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While it's very easy to create and administer test/quizzes and surveys, we've put together a few time-saving tips for you to consider.

1. Talk to us

There are lots of options embedded in the Quercus Quiz and Survey tools, and if not deployed correctly, some of these options can cause significant technical issues for you and your students. We can work with you to make sure your quiz/survey runs smoothly. 

2. Check scheduled maintenance information

Canvas is a very stable system, but like all technology, it can experience both planned and unplanned downtimes. Below are some links to resources that relate to scheduled maintenance periods to help with planning so you are aware of any potential conflicts or issues.  These systems are also monitored unexpected events, such as unplanned downtime. We can work with you to make sure your quiz runs smoothly. 

Please note the UTM campus scheduled IT maintenance information (usually the second or third Friday of the month between 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm). Canvas maintenance and down time will be noted on the University of Toronto system status webpage.

3. Use Quiz settings

To manage the number of attempts and the availability of the quiz, ensure that you have selected the quiz settings that match the assessment requirements.

For instance, the Until date controls the date and time when students can no longer take the quiz.  To allow late submissions, set the Until date to be after the due date. To prevent late submissions, the "Until" date should be the same as the "Due" date.

If you have a student who has been granted an accommodation from UTM Accessibility Services, please see the Accommodations in Quercus instructions.

4. Get your students ready to take a quiz in Quercus 

We have information for students on taking a quiz in Quercus that you can share with them.

Before you run your first quiz, set up a practice quiz in Quercus. Since every student will be using a different computer to take the quiz, different hardware components, operating systems and web browsers can affect how a quiz appears and runs on a given machine. Rather than dealing with technical issues during or after the quizzes, share the link above with your students and have them complete the practice quiz at least one week before the first scheduled quiz. To motivate students to participate, consider having this practice quiz count towards participation or bonus marks. 

5. Test the Quiz using the Quiz Preview feature

When you create a quiz in Quercus you can click on the Preview button to ensure that the quiz is functioning as intended. You can also use the Student View feature to test the quiz using the Test Student account.

Note: If you have selected the "Show one question at a time" and "Lock questions after answering" options, we recommend that you deselect the "Lock questions after answering " option before previewing the quiz to prevent the quiz from becoming locked. You can re-select this option after previewing the quiz.

6. What to do if Students Encounter Technical Issues

If your students encounter a technical problem while submitting a quiz, they should inform you as soon as possible and as well provide the information below using the Report a Problem with Taking a Quiz in Quercus for Students UTM Service Portal form.

Please note: the Canvas Student mobile app should not be used for any high-stakes activities such as submitting assignments or quizzes—important tasks and assessments should be completed on a desktop or laptop computer instead.
 

If the student experienced a technical problem while taking a quiz from a computer on campus, they should also provide the following:

  • Location of the computer (e.g., Library electronic classroom, Library information commons)
  • Number on the computer (e.g., LIBPC-12) which is located on the monitor of the computer being used

If the technical issue was related to Internet connectivity while at UTM Campus, students are asked to contact the UTM I&ITS Service Desk – https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/iits/ as soon as possible.