This is the 2nd post in the “30 days to using the best of the web’s free tools for educators” series. Be sure to subscribe to the Teacher Challenge blog by RSS, like us on facebook, and follow us on twitter to keep up with future challenge posts as they are published.
In this activity you will:
- be able to create a self grading, multiple choice quiz using Google Docs
Overview:
During my 6 week computer cycle I require that students leave with a basic knowledge of common computer terms. Throughout the cycle I use a PowerPoint presentation to display the word, definition and an illustration. At the end of the cycle students take this vocabulary quiz. Since this is a Computer Class I thought students should take the quiz using technology. Previous versions of the quiz were done in Word using a drop down menu and a word bank. While students were impressed with how I created the test I still needed to print out paper to grade them.
Using Google Docs, I am able to continue to introduce and use new technology. Now I am able to track student progress, and I am able to save paper by collecting work electronically. Students tell me that they appreciate how they are constantly introduced to this new technology and this continues to push me to improve.
Task & Challenge:
Google Docs is a very powerful tool and can seem a bit overwhelming at first. However, once you begin to fully understand the power of this powerful yet free service you will lean towards using it more and more. For me the struggle is how to apply and introduce new technology while still controlling where students go online. In my district there are multiple reasons why I don’t allow my students to work with Google Docs. One of the main reasons is bandwidth. We just don’t have the bandwidth available to use some of the other features. Creating an online test is a great way to introduce you, the educator, and your students to this powerful tool.
Your Challenge is to create an online Google Docs quiz. Use my questions and answers below to assist you. Once you learn how to use Google Docs create your own multiple choice quiz and post a link to it.
Help & Support:
I have included the vocabulary words and definitions below. You will see the Definition in question format along with suggested answers.
I have also included a link to a YouTube video that will show step by step instructions to create your online quiz.
Here is another tip, Take the quiz twice. The first time enter your name as “Key” the second time you may take the test as “Teacher 2″ This allows you to enter the formula for right or wrong and calculate the average. Save those changes. Once Students have taken the quiz then “pull” the formula down to calculate right, wrong, & average.
To take the quiz before you create it, go to this URL
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dE1lak9BTDZIbTU3MnQ1RHA2QzVpQXc6MQ
Use These Questions To Create Your Quiz
What is the internal operating unit or brain of the computer?
Disk Drive
Software
CPU*
Hardware
What is the short blinking vertical line that marks your place in text?
Cursor*
Software
CPU
Hardware
This most often to means Stop. Used today to interrupt a command or move from one part of a program to another.
Ruler
Icon
Toolbar
Escape*
This reads & writes data to a small circular piece of metal-coated plastic similar to audio cassette tape.
Hardware
Disk drive *
Selecting
Tab
A _____ is a complete character set of a single size of a particular typeface.
Icon
Font*
URL
Ruler
The physical equipment that makes up a computer system is the…
Hardware*
Software
Toolbar
Margin
A list of choices in a computer program.
Tab
Ruler
CPU
Menu*
This refers to a page that when printed is wider than it is long?
Landscape orientation*
Ruler
Close
Selecting
What is a picture on your screen that represents a program or object in your hard drive?
Icon*
CPU
Close
Escape
What is a web pages address on the internet?
ADDY
URL*
CPU
JPG
What is the short blinking vertical line that marks your place in text?
Cursor*
Software
CPU
Hardware
This most often to means Stop. Used today to interrupt a command or move from one part of a program to another.
Ruler
Icon
Toolbar
Escape*
This reads & writes data to a small circular piece of metal-coated plastic similar to audio cassette tape.
Hardware
Disk drive *
Selecting
Tab
A _____ is a complete character set of a single size of a particular typeface.
Icon
Font*
URL
Ruler
The physical equipment that makes up a computer system is the…
Hardware*
Software
Toolbar
Margin
A list of choices in a computer program.
Tab
Ruler
CPU
Menu*
This refers to a page that when printed is wider than it is long?
Landscape orientation*
Ruler
Close
Selecting
What is a picture on your screen that represents a program or object in your hard drive?
Icon*
CPU
Close
Escape
What is a web pages address on the internet?
ADDY
URL*
CPU
JPG
Extend & Discuss:
Please leave a comment on how you will use Google Docs to create a quiz, or if you use a different service, such as zoomerang , Questionpro, or SurveyMonkey.
About:
I am a Middle School Computer Science Teacher, and I write a blog about lesson plans, discussion topics, problem solving, and other topics that affect my classroom. You can visit my blog mrrileysblog.blogspot.com/ or my website www.mrrileyswebsite.com to contact me or for more information.
Hi Mr. Riley,
Thanks for this great post. I never thought about taking the quiz first with the name “Key” for the answer key. What a simple, yet great idea. The video helped explain how you created the answer key. Thanks so much for sharing!
Kind regards,
Tracy Watanabe
Mr. Riley,
Looks interesting. I never used Google Docs. Would it be possible to post a link to step by step instructions how to create a quiz?
Thanks,
Dan
Sure Dan, Just watch the step by step youtube video. The video contains screen shots of each step along the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDKhCRXmT2k
Thank you.
Hi Mr Riley,
I made my test and couldn’t continue working on it – so I don’t get how I get to the live quizz now, since I want to put in the key. Do you think you could help out? When I go to the form in my account I only end up at the spreadsheet. Did I do something wrong?
Best regards,
Anna
No thats ok. When you go to the form in google documents the answer spreedsheet will open by default. Click on “FORMS” then “EDIT FORM” and you may continue to edit. To go to the live form ( the test itself )go to “FORMS” / “GO TO LIVE FORM”
I hope this helps and I cant wait to find out how this works for you.
I have made a questionnaire for my local village hall website. It works really well, but I would like to get an email notification whenever someone submits a form. Can you tell me how to do this?
Yes. This is very simalar to the “contact me” form I embeded into my website. The Google form will only alert you once somebody has made a change to the form. It will not send you a snippet of what they entered into the form. To get a notification when the form has been filled out go to “TOOLS” / NOTIFICATION RULES” choose the appropriate setting for your needs.
Hope this helps.
Thanks. Changes made – now I’ll sit back and wait for those bookings to come rolling in!
I just finished a Google Docs course and think it is a wonderful idea. A couple of years ago I did a PowerPoint virtual fieldtrip with questions that were supposed to be answered in a trip journal. I uploaded the PowerPoint into Google Docs and added a link to a form the students can fill out online instead of keeping a journal to answer those questions. The great thing is the spreadsheet we can look at to see if they are getting the information.
This is excellent!
I am having a problem with the self correcting portion though. Every time someone takes my quiz their answers appear in a new row and ignore the formulas I painstakingly entered. Do you know what I have done wrong? I would love to figure this out and head for my dream of a paperless classroom.
Thanks for your hard work
Kimberly
Thanks for this,
I’m a bit confused. I have set this up. But how do the pupils see their results?
I think I may have missed a step, I’m not sure.
here is my quiz
https://spreadsheets1.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGM0VzNEZGRsZ3VUcGM1Y0tTbGhRNVE6MQ
and here is what comes up in the spreadsheet.
https://spreadsheets1.google.com/ccc?authkey=CLq9gZUE&hl=en&key=tc4W3DddlguTpc5cKSlhQ5Q&hl=en&authkey=CLq9gZUE#gid=0
Does this not allow for the students get their results straight away?
Sorry,
Quentin
No students can not see thier results. The results will be displayed to you on a spreadsheet. You can then show the scores to the students.
sometimes it can be good to get the feedback straight away. Quentin, even though I am not a music expert I had fun doing the quiz.
Thank you for a wonderful tutorial. I am really, really late with the assignments, but I am still hoping I will do them all.
I am an EFL teacher, so I created a very simple (and very short) multiple choice quiz about the origin of some English words. You can find it here: http://lunas994.blogspot.com/2011/04/google-docs-quiz.html
Thanks so much!
HiNatasa,
I tried your quiz maker and it was easy – I am wondering if I get lots of advertisements on it in a week?
Only pull the formula down for the Teacher test results, after the students have taken the quiz pull the formula the rest of the way down.
Hope this helps
you totally rock! i have a 176+ students a day and no budget for programs and this is soooooooo going to help.
2 questions:
1. when i went to use the link on the share setting it would take me to the database instead of form. (even when i was logged out). i had to open up form format and use that link to open up the form. i can’t use the send email function as my school’s server blocks it and i need to send emails through schoolloop program.
2. cheaters- how do i keep student from typing in someone elses name? or taking the quiz ..lets say.. in computer class (not that they would..) i know that i can change the address at the end of the day so the link in their email will not work.
and i do monitor the computers from the back of the room.. but still. any suggestions?
thanks
I had used Google docs to create forms before, however, I hadn’t used formulas for calculating the scores or averages. Thanks for that tip!
Check out my quiz at http://goo.gl/U7Jwx
You could do all that formula writing, but why not try Flubaroo?
http://www.flubaroo.com/
OK, here’s my first “real” quiz: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?hl=en&key=t0H7A7CrlP7ZhLp7Q6IkkUw&hl=en#
I know, I’m horribly late, but I just found your challenges this afternoon. I actually started playing with quizzes on Google docs over the weekend, but this one I will use in class tomorrow. I will use it for practice rather than taking the grades, however, so no need to keep track of the stats this time around. Thanks for the great tips.
This is genius! I am excited to try this next fall with my students.
Thanks for this. I am working on an e learning pathway and this looks like it could work for me.
Great idea but can be confusing and time consuming to deal with cells and formulas. You’d think google would have just added a “duplicate question” “now add answer” at least for the multiple choice.
I’m going to start with a simple one question survey to serve as a sort of teacher evaluation. For example, “What reading activity was the most effective this week?” A.Read and search, B. Vocabulary Match, C. SSR, D. Buddy Summaries.
I really am pleased with the outcome. Thanks for answering the question about pulling down the answers after the students enter the test.
Wonderful!