Creating%20WEBCT%20Questions%20for%20Quizzes%20and%20Tests%20in%20College%20Algebra

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Creating WEBCT Questions for Quizzes and Tests in
College Algebra

• Dr. Anthony S. Pyzdrowski
• and
• Dr. Laura J. Pyzdrowski

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WvEB Algebra 2001-2002

• Online quizzes were implemented for the first
  time.
• On the final course evaluation, over half of
  responding participants indicated that the online
  quizzes helped them learn the course material.
• Approximately 25 reported that it was the
  component that most helped.

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WvEB Algebra 2002-2003

• 82 of the 62 respondents from WVU indicated that
  the online quizzes helped them learn the course
  material with half of them reporting that is it
  is the component that most helped them learn the
  material.

4
WvEB Algebra 2002-2003

• The correlation between the online quiz average
  and the grade on the final exam showed only a
  moderate correlation ( r .54)

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On Campus Spring 2003

• Online quizzes were used for the on campus
  college algebra sections with a final enrollment
  of 300 students. A higher correlation
  coefficient of .83 was found to exist when
  comparing the online quiz average and the
  students performance on the same comprehensive
  final exam.

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DFW Changes

• The on campus spring semester 2002
  drop/fail/withdraw rate was 51.3 percent
• The on campus spring semester 2003
  drop/fail/withdraw rate was 37 percent.

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Caution

• The only major course component change was the
  use of online homework quizzes.
• Other factors such as instructor,
  administrative/department support for change, and
  student differences most likely influenced some
  of the change as well.

8
Hirsch and Weibel (2003)

• Studied the effect of WebWork homework
  assignments on student performance on the common
  final exam in a general calculus course of 1175
  students.

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Hirsch and Weibel (2003)

• Found that students in the web-based sections
• Showed a statistically significant improvement on
  the final exam.
• Those who attempted every WebWork problem had
  higher grades on the final by at least two
  letters.

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The Good

• Use of online quizzing can ease the grading
  requirement for the instructors of large
  sectioned or multi-sectioned courses.
• Students can get immediate feedback and work
  whenever/wherever they choose.

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The Bad

• The up front work of constructing the question
  bank, quizzes, and tests is an ongoing necessity
  requiring a lot of time.
• Each semester, bad questions must be
  eliminated or fixed and new questions should be
  added.
• As new questions are added, they should go
  through a review process to make sure that they
  are relevant to the course content and are clear
  and meaningful.

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Solutions

• Test packages
• a good source for a number of the classic
  questions will have a random generator

13
Solutions

• Test packages
• Questions can be used from test generating
  programs such as TestGen-EQ by Prentice Hall.
• Export the test as an HTML file.
• Select and save the graphs and equations from the
  test to use in your WEBCT questions.

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Solutions

• Develop homemade questions that are more
  meaningful to the course at a given site.
• developing questions in WEBCT
• scripting questions in a word processor
• using a management tool such as Respondus

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Types of questions available in WEBCT.
• Multiple Choice
• Matching
• Calculated
• Short Answer
• Paragraph

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Sections common to all question types.
• Title Used to identify the question.
• Question The question.
• Equation Create or edit an equation.
• Format HTML/Text.
• Image Attach an image to the question.
• Any text that has an HTML format can contain
  valid HTML code.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Multiple Choice question components
• Allow students to choose n answers.
• Scoring Cumulative/All nothing.
• Allow negative score Yes/No.
• Answer layout Vertical/Horizontal.
• Answer order Randomized/As listed
• Indices Numbers/Letters.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Multiple Choice question components
• Answer i
• Correct answer Check if correct answer.
• Answer space The answer.
• Format HTML/Text
• Value of the question points.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Multiple Choice question components
• Feedback i
• Feedback space The feedback.
• Format HTML/Text.
• General feedback
• Feedback space The feedback.
• Format HTML/Text.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Matching question components
• Settings
• Marking scheme Equal/All or nothing/Right
  less wrong.
• Preview columns Yes/No.
• Matching pairs
• Answer type Short answer/Long answer
• Match i The match question.
• with i The match answer.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Matching question components
• General feedback
• Feedback space The feedback.
• Format HTML/Text.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Calculated question components
• Formula The formula.
• variables in s.
• Use ( ), , -, , /, , sqrt(x), log(x) base e,
  sin(x) in radians, cos(x) in radians, exp(x) e,
  atan2(x) in radians for the formula.
• Analyze variable Checks formula.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Calculated question components
• Variables(For each variable)
• Minimum minimum value.
• Maximum maximum value.
• Decimal places number of decimal places to
  use for each variable.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Calculated question components
• Calculate answer sets to
• number decimal places/significant digits.
• type decimal places/significant digits.
• Answer set
• Generate random answer set Creates sets.
• Number/set Number of sets to generate.
• Edit answer set Edit values in set.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Calculated question components
• Answer tolerance (/-)
• number error range value for correct answer.
• type or Units for the error range.
• Units Units for the answer.
• Value of the question value points for
  Units.
• Required Yes/ No.
• Ignore spaces Yes/ No.
• Ignore case Yes/ No.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Calculated question components
• General feedback
• Feedback space The feedback.
• Format HTML/Text.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Short answer question components
• Number of answer boxes n.
• Case sensitive Yes/No.
• Answers
• Answer i Answer to match.
• Value () Value of question for answer.
• Width Width of Field 5 to 100 pixels.
• Grading option Equals/Contains/RegEx.
• Allow in answer box All/1/2/...

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Short answer question components
• General feedback
• Feedback space The feedback.
• Format HTML/Text.

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Developing Questions in WEBCT

• Paragraph question components
• Settings
• Answer box size lines and columns for answer.
• Answer
• Pre-fill answerbox Initial test in answer.
• Equation Equation initially in the answer.
• Correct answer Correct answer for feedback.
• Equation Correct equation for feedback.
• Format HTML/Text.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• General procedures
• Do not introduce extra spaces.
• The field names are case sensitive.
• Lines beginning with a colon () identify a field
  name
• Each question must begin with the type
  declaration line TYPEMCSPMC

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• General procedures
• A TITLE may be included in a question which
  specifies the title of the question.
• A QUESTION must be specified.
• Comment lines begin with a .
• Save the file as an ASCII text file.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Question formats
• MC Multiple Choice
• S Short Answer
• P Paragraph
• M Matching
• C Calculated

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Multiple choice question format
• TYPEMC1N01CA
• MC indicates that this a multiple choice
  question.
• 1N 1 or N correct answers possible.
• 01 Negative scores.
• CA Cumulative/All or nothing.
• TITLEtitle text (Optional)
• title text The title.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Multiple choice question format
• QUESTIONHT
• question text
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• question text The question.
• IMAGEfilename (Optional)
• filename The path to an image.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Multiple choice question format
• LAYOUThorizontalvertical(Optional)
• horizontalvertical Answer arrangement.
• ANSWERi valueHT
• answer text
• value of question for this answer.
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• answer text The answer.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Multiple choice question format
• REASONiHT(Optional)
• feedback text
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• feedback text Feedback for answer.
• FEEDBACK (Optional)
• general feedback text
• general feedback text The feedback.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Multiple choice question format
• CATtext
• text The category for this question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Short answer question format
• TYPES
• S indicates that this a short answer question.
• TITLEtitle text (Optional)
• title text The title.
• QUESTIONHT
• question text
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• question text The question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Short answer question format
• IMAGEfilename (Optional)
• filename The path to an image.
• ANSWERSn
• n Number of answer boxes.
• CASE01 (Optional)
• 01 Case sensitivity.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Short answer question format
• ANSWERitextvalue01..nwidth012
• text The answer.
• value Value of the answer.
• 01..n Answer box for this answer.
• width Number of pixels for the width.
• 012 Exact match/Any part/RegEx.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Short answer question format
• FEEDBACK (Optional)
• general feedback text
• general feedback text The feedback.
• CATtext
• text The category for this question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Paragraph question format
• TYPEP
• P indicates that this a paragraph question.
• TITLEtitle text (Optional)
• title text The title.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Paragraph question format
• QUESTIONHTcolumnslines
• question text
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• columns Number of columns.
• Lines Number of lines.
• question text The question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Paragraph question format
• IMAGEfilename (Optional)
• filename The path to an image.
• TEMPLATE (Optional)
• template text
• template text The initial text in the answer.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Paragraph question format
• ANSWERHT (Optional)
• answer text
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• answer text The answer.
• CATtext
• text The category for this question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Matching question format
• TYPEMshortlongshortlongEARW01
• M indicates that this is a matching question.
• shortlong First column short/long.
• shortlong Second column short/long.
• EARW Equal/All or nothing/Right less wrong.
• 01 Preview columns.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Matching question format
• TITLEtitle text (Optional)
• title text The title.
• QUESTIONHT
• question text
• HT HTML/plain TEXT.
• question text The question .

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Matching question format
• IMAGEfilename (Optional)
• filename The path to an image.
• Li lefti text
• Ri righti text

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Matching question format
• FEEDBACK (Optional)
• general feedback text
• general feedback text The feedback.
• CATtext
• text The category for this question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• TYPEC
• C indicates that this is a calculated question.
• TITLEtitle text (Optional)
• title text The title.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• QUESTIONHT
• question text
• question text The question.
• IMAGEfilename (Optional)
• filename The path to an image.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• FORMULAformula text
• formula text The formula.
• Place variables in s.
• Use ( ), , -, , /, , sqrt(x), log(x), sin(x),
  cos(x), exp(x), atan2(x).

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• vari-MINnumber
• number Minimum value for variable.
• vari-MAXnumber
• number Maximum value for variable.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• VALUESnumber
• number Number of generated values
• vari1-VAL1number
• number Value i for var1.
• vari2-VAL1number
• number Value i for var2.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• ANS-DECnumber
• number Number of Decimal places/ Significant
  Figures.
• TOLnumber (Optional)
• number The variation for answer.
• TOLTYPEpercentunits (Optional)
• percentunits Percent range/unit value.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• UNITSunits text (Optional)
• units text The units of the answer.
• UNITREQ01 (Optional)
• 01 Units are required.
• UNITSPACE01 (Optional)
• 01 Ignore spaces in units.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• UNITCASE01 (Optional)
• 01 Ignore case of units.
• UNITVALvalue
• value of answer for units.
• ANSTYPEdecsig
• decsig Decimal/significant figures.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• Calculated question format
• FEEDBACK (Optional)
• general feedback text
• general feedback text The feedback.
• CATtext
• text The category for this question.

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Scripting Questions in a Word Processor

• To create the questions on WebCT from the text
  file
• Zip the directories containing the images.
• Upload a File to WEBCT.
• Unzip the images directories on WEBCT.
• Upload the text file to WEBCT.
• From the Questions Database page select Import
  Questions from file.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Respondus is a tool for creating and managing the
  quizzes for WebCT.
• The exams are created on the PC in Respondus
  using its equation editor or Math Type by Design
  Science.
• Questions can also be imported from a text file
  into Respondus.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Graphs still need to be created in another
  Mathematical software package and imported into
  Respondus as a gif image.
• The equations are saved in Respondus and
  converted to gif images when posted to WEBCT.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Respondus has five sections
• Start
• Edit
• Settings
• Preview Publish
• Retrieval Reports.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Start
• open an existing file
• create a new file
• exam wizard
• import questions from a text file
• create a Respondus archieve.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Edit
• create and modify questions.
• Templates for
• multiple choice questions
• matching questions
• short answer questions
• paragraph questions
• true false question
• multiple answer question

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Edit
• The calculated question is not available in
  Respondus.
• The normal components for each question type are
  entry fields in Respondus.
• Simply fill in the information as you would do in
  WEBCT or the text editor.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Edit
• The equation editor can be opened and the image
  of the equation will be inserted into the
  question.
• Graphical images must be imported into the
  question by using the insert picture or file
  feature.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• Edit
• As questions are completed they appear in the
  question list at the bottom of the screen.
• Previous questions can be used and modified to
  create new questions just as in WEBCT or the text
  editor.

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Using a Management Tool such as Respondus

• The main advantage of Respondus is that it posts
  the questions directly into WEBCT and it will
  create the quiz definition too.
• There are some glitches when trying to update an
  existing question set.
• Duplicate question entries will result in the
  Question category.(If you dont look in WEBCT you
  wont know they are there.)