Quick Tip: Quizzes - Classic vs. New

POSTED: Mar. 02, 2023

You say po-tā-toe, I say pot-ah-toe. You say, “tests, exams, assessments,” Canvas Panda says, “Classic and New Quizzes.”

All the Quizzes in your course can be accessed through the Quizzes link in Course Navigation menu.

Canvas has two different tools for quiz building, Classic and New, each with their own nuanced features and capabilities.

This is the first in a series of Quiz Quick Tips where we will identify the similarities and differences between the two quiz engines. This will help you determine which capabilities and options will most closely support your course learning objectives and assessment goals.

Classic vs. New Quizzes: Common Features

Create common types of questions, including multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill in the blank, essay, etc.
Utilize question pools (called Question Banks in Classic Quizzes, and Item Banks in New Quizzes).
Integrate with online proctoring software
Configure common settings
- Set time limit
- Set availability and due dates
- Shuffle answers
- Allow multiple attempts
- Give extra time for SAS accommodations

Classic vs. New Quizzes: Differences

There are some key differences between the two tools, as compared below. We will take a deeper dive into Classic and New Quizzes in our upcoming Quick Tips emails.

Classic Quizzes	New Quizzes
Create practice quizzes and surveys	Create practice quizzes; no survey option
Organize questions in Question Banks (tied to the course)	Organize questions in Item Banks (tied to the user, can be shared with other instructors)
Fewer question types available	More question types available (including hot spot, categorization, ordering, and stimulus)
Shuffling questions requires a workaround	Includes setting to shuffle question order
Must give individual students extra time per quiz	May give individual students extra time for all quizzes in the course at once

Tip: Build a Practice Quiz in your course

Building a practice quiz at the beginning of a course is a great way to give students an opportunity to experience the testing environment in a no-stakes or low-stakes scenario. This alleviates testing anxiety about technology interactions and setting functions. Ensure a smooth assessment process by allowing students to test the technologies with their devices and specific quiz settings and test day will be a breeze. For Classic Quizzes, create a Practice Quiz; for New Quizzes, create a quiz and select the “exclude quiz from grading” option in the quiz settings.

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