Canvas Remote Quizzes and Exams
This page describes some quiz types to help you make a decision for balancing between security and complexity in assessment efforts. There are basically 4 types of quizzes and exams that can be administered via remote methods. Click on the option that most closely matches what you need to see more details about how to create each type of quizzes and exams.
As final exams approach, CIDI can provide assistance with exam development, given sufficient lead time. If you would like help, please fill out the Canvas Exam Development Request Form. Please allow at least two business days for your request to be processed before the exam must begin.
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As a general recommendation, exams should be made available for a window of time (2-3 days) to allow students to accommodate their schedule. This can be achieved by adding an "Available from" and "Available until" date in the quiz or assignment settings.
Four types of remotely administered quizzes and exams
Proctored, Automatically Graded & Time Restricted (most secure)
Automatically graded question types include:
- Multiple Choice Open External Link ,
- True/False Open External Link ,
- Multiple Answers Open External Link ,
- Multiple Drop-down Open External Link (can be used for Likert scale Open External Link ),
- Matching Open External Link ,
- Numerical Answer Open External Link , and
- Formula (simple formula Open External Link and single variable Open External Link ).
Time Restricted and Automatically Graded
- Multiple Choice Open External Link ,
- True/False Open External Link ,
- Multiple Answers Open External Link ,
- Multiple Drop-down Open External Link (can be used for Likert scale Open External Link ),
- Matching Open External Link ,
- Numerical Answer Open External Link , and
- Formula (simple formula Open External Link and single variable Open External Link ).
Automatically Graded
Automatically graded question types include:
- Multiple Choice Open External Link ,
- True/False Open External Link ,
- Multiple Answers Open External Link ,
- Multiple Drop-down Open External Link (can be used for Likert scale Open External Link ),
- Matching Open External Link ,
- Numerical Answer Open External Link , and
- Formula (simple formula Open External Link and single variable Open External Link ).
Online Essay Exams
Essay quizzes and exams are valuable for assessing students' comprehension of course objectives. As technology changes, there is a growing concern for keeping exams secure and keeping students from cheating. Online essay exams seem to be more susceptible as AI chatbots are on the rise.
For these types of quizzes and exams, it will be helpful to consult with an Instructional Designer.
Quiz Settings to Maximize Security
- Use Question Banks
- Pull subsets of questions. To do this, write 20 questions for a specific part of an exam. Add the questions to a question group, then have Canvas pull 10 questions randomly for each student.
- Shuffle/randomize the order of answers (for multiple choice questions; don't use "All of the above" or "None of the above" as answer options).
- Shuffle/randomize the order of questions by adding all of the questions to a question group.
- Set a time limit
- Extra time can be given to students with documented disabilities.
- Allow students to only see one question at a time (You cannot use this setting when using Proctorio.)
- Don't allow students to see their quiz responses
- Mix various question types
- Use some free-response questions to require an open written response. NOTE: free-response questions require manual grading.
See Canvas Community Open External Link guidelines for more details.