Smaller Quizes

Smaller Quizes

by Thomas Bray -
Number of replies: 4
Moodlers:

I've heard with interest that the Quiz mod seems to be a large pull on CPU if large numbers are taking it at once or if it has many questions.

Would it make sense, if possible and as a practical matter, to build smaller quizzes and assign them out through the GROUP feature at different times?

In other words, would smaller quizzes (which would mean MORE quizzes with FEWER questions) have less impact on CPU if users could be staggered?

Thom smile

PS--BTW, which kind of quiz questions take the most resources? Matching? Multiple choice?
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In reply to Thomas Bray

Re: Smaller Quizes

by Williams Castillo -
In the same vein...

I've been thinking that groups could be a meantime solution for activity locking...

If we set several separate groups, each one with its own activities (obviously!)... The teacher would have the opportunity to pass students from one group to the next one, based on the goals s/he achieved in the previous group s/he belongs to.

Perhaps this is the reason why the quiz priorities have shifted in the last days? sad
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In reply to Williams Castillo

Re: Smaller Quizes

by Ger Tielemans -

We have not enough computers, so having groups doing things on different times in the same week would be a great relieve. How do you think you could organise the sheduling as simple as possible for the teacher?

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In reply to Thomas Bray

Re: Smaller Quizes

by Bernard Boucher -
Hi Thomas,
                  good question.

Suppose:
that you have a very slow server
a very big 60 minutes quiz ( 5 second to load and 5 seconds to submit if only 1 student attempt it )
and 100 students.

If all students attempt it at the same time you will need 500 seconds at the beginning and 500 seconds to submit it. ( here we don't account for many required reloads! )
Your server will 'work' approximatively about 1000 seconds over 3600.

If you split the quiz in two equal parts it is not really better for the students and the reloads!

If you split the quiz in 2 inegal parts,  say the first quiz with only 1 or 2 questions long to answer ( beetwen 1 and 5 minutes each depending of 'student speed' but only .5 second to load ) and all other questions in the second quiz,  then all student will have access to the first quiz in the first minute. The load of the second quiz will be spread over 8 minutes wich is within the capabilities of the server.

If you use 2 small quiz and a bigger one, then the spreading of the load will be better.

The use of groups may give the similar results but you will get a 'teacher overload' and long  delay to rearrange groups as the students progress!

Bye,

Bernard

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