WirisQuizzes Features

As a teacher, interpreting the student’s answer mathematically is natural or almost involuntary when we grade exams by hand. Still, a typical problem for computers is that they can only understand text literally. In this example, the correct answer set by the teacher is $2(x+1)$. Another equivalent way of writing this will also be right, for example, by distributing the product: $2x+2$.

Sometimes it's not just the value of the answer that's important, but also its form. This usually happens when you teach basic algebraic manipulation, and you want the answer in a particular form. For example, if you're teaching how to reduce a fraction, you probably want to accept only the reduced fraction as the correct answer.

In this example, we can require the answer to be factorized, and we won't accept the distributed answer $2x+2$. Apart from adding this assertion to the previous question, we can also define partially graded answers.

Another notable feature of WirisQuizzes is generating random questions. This means we can write a general question with different data each time the question is opened. Considering the previous example, we'll make part of the question random in the animation below.

You can define and manage random variables in WirisQuizzes. We do this in the WirisQuizzes Studio Interface. In fact, this is where most of the work is done in WirisQuizzes. Here, we define a random length and the other side of the triangle correspondingly. Then we modify the correct answer using the new variable as part of the formula.

Finally, we insert these variables into the question statement. If two different students view the question, we can confirm that the values have changed. Since the values change, the solution is naturally other for each case.

WirisQuizzes is excellent for creating mathematical questions, but because it understands units of measurement, it's also appropriate for physics, chemistry, biology, economics, and more.

Thus, you can create a question that answers units, and the system will correctly grade any answer with equivalent units. The correct answer is $2h20\min$ in the following example, but any equivalent answer as $2.33h$ or $140\min$ will also be accepted.

It is common for teachers to ask their students to explain how they have computed the answer to a Math or Science question. Even in automatically graded questions, teachers may want to ask the students to write their reasons just in case they want to later check them for manually adjusting the grade or answer the student's request regarding this question. It is also valuable from a formative assessment perspective, beyond grading.

For example, we can add a text editor to the previous question asking the students to reason their answers.

Another exciting feature of WirisQuizzes is using the student's answer in the question feedback. This way, it's possible to show the student why he has answered wrong or which steps he should have followed. We can add feedback, for instance, to a question asking for a particular function to show the difference between the plotters of the answered function and the correct one.

WirisQuizzes provides a wide range of options for comparing the student's answer to the correct answer when you edit a question. These involve decimal digits, units, simplification, etc. However, sometimes, we will find it necessary to create our own rule for determining when an answer is correct. This can be done via grading functions.

We can add a grading function to the previous question to accept more polynomials than $(x-2)·(x+3)$. To do so, you need to select Custom grading function in Validation options > Comparison with student answer and define the rule.

Thus, any polynomial with roots $2$ and $-3$ will be accepted. You can also provide detailed feedback explaining it.

It's also possible to add Graphics to the question's statement and feedback. You have to generate the plotter in CalcMe and understand it as a standard variable to include it wherever you want. In this example, beyond giving a list of values, we can provide the students with a bar chart to make them interpret it.

Embedded answers, or cloze, allow inserting different question types in one question. Thus, it's possible to ask for several results in various formats inside one question. We can add different kinds of subquestions in the previous exercise.

The graphic answer type aims to allow questions with an answer requiring the student to draw something on a canvas instead of selecting an option or writing an algebraic expression. With this feature, students will be able to draw points, lines, circles, conic sections, and more, and the new evaluation criteria will do the rest!

Besides, it's also possible to add statistical graphs to a short-answer question type and ask students to answer by interacting with the dynamic graph. The following statistical representations are available: bar chart, line chart and pie chart.

On the other hand, you can also use the sketch to require students to use the handwriting tool to provide the solution. There is a minimal tolerance for slightly inaccurate answers set by default, but you can adjust it by clicking on Validation options.

It may seem like creating a question with WirisQuizzes isn't easy, and that may seem worse if you consider you won't be used to its user interface. To help ease the transition, we are offering free WirisQuizzes Training. This course consists of three parts covering theoretical contents, examples, and exercises.

If you are interested in enrolling in this training, email us at training@wiris.com , and we will provide you with access information and login credentials.