Overview
Canvas currently does not allow instructors to import PDFs directly into Canvas as a quiz that students can take. However, there are a few ways for instructors to get the PDF into Canvas such as transcribing the PDF, printing the exam and having students take it in class, utilize Akindi to create the exam or covert the PDF into an image and create questions from the PDF.This article will outline the steps to convert a Microsoft Word Document to a Canvas Quiz .Theoretically this process could also be done with Google Docs, a screen capturing tool such as Microsoft Snip and Sketch or if the document is already in PDF form, the Microsoft Word to PDF step(s) can be skipped. Here is an example of some of the possible workflows to accomplish this task:
Special Note:This Process is best suited for single page documents/PDFs. Multiple page documents/PDFs can be used, however the documents/PDFs may have to be split up to render properly (i.e. multiple Stimulus Questions--Stimulus question 1 has the first fifteen questions and Stimulus question 2 has the second fifteen questions).
Video Instructions
Written Instructions
Special Note:This Process is best suited for single page documents/PDFs. Multiple page documents/PDFs can be used, however the documents/PDFs may have to be split up to render properly (i.e. multiple Stimulus Questions--Stimulus question 1 has the first fifteen questions and Stimulus question 2 has the second fifteen questions)
- Open the document in Microsoft Word and Choose File > Export as Adobe PDF
- Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat DC, if you need a copy of Adobe DC, you can request it by filling out this Raven Solutions Request
- Make any desired changes to the PDF
- In the upper left of the screen select File >Export To > Image
- Select where you want to save the file (My Computer> Desktop, etc.). If Desired change the file name so it's easier to distinguish from the Document and PDF version of the file (this version of the file will be in a JPEG image)
- Press Save and then close Adobe Acrobat DC
- Open a web browser and navigate to the Canvas course that you wish to create the quiz in
- Create a Quiz and if given the option choose "New quizzes"
- Enter an Quiz name and add the Quiz to the desired assignment group (if you have weighted grading, make sure to add it to the correct group)
- Add a point value: The point value of the quiz must match the total point value of all the combined questions for the PDF (meaning that if you make the quiz worth ten points, you will need to make sum question(s) point value total up to ten points)
- Add a Due date and if desired, add availability dates (availability dates are when the student(s) can and cannot access the quiz. i.e. "the quiz opens on Monday and closes on Friday)
- When finished with the settings, press the blue Build button
- Add Quiz instructions and press the blue Done button
- Press the round blue Plus button and choose Stimulus
- Add a title for the stimulus (this can be the same title as the PDF)
- Hover the mouse over the rich content editor and look for the Upload Media button
- Locate the PDF image that you created earlier and either drag and drop it or use the Browse button to manually locate the PDF and insert as the stimulus question
- Press the blue Import button
- Select Orientation (Questions to the right or Questions below) and if you have reusable questions, you can locate them using Item Banking
- When you are ready, select the blue Add Stimulus button
- Press the blue Attach question button
- Choose a question type
- Automatic Grading occurs with Multiple Choice, True/False, Fill in the Blank, Fill in Multiple Blanks, Multiple Answers, Multiple Drop downs, Matching, Numerical Answers, Formula Questions, Categorization, Ordering
- Manual Grading occurs with File Upload, Hot Spot, Essay
- Go through the process of creating your question(s) and press the blue Done button when you are finished creating the question(s)
- Only instructors can see the question title. Students will see the Question Stem (think of it as the question title as the cue cards for a game show host and the question stem for the contestants--the question titles are optional, but helpful for organization. The question stem is the actual question that the student answers)
- If you plan on reusing the questions and answers it is helpful to enter in full details for the questions and answers
- Press the blue Attach Question button to continue to add more questions until you add all desired questions for the exam
- Remember the sum of the total point value of the questions must match with the point value that was initially set when creating the quiz (i.e. quiz is worth 10 points 10 questions each worth one point, 5 questions worth 2 points each, etc.
- Preview the quiz to make sure it works properly!
- When you are finished editing the quiz, press the Return button in the upper right corner and if you are ready to publish the quiz
- Click the publish icon to the far right of the quiz (if you are viewing the quiz from modules, quiz, or assignments page) This will change from a circle to a line through it to a green circle with a check mark
- Alternatively, if you are viewing the quiz from the quiz editing page, press the Save & Publish button down at the bottom (next the to blue Build button)
Special Note:This Process is best suited for single page documents/PDFs. Multiple page documents/PDFs can be used, however the documents/PDFs may have to be split up to render properly (i.e. multiple Stimulus Questions--Stimulus question 1 has the first fifteen questions and Stimulus question 2 has the second fifteen questions).
Questions? Need Help?
If you have questions or need some help, please let ITS know by submitting a Raven Solutions Request.