Calculated question- all users get same numbers

Calculated question- all users get same numbers

by Dan Fenske -
Number of replies: 5

I have been experimenting with the calculated question type in the quiz module.  I think that I have configured the question correctly, but the sample students that are testing the quizzes all get the same numbers in their questions.  I thought that Moodle should assign different numbers to different students.

Any thoughts?

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In reply to Dan Fenske

Re: Calculated question- all users get same numbers

by Pierre Pichet -
How much dataitems have you created (on the third page when creating the question)?

If only one, you will get only one set of data, you can create as much as 100 different sets of items...

Pierre

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In reply to Pierre Pichet

Re: Calculated question- all users get same numbers

by Dan Fenske -
Thanks for the response. I had only created one set of data items. What I was after is that when Student A logs in and starts a quiz, a unique set of numbers will automatically be generated for that student. That way Student A and Student B get a different form of the quiz so that they can't compare answers.

Will multiple data items give that capability?
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In reply to Dan Fenske

Re: Calculated question- all users get same numbers

by Pierre Pichet -
"That way Student A and Student B get a different form of the quiz so that they can't compare answers."

If you create a set of 100 dataitems there is a 1% chance that Student B will get the same numbers. In a class of 50 students the probability become close to 100% that 2 students will have the same numbers for 1 question in a quiz. For a complete quiz the probability is less.

The teacher should be able to verify that some numbers combination do not generate an error so this is why the numbers and the answers are displayed with this 100 limit.

The 100 has been a compromise between ease of creating the questions and the probablity that Student A and Student B have the same answers for 1 question.

Pierre

P.S.also because 100 is the limit on WebCT which I used before Moodle...
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In reply to Pierre Pichet

Re: Calculated question- all users get same numbers

by Wade James -
To further the conversation, can Moodle generate random numbers directly into the question, rather than create a static dataitem list? If not...why? Does creating a dataitem list conserve server resources (memory)? Do random numbers create havoc with programming?

Here's the dream...
Create a problem like {x} + {y} where both wildcards are randomly chosen from predetermined constraints (Max, Min, Place Value, Step), and imported directly into the question. For example, generate a random number between 5.5 and 10.5 with a step value of 0.2 (e.g. 5.5, 5.7...10.3, 10.5).

Also, consider an example with three wildcards {x}, {y}, {z}. When the dataitem is generated, the three values are statically coupled (e.g. dataitem1 = 3,6,8 and dataitem2 = 1,5,2). Anytime these dataitems are used, (3,6,8) will be together and so will (1,5,2). Instead, Moodle should randomly pick an {x}, {y}, {z} and THEN assemble them into the question...dynamically...so the three variables could be (1,6,2).

If none of this is possible due to programming/server/memory constraints...then back to the 100 item list we shall retreat.

Thanks!
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In reply to Wade James

Re: Calculated question- all users get same numbers

by Pierre Pichet -
The first constraint is that the teacher (not Moodle) should check that the "good" responses are really good ones and can get the 100% score.
So no random questions with random good answers not checked.

"generate a random number between 5.5 and 10.5 with a step value of 0.2 (e.g. 5.5, 5.7...10.3, 10.5). "
Effectively, actually there is no step values although a new (but undocumented property at this time) allows to display in the question text a formula result.
{=5.5+0.2*{a}} will generate a series of values in the 5.5 and 10.5 range as long as {a} is defined from 1 to 25 with dec = 0 (integer).*

I am working on an extended (although compatible) calculated question that will allow to ask more than one question with a given dataset.
This could fullfill most of actual calculated question limits.
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=74021

Pierre



*I choose this solution that does not necessitate to many code changes (or new database parameters) as I want to use them at UQAM which will use 1.6.3 for some times...
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