Format and Standardization
Tests and questionnaires will be stored in a standardized format, the so-called IMS QTI format (version 1.2). For more information please go to the following website of IMS.
Creating and saving tests and questionnaires in a standardized format enables you to use them as course elements in different OpenOLAT courses on the one hand; on the other you can apply your tests and questionnaires in other LMS that support the same version of that IMS QTI format.
In tests or questionnaires you can also include multimedia files.
Types of Questions
There are five different types of questions to be explained in the following:
| Type of Question | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
Single Choice | A single-choice question comprises a question and at least two answers; only one of them can be selected. In a test only one of those two answers is correct. |  |
Multiple-Choice | A multiple-choice question comprises one question and at least two answers; several answers can be selected. In a test several answers can be correct. |  |
Kprim | A Kprim question can only be used in a test. It comprises one answer and exactly four answers. The one taking that test has to decide for every single answer if it is correct or not. 0 to 4 answers can be correct. |  |
Cloze | In a cloze question terms are replaced by gaps to be filled in by the one taking the test or questionnaire. In a test you provide the correct answers (synonyms separated by semicolons) and decide at the same time if there should be case sensitivity or not. |  |
Free text  | The answer to a free-text question is inserted into a field of variable size. In a test environment, the free-text question must be evaluated separately and manually. |  |
Structuring and Organization
Each test and each questionnaire has to comprise at least one section as well as one question. This is why there is already a section ("New section") along with a single-choice question ("New question") when creating a test or questionnaire. If you do not need a single-choice question in your test you can delete it as soon as you have added another type of question. Just click on the title of a section or question on your left to be able to modify it.
Sections serve to give your tests or questionnaires a certain structure. For example you can pose general questions at the beginning and therefore create a section "Preface." Your test or questionnaire can contain as many sections as you like.
If you want to add a new section or question just navigate to the position of your choice and select in the drop-down menu "Add" in the toolbar the new element. You can also add one or more questions directly from the question bank or via Excel-Import into your test or questionnaire. Just navigate to the corresponding menu item. It is possible to delete or move sections or questions anytime. You can even copy questions.
It is advisable to copy questions if there are questions with the same possibilities to answer, e.g. if several questions could be answered by selecting a value between 1 and 5.
Display Options and Configuration
Further options regarding tests and questionnaires can be set at different levels:
On the test level you determine whether all included test sections should be displayed or just a selection. In addition to that, sections can be displayed randomly or in the predefined order.
You can also determine if a test should be taken within a certain period of time. If a test has some time limit this can be recognized by the hourglass icon and the display of total time and time ending.
Options regarding feedback and solutions will be explained in the section "Hints to Solutions and Feedback in a Test". Further information regarding scores can be found in "Scores in Tests".
On the section level you determine if there should be a time limit when working on a section, how many questions from that section should appear in your test or questionnaire, and if the sequence of your questions should be at random or not.
On the question level you will find more information on display and configuration options in the tab "Meta data." Here you can also give hints and/or the correct solution (further described in the section "Hints to Solutions and Feedback in a Test".
On the course level there are further display options. When embedding your test or questionnaire in a course you will find these options in the tab "Test configuration" or "Questionnaire configuration." You can limit the number of attempts to answer a question and determine how often a user may try and take a test. The maximum to be specified is 20. If you specify for the first successful attempt to be valid though, a user is no longer able to improve his test results with more tests. As long as the user fails to pass the test, he can try as often as specified before. In order to prohibit a user to access other OpenOLAT functions during a test, you can use the option "Display only module, hide LMS". OpenOLAT will be hidden during the test and only be visible again after closing or completing the test. If you plan to forbid the menu navigation, one question after the other will automatically appear; the person taking your test will not be able to navigate to another question. To display the menu navigation is still possible; just use the option "Display menu navigation." You can also allow users to make personal notes during a test. However, after that test those notes will no longer be available. When terminating a test no results will be saved; when pausing all answers sent so far will be saved.
If you pause in a test with time limit it can very well be that your time is up when trying to continue.
If persons taking your test should see their results immediately after completing it select the option "Show results after completing a test." Results can also be displayed on your course's homepage. When choosing this option you can additionally indicate when those results should be made public. You can further determine how detailed your display should be.
Scores in Tests
The minimum score to pass a test can be determined in the test editor on top-level. This score is only relevant if your test is included in a course with the course element "Test."
On the question level you determine how many points can be received with each question. The correct answer to a single-choice question will gain all points; giving a wrong answer will gain 0 points. Indicate the score to a certain question in the field "Score" of the tab "Question/answers."
Using a multiple-choice question means either scoring if all answers are correct or if one single correct answer already counts. First decide on a method of assessment in the tab "Question/answers" and save your settings. Then indicate the score for all correct answers or the score for each correct answer (right next to your answers).
The assessment of Kprim questions is preset. Three correct answers always gain half the score, four correct answers mean full score. Indicate your maximum score in the tab "Question/answers."
If there are several possible answers to your cloze question separate them by semicolons. You can choose between two different assessment methods: either scoring per all correct answers or scoring per one correct answer. First decide on your method in the tab "Question/answers" and save your settings. Then either indicate your score for all correct answers or for each single answer (right next to the cloze).
Free-text questions can only be evaluated manually. You can use the assessment tool.
Hints to Solutions and Feedback in a Test
You can provide feedback immediately after having received a test result. Hints to solutions and/or the correct solution will be displayed if the question has not been answered correctly. You determine in the tab "Meta data" if hints and/or correct solutions should be displayed. Just indicate your hints and/or correct answers in the corresponding fields.
The correct solution of an essay question will never be shown in OpenOLAT. It is intended only for the Word export, and will only be displayed in the exported file with the correct answers like other test solutions. Files are provided with the name of the course element and the date.
By displaying feedback you can provide a separate feedback to each of your answers; this feedback will be given immediately after having sent an answer. You can indicate your feedback in the tab "Feedback."
The option "Feedback (wrong answer)" is not effective if in a multiple-choice question no wrong answers have been selected but not all correct answers have been checked.
Often feedback and hints to solutions are used in a self-test to give persons a helping hand in finding the correct answers.
Source Code of Tests
Participants will not be able to see in the test's or self-test's source code which solutions are right or wrong; answers will be sent to the OpenOLAT server before being analyzed.
Export to Word
Tests and questionnaires created in OpenOLAT can be exported as a Word file. Click "Export as Word file" in the editor tools in the test editor in order to download the test or questionnaire as .zip-file. The file contains two files in the MS .docx format, one containing only the test questions, while the other contains questions and answers. The exported files contain important additional information such as the score, thus enabling you to use the test document directly for e.g. offline testing.
Modifications of Embedded Tests or Questionnaires
As soon as a test or questionnaire is embedded in a course you have only limited possibility to make modifications. For more information please go to "Using Editors During Course Operation".
