OUTSTANDING ICT - 2nd October 2017
Following issue 16's introduction to creating a Team site for your class, we are now going to look at using the site to present pupils with assignments. In this issue we will move away from Teams for the minute to create a quiz style assignment using Forms, part of the Office 365 suite of apps.
10 Steps to Creating an Online Test.
Google Forms is a popular tool in the Google suite of apps. Many teachers are familiar with its use but not many know that Microsoft's Forms follows a very similar format that is just as easy and intuitive to use. Follow this guide to create a quiz that you can use as an assignment in the next edition of Outstanding ICT.
Step 1
Select the Forms app from the Office 365 app picker (or app launcher or, as is becoming more and more popular, the waffle).
Step 2
For this exercise we are going to select the New Quiz option. Straight "forms" are usually associated with gathering data; surveys, applications etc, and do not allow you to assign marks or to mark answers as correct.
Step 3
Select the "Untitled quiz" text to give your quiz a name then select "Add question" to begin constructing your assignment.
Step 4
For this exercise we are going to use the "Choice" question type. This option allows you to create a multiple choice question and are the easiest question type to manage as they can be self marking if you indicate the correct answers.
Step 5
Type your question in the box. In this example I am going to upload a series of images which will be the focus of the questions. If you want to do this you will need to either create and save your images first or search for them online. I tend to use PowerPoint to prepare images using the screen clipping tool.
Step 6
To add an image to your question select the green media icon to the right of the text box. you are given the choice of video or image.
Step7
This opens a dialogue which allows you to find an image online by searching with Bing, from your 365 storage on OneDrive, or upload from your computer.
Step 8
Add choices by selecting "Add option". I tend to create four options for "Choice" style questions. When you have added all your answer options go to the text box for the correct answer and select "Correct Answer".
Step 9
Continue to add questions by selecting the "Add Question" button beneath each question.
Also at the bottom of each question is the option to attribute points to the correct answer to each question. The number of points available are shown to the user when they take the test.
For choice questions you can allow multiple answers for each question. For all questions you can stipulate whether the answer is mandatory, in which case the user cannot move-on without answering it.
Step 10
When you have complete your quiz you can preview it by selecting "Preview" from the bar at the top of the screen (see video below) or share it by selecting "Share".
When you share you can choose to share the test with anyone who has a link, or anyone in your organisation. If you choose the first you will not be provided with the email address of the user, so you might want to add a question where the user is asked to provide it. For our purposes, as a test to give to users in our class Team, you will need to select the second option.
To share the form you need to hit the "Copy" button next to the link and in the next edition of Outstanding ICT we will look at what to do with the link code once you have copied it.
It is good practice to have a go at your own test a few times before you share it. There are nearly always errors, or you may find you want to refine the wording here and there. Try having a go at your own test, preferably getting a few answers wrong, then explore the "Responses" tab at the top of the page.
In the video below you can see the preview of the final test. Notice how the questions are marked and how the points available for each question are indicated and awarded.
In the next edition of "Outstanding ICT" we will add your test/quiz/form as an assignment to your class.
If you would like to find out how I might support your school in using Microsoft's Teams for Education or any other way of embedding the use of IT, please feel free to contact me. Here's my card...
