As a teacher or administrator you may have assignments, quizzes or exams that are currently saved in other platforms (e.g. Canvas) or formats (e.g. Word or Pages), and would like to transfer them into your exam library in Digiexam. Import of existing material can be done using a QTI-import. This guide will assist you with the export of QTI files from a Canvas environment, conversion from Word or Pages formats to a QTI-file format, and the import of QTI-files into Digiexam to populate your exam library.
Digiexam currently supports QTI-file uploads (v.1.2) that include multiple choice, multiple response or essay question formats. These files are common cartridge (IMSCC) and Content package formats. This means that you can import questions from learning management systems like Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai, Schoology and Powerschool.
Check with your system administrator for your LMS to see if you can export QTI-files.
This guide demonstrates two methods to create and convert QTI files:
(Note: Canvas New-quizzes are not exportable at present. Canvas will release this function during Q3 or Q4 of 2023 per their roadmap documentation).
Export QTI-files from an LMS
Each learning management system has their own method for packaging their quiz files. You can find more information about the export of QTI-files in our knowledge center. We have linked to documentation about the export of quiz files for Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Desire2Learn and Respondus.
Convert Word or Pages Documents to QTI-files
In the event that you have a question bank saved in a document (Word, Pages or Google Docs) there is a method that can be used to convert these questions into a QTI-file so as to rapidly move questions into your exam library in Digiexam.
This process will also allow you to mark the correct answer(s) for multiple choice and multiple response questions as well as attribute point values for these questions.
New York Institute of Technology has developed a conversion tool that transforms pasted text to QTI-files. In order to use this tool you will need to format your pasted text. The formatting rules are located below. When you have formatted your questions and pasted them into the webpage you can run the check this converter provides to see if there are any errors.
Correct any errors and rerun the check. When your questions have no formatting issues you will be able to click the “Convert to Canvas QTI File” button. This will provide you with a QTI-file that can be imported into your Digiexam environment.
Question Formatting
Each question that will be converted must start with the question number followed by a period, a space, and finally the question text. Each question must be separated with a single blank line.
Answer Formatting
Multiple Choice
Each option in a multiple choice question must begin with a lower case alphabet character (a, b, c, d, etc.) followed by a closed parenthesis. The correct answer is indicated with an asterisk that precedes the lower case character. This can also be used for True/False questions as you would limit the responses to two options.
Example of a multiple choice question
1. What is the product of 2x3?
a) 5
b) 1
*c) 6
d) 15
Multiple response
Each option in a multiple response question is marked using square brackets [ ]. An empty square bracket [ ] indicates an incorrect answer. A square bracket that is filled with an asterisk [*] indicates a correct answer.
Example of a multiple response question
1. Which of the following is an example of an animal?
[*] Cat
[*] Dog
[ ] Tomato
[*] Bird
Essay
The essay question is indicated by a sequence of 3 or 4 hashtags (#).
Example of a multiple response question
1. Write a paragraph about your favorite teacher.
####
Import QTI-files into Digiexam
If you have a QTI-file from either an export from a learning management system or using the online conversion method above you can now import this into your exam library in Digiexam.
Navigate to your exam library and click on the “import” button located in the top right of your screen. You will then be able to choose the file or files that you wish to import. Confirming the import will generate an exam in your exam library that contains these questions. Note that importing multiple files simultaneously will generate a single exam with all questions included from these files.
If you wish to generate multiple exams you should import the files one at a time.
In the event that you would like to learn more about generating QTI-files using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to assist with question generation and formatting please contact us at customers@digiexam.com to book in a workshop or webinar for you and your staff.
Convert CSV / Excel to QTI Files
If you wish you can also prepare a CSV file with questions and their answers and then use a converter to generate a QTI file for your exam. This method works for questions that are multiple choice and multiple response question types. Follow the instructions below to generate QTI files for import.
- First download the CSV file template.
- Add questions to the template using Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet tool.
- Column A = question type
- MC (multiple choice)
- MR (multiple response)
- For True/False questions, use multiple choice question type with only 2 alternatives.
- Add point values to Column C. You should ignore column B as it is a placeholder.
Column C is the point value of the question and ranges from 0-100 points. Point values can include 2 decimal places (1.75).
- Include your question body in Column D.
- Place the correct answer(s) in Column E. Columns F-J include your possible answer choices. You should have 2 or more choices per question.
- The numbers 1-5 each correspond to the one of the possible answers listed in column F-J
- Use 1 to indicate "a", 2 to indicate "b," 3 to indicate "c", 4 to indicate "d", and 5 to indicate "e."
- For True/False questions, use 1 for True and 2 for False.
- Clear any unused cells and save the file with a CSV file format.
- Use the following converter to change your csv / spreadsheet file to a QTI file.
In the event that you would like to learn more about generating QTI-files using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to assist with question generation and formatting please contact us at customers@digiexam.com to book in a workshop or webinar for you and your staff.
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