Question categories: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 00:31, 2 January 2015

A question category can contain individual questions or other question categories. They can be found by using the Question bank or when building a quiz.

What are question categories and how are they organized?

Question category as a folder

Imagine a question category as a folder that contains questions that are unique to that folder. You can put one or more question categories within another question category. This is similar to a file system on a computer. You can have the same file name, with identical content (an identical question) located in many folders, but each file (question) is unique. Like a file, when you edit one question in a folder, it does not change any other question.

Moodle 2.x introduced context levels. In short, each context level can have unique question categories and subcategories. However, the user's context determines which question categories they can see. Generally speaking, the System level context question categories can always be seen. A course level context question category can not be seen/used by another course. There are other context levels.

TIP: The robust potential for question organization deserves some planning. Fortunately, it is possible to move question categories between and in context levels, and move questions between question categories.

Question Sharing

You can share questions by placing them in a context level question category. For example, placing a question category categories in the 'System' context is similar to publishing the question category so many teachers can potentially use it. Or for example, placing a question category in a Course category context level (say Math) will hide it from a course in a different course category (say Biology). See the Question contexts page for more information.

By default a course teacher cannot see or use any Question context above the course level.

Note: In 2.x the "System" is the top context level. In previous versions of Moodle it was call the "Core System"

Adding and managing question categories

Settings > Question bank > Categories The "Editing categories" page has two sections. The top is for managing existing categories, and the bottom is for adding categories.

Adding categories

To add a question category you will need to name it, place it within a context level (see Question contexts) and perhaps place it as a sub category of an existing category.

At the bottom of the category page link, below current categories, you will see a form to add a new category.
Choose the 'parent' context level with the pull down menu
- Placing your category in another category makes it a sub-category of the parent category.
- Choosing 'Top' in any of the context means that your category is a top level category, not a sub category of an existing category.
- Remember, your current context may hide question categories that exist, but are not available. For example, a question category that is in a course context level of a different course will be hidden.
Type the name of your new question category in the text box.
Add an optional description in the category info area.
Click the 'Add Category' button. Your new question category will appear in the list of current categories.

Moving question categories between context levels

Settings > Question bank > Categories "Edit categories section".

Select the edit icon of the category which you wish to move. This will bring you to the "Edit this category" form.
Use the pull down menu to select the context level, as described in the adding categories section.
Click "Save Changes"

Using arrow icons for moving categories within a context level

Settings > Question bank > Categories "Edit categories section" You can also arrange the question categories with a context level (only) by using the arrow keys, instead of opening up the "Edit this category" form. The arrow keys effect is similar to working with an outline on a word processor.

The up/down arrow icons change the order in which question category 'peers' are displayed within a single context level.
The right arrow icon changes a category to be a sub category of the category listed immediately above it.
The left arrow icon moves the sub category to be a peer of the category above it.

TIP: You can not use the arrow icons to move a question category between context levels. Thus you can not use an arrow icon to move a question category that is in the course context level to the system context level.

Deleting Categories

Categories can also be created or deleted at will. However, if you try to delete a category containing questions, then you will be asked to specify another category to move them to. You cannot delete or move the last category in any context, there must always be one category in a context.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Template:Questions}}
+{{Template:Managing questions}}
-==What are question categories?==
+A question category can contain individual questions or other question categories.  They can be found by using the  [[Question bank]] or when [[Building Quiz|building a quiz]].
+==What are question categories and how are they organized?==
 [[Image:question-categories.png|thumb|300px|Question category as a folder]]
-You can imagine a question category as a folder on your desktop computer. Then, questions are stored in these categories in a similar way as your files are stored in a file system.
+Imagine a question category as a folder that contains questions that are unique to that folder. You can put one or more question categories within another question category.  This is similar to a file system on a computer.  You can have the same file name, with identical content (an identical question) located in many folders, but each file (question) is unique.  Like a file, when you edit one question in a folder, it does not change any other question.
-Creating question categories and sub categories is a good practice.  It is better than keeping all your questions in one big list in the quiz module. Each category must have a name and you can include a short description of the category. You can create a ''category hierarchy'' - you can specify a parent category for each category or 'Top' for parent if the category has no parent. This enables you to separate categories into sub categories and sub categories into sub sub categories etc. indefinitely. Categories and sub categories, etc., are very powerful when combined with random questions that can select either from one category or from a category or any of its sub categories.
-==Question Sharing==
-===From Moodle 1.9===
-{{Moodle 1.9}}
-Question sharing changed from Moodle 1.9. From Moodle 1.9 you can share questions in several different contexts. Sharing categories in contexts 'Core System' or course contexts has a similar effect to publishing or not publishing a category. See the [[Question contexts]] page for more info.
-By default a course teacher cannot see or use any Question context above the course level from Moodle 1.9. See [[Question Engine Changes in Moodle 1.9#Access_to_question_categories_shared_outside_a_course]] for more info and how you can allow selected course teachers to see and use question contexts above the course level.
+Moodle 2.x introduced context levels.  In short, each context level can have unique question categories and subcategories.   However, the user's context determines which question categories they can see.  Generally speaking, the System level context question categories can always be seen.  A course level context question category can not be seen/used by another course.  There are other context levels.
-==== Question Categories upgraded from versions prior to 1.9 ====
+:''TIP:'' The robust potential for question organization deserves some planning.  Fortunately, it is possible to move question categories between and in context levels, and move questions between question categories.
-If you have question categories that have been upgraded from versions of Moodle from before 1.9, there are a few points to note:
+===Question Sharing===
-* If the Question Category was ''not'' published, it will become a Course Question Category and will, effectively, function as before.
-* If the Question Category was published, it will be changed to a Site Question Category, and will (by default) be inaccessible to teachers - including those that created it. See See [[Question Engine Changes in Moodle 1.9#Access_to_question_categories_shared_outside_a_course]] for info on making this accessible or, if the questions are not used in another course, the administrator can move it to the appropriate Course.
-* Regardless of this, the actual quizzes will continue to work as before. However, questions in previously published Categories will cease to be editable (even by their creators). The exception to this is questions containing pictures - the links to the pictures will be broken as they remain in the Course Files (this was never supported).
-===Before Moodle 1.9===
+You can share questions by placing them in a [[Context|context]] level question category. For example, placing a question category categories in the 'System' context is similar to publishing the question category so many teachers can potentially use it.  Or for example, placing a question category in a Course category context level (say Math) will hide it from a course in a different course category (say Biology).   See the [[Question contexts]] page for more information.
-Each category can also be "published", which means that the category (and all questions in it) will be available to all courses in the Moodle site.  Other courses and teachers can use your questions in their quizzes. (There is a potential problem however if other courses try to use a question with an image: students will not be able to see the image unless they are also enrolled in the course that owns the question category. Also if using a question from a published category you should be aware of the fact that the teacher in the course owning the category could change or delete the question without your knowledge. If you don't want this, it might be better to create or import a local copy of the question into your own course.)
+By default a course teacher cannot see or use any Question context above the course level.
-==Category Set Up and Management From Moodle 1.9==
+:'''''Note:''''' In 2.x the "System" is the top context level.  In previous versions of Moodle it was call the "Core System"
-{{Moodle 1.9}}
-There have been some changes in the UI for category management from Moodle 1.9. If you are not using Moodle 1.9 or above see instructions below [[#Category_set-up_before_Moodle_1.9]]
+==Adding and managing question categories==
+Settings > Question bank > Categories
+The "Editing categories" page has two sections.  The top is for managing existing categories, and the bottom is for adding categories.
-* Open the question bank. Either :
+===Adding categories===
-** Click on the Questions link in the 'Administration' block click on the 'Questions' link.
+To add a question category you will need to name it, place it within a context level (see [[Question contexts]]) and perhaps place it as a sub category of an existing category.
-** Or open the [[Editing a quiz]] page - when logged in as a teacher or someone with appropriate permissions open a quiz and then click on the 'Edit' tab.
+* At the bottom of the category page link, below current categories, you will see a form to add a new category.
-* Click on the 'Categories' tab.
+* Choose the 'parent' context level with the pull down menu
-* Below the list of current categories you will see a form to add a new category.
+** Placing your category in another category makes it a sub-category of the parent category.
-* Choose the 'parent' category in which your new category will be placed. See image of 'Parent' selector image to right. [[image:QuestionParentCategorySelector.jpg|right|thumb|346px|Question category selector]]
+** Choosing 'Top' in any of the context means that your category is a top level category, not a sub category of an existing category.
-** Placing your category in another category makes it a sub-category of the parent.
+** Remember, your current context may hide question categories that exist, but are not available.  For example, a question category that is in a course context level of a different course will be hidden.
-** Choosing 'Top' means that your category is a top level category, not a sub category. When more than one sharing context is available you can place your category as a top level category in any of the contexts.
-** Notice you can choose to make your category a 'top level' category in any context (see [[Question contexts]]) that is available to you. Or you can choose to add your category as a sub category of another category in the same context as the
 * Type the name of your new question category in the text box.
-* Add an optional meaningful description in the category info area.
+* Add an optional description in the category info area.
 * Click the 'Add Category' button. Your new question category will appear in the list of current categories.
-===Deleting Categories===
-{{Moodle 1.9}}
-Categories can also be created or deleted at will. However, if you try to delete a category containing questions, then you will be asked to specify another category to move them to. You cannot delete or move the last category in any context, there must always be one category in a context.
-===Using Arrow Icons for Moving Categories===
+===Moving question categories between context levels===
-{{Moodle 1.9}}
+Settings > Question bank > Categories  "Edit categories section".
-You can also arrange the categories in a hierarchy so that they are easier to manage.
-* The up/down arrow icons lets you change the order in which category 'peers' are displayed.
+*Select the edit icon of the category which you wish to move. This will bring you to the "Edit this category" form.
-* The up / down icons are also used to move a '''top-level''' category between contexts. If you move a category to be the first or last category in a context and then press the arrow key again then it will be moved to the next context.
+*Use the pull down menu to select the context level, as described in the adding categories section.
-* The right arrow icon allows you to move a category to be a child category of the category listed immediately above it.
+*Click "Save Changes"
-* The left arrow icon allows you to move a category up one category level (to be a peer of it's parent category).
-''See the tool tip that appears when you place the mouse pointer above these icons if you're not sure what action an icon will perform.'' You cannot move the last category in any context, there must always be at least one category left in all contexts.
+===Using arrow icons for moving categories within a context level===
+Settings > Question bank > Categories  "Edit categories section"
+You can also arrange the question categories with a context level (only) by using the arrow keys, instead of opening up the "Edit this category" form.  The arrow keys effect is similar to working with an outline on a word processor.
-==Category set-up before Moodle 1.9==
+* The up/down arrow icons change the order in which question category 'peers' are displayed within a single context level.
+* The right arrow icon changes a category to be a sub category of the category listed immediately above it.
+* The left arrow icon moves the sub category to be a peer of the category above it.
-#From the [[Editing a quiz]] page, click on the "Edit categories" button.
+:''TIP:'' You can not use the arrow icons to move a question category between context levels.   Thus you can not use an arrow icon to move a question category that is in the course context level to the system context level.
-#Above the list of current categories you will see a space to add a new category.
-#Choose which category your new category will be placed. If no other categories have been created, only 'Top' will be available.
-#Type the name of your new question category in the text box.
-#Add a meaningful description in the category info area.
-#If you'd like to share your question with teachers of other courses on the server, select Yes in the Publish column.
-#Click the Add button. Your new question category will appear in the list of current categories.
-#When you are done adding categories, click on the Quiz tab to return to the [[Editing a quiz]] page.
-Categories can also be created or deleted at will. However, if you try to delete a category containing questions, then you will be asked to specify another category to move them to.
-You can also arrange the categories in a hierarchy so that they are easier to manage. The 'Move category to' field lets you move a category to another category.
-By clicking on the arrows in the 'Order' field, you can change the order in which the categories are listed.
-If you import questions from another site, where you had a different identity, you may find that you cannot influence those categories in the 'edit categories page'. You may have to log in as your other identity to see them there. (I haven't tried yet, but had the problem.)
+===Deleting Categories===
+Categories can also be created or deleted at will. However, if you try to delete a category containing questions, then you will be asked to specify another category to move them to. You cannot delete or move the last category in any context, there must always be one category in a context.
 ==See also==
+*[[Question contexts]]
 *Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=47540 I can see other teacher's categories] forum discussion
+[[de:Fragenkategorien]]
+[[es:Categorías de preguntas]]
 [[fr:Catégories de questions]]
 [[ru:Категории вопросов]]
-[[de:Fragenkategorien]]

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