A question pool is composed of multiple parallel questions that assess the same topic (for example, the same question written in three different formats). An assessment can contain multiple pools.
Creating a Question Pool
1. In the left menu, navigate to Assessments > Question Pools.
2. Click Add Question Pool.
3. Give the pool a title that will be easy to identify later.
4. Click + Add Assessment Section.
5. Give the Assessment Section a title.
6. Add Content/Questions to the Assessment section.
7. In the pool settings, identify the number of questions to be drawn.
8. Select how the questions will be drawn. Best practice: These settings should be the same throughout all content.
Drawing Options
Random with replacement: The same question can be used multiple times. For example, suppose you want the pool to have six questions, and you want to give students the ability to attempt each quiz two times. If you set the pool to draw three questions each time and select Random with replacement, then each time the student attempts the assessment, three questions will be drawn at random. Because the questions are drawn randomly, the students may see the same question more than once.
Random without replacement: Different questions are used each time. For example, suppose you want the pool to have six questions, and you want to give students the ability to attempt each quiz two times. If you set the pool to draw three questions each time and select Random without replacement, then each time the student attempts the assessment, three NEW questions will be drawn at random. On the first attempt, the system will generate three questions for the student. On the second attempt, the student will see the remaining questions in the pool, as there are only three unused questions left.
Ordered: Different questions are used each time. For example, suppose you want the pool to have six questions, and you want to give students the ability to attempt each quiz two times. If you set the pool to draw three questions each time and select Ordered, then each time the student attempts the assessment, three NEW questions will be drawn at random. On the first attempt, the system will generate three questions for the student. On the second attempt, the student will see the remaining questions in the pool, as there are only three unused questions left.
Cloning and Changing a Question Pool
Cloning a page with an assessment generates a new page and new assessment, each with its own unique ID. If the assessment uses a pool, it is necessary to clone the pool as well and replace the new pool on the new assessment page. These directions provide the steps for cloning the pool and attaching it to the new assessment page.
Find the Question Pool ID
1. Navigate to the assessment page. If you have not yet done so, rename the assessment so that you can easily find it later (e.g., Beginning of Human History Unit 2). Click the pencil icon next to the pool title.
Note the Question Pool ID: pool_getting_ready_question_pool_1.
Clone the Question Pool
2. Navigate to the question pool: Under Assessments in the left navigation panel, click Question Pools.
3. Click Add Question Pool.
4. Click Clone From Existing Pool.
5. Choose pool to clone that has the ID you identified. For example, POOL: Beginning of Human History (beginning_quiz_pool).
6. Title the pool and click Save. You now have a cloned pool.
Insert Cloned Pool into Activity
7. Under Assessments, click Activities.
8. Select the activity and click Edit (e.g., Beginning of Human History Unit 2).
9. Click + Add Question From Pool.
10. Locate pool to draw from. For example, POOL: Beginning of History Unit 2.
11. Be sure Number of questions to draw each time is 1 and How to draw is Random w/out replacement (different each time). Click Save.
12. The result is that you have two pools on the page. Delete the original pool (e.g. POOL: Beginning of Human History) so that only the new pool remains. You will now be able to edit both the questions from the original activity and the cloned activity because each has a unique pool associated with it.