Canvas offers two quiz tools: Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes. Each has distinct features and functionalities, which are summarized below:
Classic Quizzes
- Original Tool: Classic Quizzes is the original quiz engine native to Canvas, designated by an outline of a rocket icon[3].- Question Banks: Questions can be organized into Question Banks, which are useful for managing and reusing questions across quizzes[3].
- Survey Administration: Classic Quizzes supports administering surveys, both graded and ungraded[3].
- Text Sections: It allows adding text sections without associated questions or answers[3].
- Bulk Download and Export: Instructors can bulk download student submissions and export quiz statistics or student results as CSV files for offline review[3].
- Limitations: Classic Quizzes is being phased out, with no set end-of-life date, and cannot be migrated back from New Quizzes once converted[1][5].
New Quizzes
- Modern Engine: New Quizzes is a modern quizzing engine that integrates with Canvas through an LTI, marked by a filled-in rocket icon[3][4].- Item Banks: Questions are organized into Item Banks, which offer better sorting, tagging, and sharing features compared to Classic Quizzes' Question Banks[2].
- Additional Question Types: New Quizzes includes more question types such as Categorization, Ordering, Hot Spot, and Stimulus, which are not available in Classic Quizzes[6][10].
- Quiz Settings: It allows for more advanced quiz settings, such as shuffling questions, applying accommodations like extended time for all quizzes in a course, and setting a total quiz score different from the sum of individual question points[3].
- Gradebook Integration: All quizzes, including practice and ungraded ones, appear in the Gradebook, unlike Classic Quizzes where only graded quizzes are visible[2].
- Limitations: New Quizzes does not support direct survey creation or bulk migration of question banks from Classic Quizzes. It also lacks some features available in Classic Quizzes, such as direct export of quiz statistics[5][7].
Migration and Compatibility
- Migration from Classic to New: Classic Quizzes can be migrated to New Quizzes, creating a copy in both formats. However, migration from New Quizzes back to Classic is not possible[1][9].- Compatibility: New Quizzes is available in both beta and production environments, but some features like outcomes alignment work differently compared to Classic Quizzes[4][2].
In summary, while Classic Quizzes provides certain traditional functionalities, New Quizzes offers more advanced features and flexibility, making it a preferred choice for creating modern assessments in Canvas. However, Classic Quizzes remains available until New Quizzes fully replaces it.
Citations:
[1] https://www.csusm.edu/iits/services/ats/idesign/canvas/guides/quiztoolcomparison/index.html
[2] https://teaching.usask.ca/articles/2023-06-01-differences-between-canvas-quizzes.php
[3] https://help.lsit.ucsb.edu/hc/en-us/articles/10272097234075-Should-I-use-Classic-Quizzes-or-New-Quizzes
[4] https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-is-New-Quizzes/ta-p/17
[5] https://it.umn.edu/services-technologies/how-tos/canvas-understand-classic-quizzes-vs-new
[6] https://otl.du.edu/knowledgebase/canvas-new-quizzes-v-classic-quizzes-feature-comparison/
[7] https://tdx.umsystem.edu/TDClient/66/MOOnline/KB/ArticleDet?ID=238
[8] https://servicedesk.shu.edu/space/PUBLICKBA/2660827160/New+Quizzes+vs.+Classic+Quizzes
[9] https://csueastbay.screenstepslive.com/a/1598538-classic-quizzes-vs-new-quizzes
[10] https://tuftsedtech.screenstepslive.com/s/18992/m/73355/l/1320066-differences-between-canvas-classic-quizzes-and-new-quizzes