; however, for new instructors that have not already built quizzes and question banks in Classic Quizzes, we recommend using the New Quiz engine.
Canvas Quizzes is a great tool for creating and administering low-stakes formative assessments in the form of retrieval practice. Retrieval practice is a learning strategy that involves actively recalling information from memory. It's a powerful technique for enhancing retention and improving long-term learning outcomes. Instead of simply reviewing or re-reading study materials, retrieval practice requires learners to actively retrieve facts, concepts, or skills from their memory with the goal of reinforcing and strengthening those memory connections. Additionally, designing these retrieval-practice quizzes as formative assessments can provide feedback to students that will help them calibrate their progress and comprehension in your course and help you to gauge students' understanding and adapt your teaching strategies accordingly. Finally, consider making each assessment worth only a small percentage of students' course grade (low stakes) so that students view these as opportunities to practice and learn rather than as stressful high-stakes exams.
Check out eLearning Tech Talks about New Quizzes
As Canvas continues to work out the kinks in their New Quiz engine and add new features, our instructional designers keep an eye on the progress and consider how these updates impact you as instructors. View the Tech Talks videos below to hear their perspectives and tips about using New Quizzes and stay tuned for future quiz-related Tech Talks!
Common quiz scenarios that you might encounter in your classes are described below along with ways to address them using the quiz tool settings and options.
Scenario 1: Quiz Timing
Description: Imagine you have a quiz that needs to be available to your students for a specific time window. How would you set up this quiz in Canvas Quizzes, ensuring that it automatically opens and closes at the designated times?
Solution: First, create or edit the quiz. Next, under the "Details" tab, specify the start time in the "Available from" field and the end time in the "Until" field. Lastly, save or update the quiz settings.
Scenario 2: Allowing Extra Attempts
Description: A student has experienced technical difficulties during a quiz and needs an extra attempt to complete it. How can you provide them with an additional quiz attempt in Canvas Quizzes?
Solution - Classic Quizzes: To grant an extra attempt in Classic Quizzes, go to the quiz in Canvas and click on "Moderate the Quiz" on the right-hand side. Find the student who needs the extra attempt. Click the pencil icon and type "1" next to "Extra Attempts" to grant them an additional attempt. Finally, click "Save".
Solution - New Quizzes: To grant an extra attempt in New Quizzes, go to the quiz in Canvas and click "Build". Then, click "Moderate" at the top. Find the student who needs an extra attempt and click "Moderate" to the right of their name. Type "1" under "Additional Attempts" to grant them an additional attempt.
Scenario 3: Differentiated Feedback and Resource Links
Description: You want to offer personalized feedback to students based on their quiz performance. Specifically, you want to provide different links to resources or Canvas pages depending on whether they answered a question correctly or incorrectly. How can you achieve this in Canvas Quizzes?
Solution: You can provide differentiated feedback (including resource links if desired) by going to the quiz in Canvas and editing each question individually. In the question's feedback section, create separate feedback for both correct and incorrect responses. Insert hyperlinks to specific resources or Canvas pages in the relevant feedback sections if appropriate. In Classic Quizzes, find the feedback sections below each answer choice. In New Quizzes, find the feedback sections by clicking the textbox icon next to "Points". Finally, save your changes.