Content
Creating sets of questions, especially large sets of questions that would allow for the use of randomization and support practice sessions for students as a form of study, can be prohibitively time consuming. To address this issue, give the recently updated Machine Graded Question (MGQ) agent available through the UNL enterprise version of Copilot a try. The MGQ generates questions and creates a file that can be converted in such a way that the questions can be imported into Canvas Quizzes. Thereby saving instructors time in writing questions by providing high-quality draft questions as well as skipping the need to create them one-by-one within the Canvas interface.
(Available to members of the University of Nebraska only)
Questions and comments about the process or Copilot agent should be directed to Sydney Brown, sbrown3@unl.edu.
The MGQ agent ONLY generates true/false, multiple-choice, and multiple-select question items. Add open-ended questions to quizzes via the Canvas interface.
Collections of quizzes will be imported as classic quizzes. These can be converted to Canvas “New Quizzes” after uploading.
Quick Start
- Use the Machine Graded Question agent to create a collection of multiple-choice and multiple-selection questions.
- Download the .CSV spreadsheet generated by the agent.
- Open the .CSV file, make any desired edits, then delete the header row, and save
- Upload to the K-State QTI converter. A .ZIP file will be created and downloaded to your computer.
- Upload the .ZIP file (do not unpack it) to Canvas using the “Import Existing Content” button in the top right of the home page in the Canvas course shell.
- Select QTI .zip file from the drop-down Content-Type menu
- [Add to Import Queue]
- Navigate to Quizzes to view and edit items
Step-by-step instructions
Create questions with MGQ
Before using the MGQ, prep your prompt:
- What topic or content will the questions be over? If you have materials, such as a Powerpoint or other documents you’ve prepared, you may upload them using the plus sign in the prompt window when you load the prompt.
- What are the learning objective(s) you aim to measure?
- Do you want single-choice multiple choice, multiple-select, or a mix of item types?
- How many items do you want and how many points for each item?
Sample Prompt:
Generate
- Number of items: 10 questions of moderate difficulty
- Student level: Graduate students
- Topic: TEAC 859 "Designing Learning Experiences."
- Item types: Mix of multiple-select and multiple-choice items.
- Learning goals: Able to integrate UDL principles into lesson design and critically evaluate an existing learning experience.
- Point value per item: 1
Download and edit the .CSV
The agent will show you a table with the questions it generates, allowing you to preview the items and decide if you want to revise your prompt. Additionally, the agent generates a .CSV file that you can download through a link beneath the table. If the questions look acceptable, or only require minor edits, download it to your computer. Open it and do the following:
- Make any edits to the items, but do not delete the empty column, add more columns, or add non-textual content.
- Delete the first row by right-clicking and selecting delete from the menu
- Save and close the file
Convert the .CSV to QTI
- Navigate to K-State’s Classic to Canvas converter
- Upload file and “Perform Conversion”
The resultant .ZIP file will be downloaded to your computer. Do not unzip it.
Import items into Canvas Course
- Navigate to course and select “Import Existing Content” from the upper right corner of the course’s homepage
- Do not check "Convert content to New Quizzes."
- Select “QTI .zip file” from the drop-down menu
- Upload the .ZIP file
- Click “+ Add to Import Queue”
Once imported, find the question items in Quizzes. At this point convert to New Quizzes if so desired.