There are ten question types that you can insert within a test. The three interactive question types are sometimes called ‘technology enhanced question'. All question types utilize the rich text editor. This means that you can insert images, videos, sound recordings, equations, etc. into both the question itself as well as the answer!
The following explains the ten different question types and provides examples for each.
- Either/Or
- Multiple Choice
- Multiple Response
- Short Answer
- Open Answer
- Select from a List
- Fill in the Blank
- Match
- Order
- Hotspot
Either/Or
This type of question can be utilized for true/false or yes/no questions. The teacher may also create options such as:
- Foreign Language: In the following audio recording, Mary is describing her summer vacation. (The audio recording is in Spanish.) Where did Mary go during her summer vacation? Beach/Camping
- Literature: In the following paragraph, Tom is the… Protagonist/Antagonist
- Art: Which of the following images illustrates the Post-Modernist Period of Art? (Two images of artwork would be added to the rich text editor.)
Multiple Choice and Multiple Response
These traditional question types are self-explanatory, and can be enhanced by multimedia elements in the question and answer choices.
The set up in a multiple response question is identical to that of a multiple-choice question, however, there can be more than one response. For example, a multiple response question with 4 alternatives can be answered in 16 different ways.
Short Answer
Short answer questions are easy to create, but they demand that you think through the possible outcomes of the question. You must phrase it in such a way that the answer is short and concise… the student answer cannot exceed 90 characters. Answers may be automatically assessed utilizing key words. For example:
Literature: “What is a poem?” Keywords may include the following: rhyme, rhythm, beat, figurative language, etc.
Open Answer
Open answer questions cannot be assessed automatically, and this question type is often used for essays. Students will also have access to the rich text editor, so they may include images, video, sound recordings, equations, etc. in their response.
In the following example, students may write their own math problem based on the facts provided.
Foreign Language: Use the recording tool in the rich text editor to record yourself reading the following sentence. You will be assessed on fluency and pronunciation.
Matching
This question type provides students with two lists to match based on the directions. Students drag and drop the correct answer into the space provided (as seen here.) Students may even match a picture to a word or an audio recording.
To create this question, first place the directions within the rich text editor. Then add the matching information in the correct order.
Select from a List
For this question type, students select an answer based on a drop-down list of alternatives. Here is a math example:
Complete the following statement with the correct terms:
The top number of a fraction is called ______ and represents ______. The bottom number on a fraction is ____________ and represents .
The dropdown list would include four alternatives: the numerator, the denominator, a part, the whole.
Notice the directions are listed in the introductory text and the actual question is listed in the second text box. Highlight a word and use the “create blank” option to create a blank. The list of alternatives will appear in a drop-down list.
Fill in the Blank
This question type is similar to the ‘select form a list,’ however it requires students to type in a response. If the answer is spelled incorrectly it will be marked wrong. If this is the case, it may be better to utilize the ‘select from a list’ question type.
To create a fill in the blank question, first provide an introduction text (directions). In the second text box, enter the text that you want the participants to fill in the blank. Then, select a word to ‘blank out’ and choose ‘create blank.’ This will create a green box around the word. You may choose multiple words and even provide key words as alternatives.
The use of keywords is beneficial if there are multiple answers for a single blank.
For example:
Mixing the colors ________ and ______ make the color green.
The blanked words would be: Blue (alternative – yellow) and Yellow (alternative – blue)
Order
This question type asks participants to arrange a series of items in the correct order. You could, for example, ask participants to rank a list of alternatives from largest to smallest or place words in alphabetical order. The items appear in a drag and drop format.
Hotspot
For this question type, students must click on a correct spot within an image. To create this question, first provide a set of instructions, next upload an image, and finally determine the hotspot.
The rich text editor allows you to input text or an audio recording to use as your question. Once you have uploaded an image, you will use the square, circle or freehand tool to create a ‘hotspot'. You can create multiple hotspots within one image.
