eLearning quizzes: The how-to's
When it comes to elearning quizzes, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach across every imaginable eLearning course. What there is, however, is a foundation of basic tenets that make up the construction of a good quiz - and, of elearning course, some common pitfalls to avoid.
Much like every distinct facet of any digital training course comes together to shape the final product into a user-friendly, engaging and effective learning tool for all Learners, every aspect of the quiz itself needs to fit perfectly into the larger vision of the course. And if you’re familiar with our articles, you probably already know what I’m about to say:
Excellent quizzes are underpinned by excellent course content. Excellent course content is underpinned by an excellent strategy.
It always comes down to strategy, here at TheLearning LAB! We work with our clients to develop the strategy from its inception to the final product, and this is what allows us to offer a 360° approach to digital training.
Offering Learners repeated quizzes as a means of assessing their own learning, viewing their progress, and developing their knowledge in a measurable way means handing them the key to unlocking their own potential. It provides a certain sense of autonomy to your Learner - if a Learner knows what they got right and know what they got wrong; they are empowered to go ahead and revisit topics to help them improve their knowledge base.
So, you now know how important quizzes are, and assuming you also read our previous article on the benefits of using quizzes, you’re pretty well versed on the topic. But, you might wonder, what sets a great quiz apart from a terrible quiz?
Bear with us, and you’ll find out! Our TheLearning LAB team here in Geneva, Switzerland, has put together a shortlist of the top 5 factors that make a quiz great - and two bonus pitfalls to avoid at all costs!
Designing a great quiz:
1. Use a variety of questions.
When designing a quiz, you cannot lose sight of the user experience. Learners won’t perform as well (or learn as much) when a quiz is monotone and fails to provide engaging content. Providing them with a variety of question types avoids having them mentally switch off midway. When the Learner stops engaging, test scores drop, and you no longer have an adequate representation of the Learning that is taking place.
Now, there are myriad question types out there, and the great news is that eLearning isn’t limited the way paper-based quizzes are. Drag-and-drop, clicking the correct point within a diagram, adjusting a percentage dial to represent a statistic - interactive options are endless, and with a suitable eLearning platform, the only limit is your creativity. Or, that of a dedicated agency, should you choose to consult one!
We offer a free workshop to figure out your organisation’s needs, so don’t hesitate to call!
2. Make questions both achievable and suitably complex.
Achievable does not mean easy; it means that the Learner was given ample opportunity to obtain the required knowledge. Now, if you’re posing questions which can be answered by an average person off the street who has never followed the course, you’re clearly not testing learned knowledge. So you think to yourself; let’s make it challenging, then. Find out what they really know.
The problem is that if you pose questions at such a high level of complexity that even the top-notch, dedicated Learners will have to think twice, you are defeating the purpose of the course altogether. The worst thing you can do to your Learner is put a dent in their confidence, engagement and willingness to try. It takes an understanding of the content, as well as the way in which Learners interact with quizzes, to get this seemingly simple concept right.
Another good reason to contact an agency, if your organisation wishes to embark on an eLearning journey!
3. Keep questions relevant to course objectives.
Your course was designed with objectives in mind. Remember, it’s all about the strategy! With this clear understanding of what knowledge your Learners should be gaining throughout the course, it becomes evident that the questions should be based on one or more Learning Objectives.
After all, the purpose of a digital training course isn’t to have the Learners simply memorise trivia, regurgitate the information for the duration of the quiz, and then forget about it entirely. The purpose is to build on the foundation of knowledge on which they base their decisions within the workplace (and possibly outside of it, too).
4. Use clear language.
There is little that is more frustrating for a Learner when taking a quiz than realising the question is difficult, not due to its subject matter, but due to its wording. You have to avoid convoluted sentences, vague adverbs and double negatives. In longer-form questions, such as those based around a scenario, using varied sentence types helps avoid the pitfall of monotony.
A frustrated Learner becomes an ineffective Learner, and their performance will suffer throughout the quiz (and, potentially, throughout the whole course) if the language used is ineffective in clarifying the intent of the question. Concise, to-the-point and clear wording is how you can test your Learner’s actual knowledge of the topic, rather than testing their ability to navigate convoluted questions and suss out what is being asked.
5. Provide feedback and redirection.
When your Learner responds correctly, give them a virtual pat on the back for a task well done. When they respond incorrectly, however, don’t miss the opportunity to help them get back on track! You can provide them with a direct clickthrough link to the relevant resources, encouraging them to take control of their learning and address the knowledge gap. It takes a negative experience, that of not answering correctly, and turns it into a positive, an opportunity for further learning. Ultimately, you want the Learner to both do well and to feel good about their performance.
So, there you have it - 5 vital how-to’s necessary for developing a quiz which benefits both the Learner and the educator. The principles behind these 5 recommendations all come down to a common theme in our articles: ensuring the user-experience is flawless and that nothing stands in the way of the Learner’s ability to benefit from the course fully!