The Dropdown Module is used to create questions in which students select a correct answer from a dropdown menu. These are often used for fill-in-the-blank type questions.
Getting Started
- To insert the Dropdown module into the Question Text section, click the dropdown button in the Question Type Palette. The symbol on this button is a rectangle with a cursor.
- Once inserted into the Question Text section, the module will always appear as a blank dropdown box, as exemplified in the screenshot below:
- To open the Dropdown Module Editor, double click on the module.
The Dropdown Module Editor consists of two tabs: an Options tab, in which you write the answer options, and a Feedback tab, in which you write the feedback students will see when they select each of the answer options.
The Dropdown Editor also has a Save button, which you can use to save your work and exit the module, and a Cancel button, which allows you to exit the module without saving.
Setting Up the Question
The Options tab allows you to create answer choices, and to set the correct answer. Your dropdown options may either be text, images, algorithms, or equations.
To set up the options in a Dropdown question, do the following:
- In the editable text field next to “Option 1,” enter your first answer option.
- When you click on the editable text field, a Text Formatting Palette will appear. From left to right, the Text Formatting Palette allows you to do the following:
i.Insert images
ii.Bold text
iii.Italicize text
iv.Underline Text
v.Insert a subscript
vi.Insert a superscript
vii.Insert an algorithm (for an in-depth look at using algorithms in Smartwork, please see the “Algo Editor” document)
viii.Insert an equation
ix.Insert special characters
x.Remove formatting
- Format your answer option as desired.
- Continue adding as many answer options as needed. The Dropdown Editor supports up to seven answer options, but check with your editor for best practices.
- Add options by clicking on the “Add Option” button in the upper-left-hand corner of the module.
- Delete answer options by clicking on the trash can next to the option you would like to remove.
- Next to the correct answer option, select “Is Answer?”.
- Determine if you want the system to randomize the answer options when displaying them to students. Do this by checking "Scramble answer choices" in the bottom right-hand-corner.
- Save the module.
Creating Feedback
The Feedback tab allows you to write feedback that students will see when they select an answer choice.
Linking Feedback to an Answer Option
At the bottom of each tab is a section that allows you to select the answer option to which the feedback should correspond.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when linking feedback to answer options:
- The correct answer option will always have a checkmark next to it. It is good practice to set feedback for the correct answer first.
- A student will see the Default feedback under two circumstances: (a) If she does not submit an answer choice and (b) if the author does not write feedback for a specific incorrect answer choice. It is good practice to set default feedback second.
- If you write Default feedback, you do not have to write feedback for every incorrect answer option. However, check with your editor for best practices.
- You can only link one set of feedback to one answer option.
Formatting Palettes
Important Note: Copying and pasting text from a Word Document into Smartwork5 could insert formatting that will corrupt the module. Please enter the text directly into the Text Editor, or copy and paste from a plain text document.
Each Feedback tab contains a text editor, which allows you to add text and other multimedia to the feedback.
The Media Palette allows you to insert multimedia.
From left to right, the Media Palette allows you to do the following:
- Insert static chemical equations
- Insert static symbolic (math) equations
- Insert algorithmic variables
- Insert image files
- Insert music files
- Insert video files
- Insert hyperlinks
- Remove the hyperlinks
The Text Formatting Palette allows you to format text, as well as add special characters.
From left to right, the Text Formatting Palette allows you to do the following:
- Bold text
- Italicize text
- Underline text
- Insert subscripts
- Insert superscripts
- Insert math formulas **This function is being phased out. Please use the symbolic equation editor for this.
- Insert special characters
- Remove any formatting applied to the text
Furthermore, the Feedback Formatting Palette allows you to do the following:
- Insert tables
- Insert line breaks
- Edit text in full screen mode
Steps to Create Feedback
To create feedback, do the following:
- In the bottom left-hand corner of the first Feedback tab, select the Answer Option to which you would like to apply feedback.
- Type out the feedback you would like students to see when they select that option.
- Repeat this for as many options as you see fit, taking care to create feedback for the correct answer and to create the Default feedback.
- Save the module.
- Go to preview mode in the Question Editor. Check that the feedback is working correctly by selecting each of the answers and clicking “Check Answer.”
