Canvas Quizzes - Classic Tool vs New Tool

There are two different quiz tools within Canvas – the Classic Quiz tool and the New Quiz tool. There are important functions and limitations to each tool, so please be mindful of which tool you are using. We highly recommend building your quizzes in the Classic Quiz tool for reasons that will be detailed below. The Classic Quiz tool will eventually be phased out and replaced by the New Quiz tool, but the timeline from Instructure continues to change. Current timelines suggest this transition away from Classic Quizzes will be finalized in Summer 2024.

You can create a new quiz by going to the Quizzes page in your course and clicking the +Quiz button on the upper-right. It will then pop-up a small window asking which quiz tool you would like to build your quiz in.

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Classic Quiz Tool (Canvas Guides)

The Classic Quiz tool is directly integrated into the Canvas LMS. We very strongly suggest creating your quizzes in the Classic tool due to its higher reliability, ease of transferring content, compatibility with proctoring software, and its ability to be copied into the New Tool if you ever feel the need to do so.

The Classic Quiz editor is split into two tabs: the Edit tab where you choose your typical Canvas settings such as due dates and the assignment group, and the Questions tab where you create and arrange your questions. 

Here are some unique features of the Classic Quizzes:

• Supports the Honorlock proctoring software
• Allows for creation of graded, ungraded, and/or anonymous surveys
• Allows export and transfer of question banks between users, courses, and instances of Canvas
• Can make a duplicate copy in the New Quizzes tool at any time

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New Quiz Tool (Canvas Guides)

The New Quizzes editor is more intuitive in terms of design, but can occasionally be less responsive as a result. Keep in mind that New Quizzes do not formally support proctoring tools since Instructure has not released the developer API yet. Additionally, New Quizzes cannot be directly exported between instances of Canvas (such as from a UW-Parkside course to a UW-Extension course). 

There are two parts to New Quizzes: Edit and Build. The Edit page is where you'll set typical assignment settings such as due dates and assignment category. The Build page is where you'll add your questions and set quiz-specific settings such as number of attempts, a required password, or time limits. 

Here are some unique features of New Quizzes:

• Has additional question types not found in the Classic Tool (such as hotspot and ordering questions)
• Allows for more precise control over individual question settings
• You can randomize questions that have different point values
• Instructors can set an overall score for the entire quiz rather than being forced into using the cumulative points from all of the questions to determine the point total