Using Respondus software to download properly-formatted quizzes into your local Course Management System.
(A word document of the text below is available.)
Why Use Online Quizzes?
Having the end-of-section LSCS-2 quizzes in your local Course Management System (CMS) allows instructors to assign these quizzes very easily. The advantage to having online quizzes is that, either related to a safety-based course or a pre-lab safety program, instructors can assign LSCS-2 sections in advance of some classroom discussion. The quizzes nominally hold students accountable for having read the section and learning “the basics” of a particular topic. This allows the instructor to focus on particular aspects of the topics that can be related to experiment at hand. By avoiding the 10-20 minutes to introduce a safety topic, the pre-lab safety session can be streamlined. Systematic use of this protocol across the curriculum over four years allow a thorough review of a host of safety topics as recommended by the ACS CPT.
(Note: I have prepared PowerPoint files, organized by chapter, that include all of Figures and Tables in LSCS-2.)
As an example, I have posted here the sections of LSCS-2 that are distributed across the curriculum at Wittenberg University.
Using “Respondus” to Download End-of-Section quizzes into a local CMS.
I have created “txt-formatted” versions of all 73 end-of-section quizzes that can be easily downloaded into your local CMS. Send me an email requesting these quizzes. (This is not publicly available since the files contain the correct answers to each question.) Using Respondus software allows the quizzes to be easily imported into your system.
Respondus 4.0 is compatible with the following CMSs and industry standards:
(A word document of the text below is available.)
Why Use Online Quizzes?
Having the end-of-section LSCS-2 quizzes in your local Course Management System (CMS) allows instructors to assign these quizzes very easily. The advantage to having online quizzes is that, either related to a safety-based course or a pre-lab safety program, instructors can assign LSCS-2 sections in advance of some classroom discussion. The quizzes nominally hold students accountable for having read the section and learning “the basics” of a particular topic. This allows the instructor to focus on particular aspects of the topics that can be related to experiment at hand. By avoiding the 10-20 minutes to introduce a safety topic, the pre-lab safety session can be streamlined. Systematic use of this protocol across the curriculum over four years allow a thorough review of a host of safety topics as recommended by the ACS CPT.
(Note: I have prepared PowerPoint files, organized by chapter, that include all of Figures and Tables in LSCS-2.)
As an example, I have posted here the sections of LSCS-2 that are distributed across the curriculum at Wittenberg University.
Using “Respondus” to Download End-of-Section quizzes into a local CMS.
I have created “txt-formatted” versions of all 73 end-of-section quizzes that can be easily downloaded into your local CMS. Send me an email requesting these quizzes. (This is not publicly available since the files contain the correct answers to each question.) Using Respondus software allows the quizzes to be easily imported into your system.
Respondus 4.0 is compatible with the following CMSs and industry standards:
- Blackboard Learn 9.x (Enterprise & Basic)
- Brightspace 10.x
- Instructure Canvas
- Moodle 2.x - 3.x
- IMS QTI 1.x
- ANGEL LMS 6.3 and higher
- Pearson LearningStudio (eCollege)
http://www.respondus.com/products/respondus/
Users Guides for each system are at: http://www.respondus.com/products/respondus/guides.shtml
It will be necessary to purchase a single copy of Respondus for $79 (2016 price). My suggestion is for one person to purchase a single copy, (a site license seems unnecessary,) and create a single web page for an “LSCS-2” course. I assume that CMSs will allow other faculty to access this web course when assigned as “co-instructors”. Each faculty member can copy-and-paste the quizzes that they need into their individual courses.
Note: when using the Respondus system I ran into some minor difficulties in import files. (This will not happen to you since all of the files are now corrected and will import flawlessly!) However, the Respondus support folks were terrific in supplying answers to my questions, and, very quickly.)
Downloading End-of-Section Quizzes into your local CMS.
The following instructions are for Moodle users. I do not have access to the other Course Management Systems supported by Respondus, but I assume that a similar process will be used.
Note: Moodle – unlike the other Course Management Systems – requires that some special software be loaded into the campus-wide Moodle system on campus. My local IT folks resisted this (for fear the some third-party program might corrupt Moodle) but later relented and installed the software without incident.
See: https://www.respondus.com/download/moodleserver.shtml
I suggest creating an “administrative” or “timeless” Moodle course (“LSCS-2”) that can function as a local, department–wide repository for all 73 quizzes. Individual instructors can have access to this course and copy the quizzes into their own courses.
I suggest using a “topics” (rather than time, or weekly) format, and to change this to “Chapters”.
Before using Respondus to import the txt files, place the 73 txt files in your own network directory system for easy access.
The first time that you use Respondus it will ask you which Course Management System (= “personality”) you are using on your campus. You will be asked several questions that will allow Respondus to access your local CMS. Here the (illustrative) settings we use at Wittenberg; you may need to check with your local IT folks to determine what works for your CSM.
Server: moodle.wittenberg.edu
Auth Type: Automatic
Base URL: /
Port: 80
HTTPS: Login only
User: dfinster (and password)
Server port 443
HTTPS:// “always”
Base URL: “/”
Start tab:
(You can read the “Introduction” for a quick overview of the process, if you wish.)
Use the Open or Create tab. You will “opening” the txt files (not creating quizzes).
Click on the “Import Question” button.
Type of file: “plain text”
Browse to select file: (select)
Create new document: eg LSCS-2 Quiz 1-1-1
Use “stem”: (This is optional; I think this can be left blank.)
Preview – When you click on this you should get a message below “No warnings” since all of these files are properly formatted.
Finish (This will create “.rsp” files in your User directory.)
Note: If you need or want to make changes to questions in Respondus, go to the Preview and Publish tab and Preview the file. This will allow you to make changes. Be sure to Save changes.
Edit tab: This is apparently only for entering new questions.
Settings tab:
These are the various settings that are in your local CMS. Since different instructors may wish to use different settings, I skip this tab altogether. Each instructor will need to fill in in these variables when they wish to assign the quizzes.
Preview and Publish
Preview Use if needed or desired. Since the quizzes are already formatted with the correct answer, you should not need to preview the quiz.
Publish to Moodle
Use the Publish Wizard
First window 1, 2, and 3): Should be OK; leave as is, and click “Next.”
Second window:
1. Choose course (eg, “LSCS-2”
2. I created a new “Category” (in Moodle jargon) for each question. Leave selection as the default name of the questions. (Quiz 1-1-1)
3. Select Section (“Chapter”) into which you want the quiz
Click on “Next”.
You should get a string of actions being taken; finish with “Completed successfully.”
Once you get use to this protocol, all 73 quizzes can be imported in quick fashion. Probably 30-40 sections for each quiz!
Retrieval I did not need to use this feature in Respondus.