Import test questions into Moodle LMS

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to highlight the theoretical and methodological aspects of preparing the test questions of the most common types in the form of text files for further import into learning management system (LMS) Moodle. The subject of the research is the automated filling of the Moodle LMS test database. The objectives of the study: to analyze the import files of test questions, their advantages and disadvantages; to develop guidelines for the preparation of test questions of common types in the form of text files for further import into Moodle LMS. The action algorithms for importing questions and instructions for submitting question files in such formats as Aiken, GIFT, Moodle XML, “True/False” questions, “Multiple Choice” (one of many and many of many), “Matching”, with an open answer - “Numerical” or “Short answer” and “Essay” are offered in this article. The formats for submitting questions, examples of its designing and developed questions were demonstrated in view mode in Moodle LMS.

Keywords

• Moodle LMS
• Import Questions
• Aiken
• GIFT
• Moodle XML
• Moodle Quiz

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Pedagogical testing, due to its high technological and informative content, has surely become a leading method of research into the structure of educational achievement [4, p. 13]. Evidence of it is the introduction in the system of general secondary education external independent assessment and state final certification [ 7 ]. Computer-based testing is considered to be the most standardized and objective method of monitoring and evaluating learning outcomes [ 9 ]. Requirements for computer testing include:

1. testing variability;

2. prompt submission of student diagnostic results;

3. prompt processing of test results;

4. application of adaptive testing algorithm;

5. accumulation of test results and analysis of their dynamics;

6. dynamic design of tests [4, p. 18].

Computerized testing at Moodle LMS enables to meet most of these requirements – generating test questions randomly from an existing bank, automatically mixing the order of test questions and answer options (alternatives), having different assessment options (“adaptive mode”, “deferred feedback”, “immediate feedback”, etc.), recording the results of each test attempt at evaluation logs and more.

A considerable number of questions are required to provide meaningful validity for the test. However, developing of such questions in Moodle LMS directly in the browser is time consuming – it takes a lot of time and attention. You can significantly reduce the time for filling a bank of test questions of considerable volume by preparing and importing questions in the form of a text file that corresponds to one of the modern formats for the exchange of test tasks – Aiken format, Blackboard, Embedded answers (Cloze), Examview, GIFT format, Missing word format, Moodle XML format and etc.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the theoretical and methodological aspects of preparing the test questions of the most common types in the form of text files for further import into Moodle LMS. 2

Import questions from file

This article examines the peculiarities of preparing for import test questions of the most commonly used types – “True/False”, “Multiple Choice” (“one of many” and “many of many”), the question of “Matching”, an open-ended question (“Numerical” or “Short answer”) or “Essay” in Aiken, GIFT and Moodle XML formats (Fig. 1). The Aiken format is extremely simple [ 1 ]. However, only “Multiple Choice” questions can be prepared in this format with one correct answer. The detailed algorithm for preparing and importing questions in Aiken format is shown in Table 1. 1. The number of alternatives to choose the correct answer cannot exceed 10 2. There is no need to waste time choosing the correct answer (variation A, B, C, or D), since in Moodle, mixing or not mixing alternatives is configured and performed automatically on the test options page

Step 3

Save the file as a text document *, ** in Unicode encoding mode (UTF-8)

Note. * In text editor Notepad: File → Save → File type: Text documents; Encoding:

Unicode (UTF-8)

** In text processor MS Word: File → Save → File Type: Plain Text; Encoding:

Unicode (UTF-8)

Step 4

In Moodle (on the relevant course page), import the saved file to the bank issues by selecting the format of the Aiken file (Fig. 1):

4.1. Control Panel → Bank Issues → Import

4.2. File format: Aiken

4.3. Import questions from a file: Import → Select file ... → ...

4.4. After the message is resolved from the import file and the successful import of all issues is completed, click Continue The GIFT format is much more powerful than Aiken, because besides preparing different types of questions (“True/False”, “Multiple Choice”, “Matching”, “Numerical”, “Short Answer”, “Essay”, etc.), it also has the ability to add question names, percentages, graphics, comments [ 2 ], and etc.

The detailed algorithm for preparing and importing questions in GIFT format is shown in Table 2. or (if necessary, enter the name of the question): :: The title of the question :: The text of the question { answers }

Step 3

Save the file as a text document in Unicode encoding mode (UTF-8)

Step 4

Import saved file (in case of use of images – archive) to the bank of questions, choosing the format of the file GIFT (Fig. 1) Preparing Moodle XML questions is not easy at first sight. An example of a file fragment (resulting from export) is shown in Fig. 2.

The ability to work with an intuitive interface while creating questions of various types (with the addition of images, question names, comments, category creation, etc.) in the MS Word text processor environment necessitates the use of the Moodle Quiz macro (Fig. 3) [ 6 ].

The detailed algorithm for preparing and importing questions in Moodle XML format using the Word template with the Moodle Quiz macro is shown in Table 3.

Step 4

Use the tool Export to XML (Fig. 3) to export the doc file to the XML format

Step 5 Import the saved file to the bank by selecting the format of the Moodle XML file (Fig. 1)

Question Yes/No? {TRUE}

GIFT format

Format:

Question {= ~ ~~}

Example:

The question with one correct answer? { = The correct answer ~ Wrong answer 1 ~ Wrong answer 2 ~ Wrong answer 3 }

Format:

Question {~% number% ~% number%

~} The questions with several correct answers? { ~% 50% Correct answer 1 ~% 50% Correct answer 2 ~% -50% Wrong answer 1 ~% -50% Wrong answer 2 }

Note: if there are three correct answers to the question, then each of them should add %33.333%, if four – % 25%, etc.

Moodle XML Format (using Moodle Quiz in MS Word)

The question “Matching” (Fig. 7)

Format: The tool is Matching (Fig. 3).

Pressing the Enter key means the

Question {= Questions -> Answer} beginning of the introduction of question 1, pressing Enter again – the beginning of the input Answers 1, etc.

In the end, leave one question blank and enter an additional answer.

Questions about matching:

Question 1

GIFT format Moodle XML Format (using Moodle Quiz in MS Word)

Answer 1

Question 2

Answer 2

Question 3

Answer 3

Question 4

Answer 4

Answer 5

Format 1:

Format 2:

Question {# number}

Numerical question 2 + 2? {# 4}

Format:

Question {= answer} GIFT format Moodle XML Format (using Moodle Quiz in MS Word)

The question “Short Answer” (Fig. 9)

The tool Short Answer (Fig. 3).

Pressing the Enter key means entering the answer.

The question with a short answer? The question with a { short answer? = yes Yes }

Format:

Question {}

Example:

Task - essay. { }

Adding images (in the text of the question or answer variants)

Tool Paste Image (Fig. 3) (pre

1. All the images used in this file are saved in the copy the image to the clipboard) folder (case sensitive) Moodle XML Format (using Moodle Quiz in MS Word)

GIFT format 2. Place the <img src \ = "@@

PLUGINFILE @@ / folder / name.png"> tag on the image, where name is the name of the image

3. When you finish editing, create a zip archive

containing the folder and the file with the questions

4. The format for importing questions in Moodle

LMS – GIFT with medials format (choose zip

archive) Note (for GIFT files). 1. Questions are separated by an empty line, the question itself can not contain empty lines. 2. The text of the question should not contain special characters ({,}, =, ~, #) since they divide the parts of the question. If necessary, they must be preceded by the symbol "\" before each of these characters. It will be deleted when it is imported. 3. If it is necessary to write certain explanations for test users, developers can write a comment starting with the characters "//". The starting point for commenting on answer options is the "#" character.

4. Formatting the text of questions or variants:

[html] <p> Questions about formatting </ p> { }

The main tags for formatting are given in Table 5.

Syntax Action <li> … </li> </ol> <ul> <li> List item 1 </li> <li> List item 2 </li> <li> … </li> </ul> <a href="URL-link" > hyperlink text </a> hyperlinks marked list 3

Conclusions

The choice of file format for importing questions depends on the needs of the test developer, and may vary depending on the situation (Table 6). Yes, the undeniable advantage of the Aiken format is its simplicity, but the questions prepared in this format are the same. The GIFT format, like Moodle XML, provides the ability to fill questions with different types of questions; however, in GIFT format, all tags should be manually written. The downside of the moodle_quiz_v_21 macro is development for commercial software – MS Word.

References

1. Aiken format - MoodleDocs. https://docs.moodle.org/37/en/Aiken_format ( 2016 ). Accessed 19 Mar 2019

2. GIFT format - MoodleDoc. https://docs.moodle.org/37/en/GIFT_format ( 2018 ). Accessed 19 Mar 2019

3. Import questions - MoodleDocs. https://docs.moodle.org/37/en/Import_questions ( 2019 ). Accessed 19 Mar 2019

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5. Moodle XML format - MoodleDocs . https://docs.moodle.org/37/en/Moodle_XML_format ( 2017 ). Accessed 19 Mar 2019 .

6. Moodle_quiz_v_21.zip - Google Drive. https://drive.google.com/open?id =0B_ucvZ7jt6xc Z0lNSUI1VWs3bUU ( 2013 ). Accessed 19 Mar 2019

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