We are currently giving gateway exams with both time limits and restricted numbers of attempts. On our wishlist would be the ability to set the number of attempts per problem, instead of the number of attempts being linked to the entire exam.
Is there a way to do this using the pg code? For example, problems with multiple parts keep track of the student's progress between attempts. Could something similar be done with a counter tracking number of attempts, freezing the problem's score after a certain number is reached? (Of course, there is the issue of a student using the back button on their browser, I suppose, which could lead to problems.)
In any case, I thought someone might have ideas about this.
Thanks,
-Patti Lamm, MSU
Are you aware that with homework you can specify the number of attempts per problem (and can set a default for a course)? I haven't done much with gateway exams, so I've never checked to see if a similar option is available there. This does not require rewriting any problems, since this is controlled by the system itself and would be the preferred method of implementation if available.
I have, however, successfully implemented a grading macro that reduces the available credit per attempt, since that was requested by a colleague of mine in biology that wanted to use WeBWorK to implement multiple-choice `quizzes' that allowed repeat attempts, but they didn't want to reward simply guessing the answer.
- Brian
I have, however, successfully implemented a grading macro that reduces the available credit per attempt, since that was requested by a colleague of mine in biology that wanted to use WeBWorK to implement multiple-choice `quizzes' that allowed repeat attempts, but they didn't want to reward simply guessing the answer.
- Brian
Thanks, Brian. Unfortunately, gateways are different. The max attempts is for the entire gateway exam, not on a per problem basis.
Question for someone who know how gateways work behind the scenes: Would a macro such as Brian mentions work on a gateway? I know that problems with multiple parts don't seem to work on gateways.
-Patti
Question for someone who know how gateways work behind the scenes: Would a macro such as Brian mentions work on a gateway? I know that problems with multiple parts don't seem to work on gateways.
-Patti
I just looked into how the gateway quizzes work a little more. The custom grader will not work for the quiz across different versions because it is based on having access to previous attempts at the same problem (identical) using the database of answer attempts. The grader would have no way of knowing independently how many times the problem had been attempted.
However, for a single version of the quiz with multiple attempts, I think that it might work. I'm just not sure what benefit there is in a custom grader that would not be more efficiently managed by setting the number of attempts for the version.
- Brian
However, for a single version of the quiz with multiple attempts, I think that it might work. I'm just not sure what benefit there is in a custom grader that would not be more efficiently managed by setting the number of attempts for the version.
- Brian
Hi Patti,
You're correct that gateways as currently structured do not allow management of the number of attempts per problem. This is an artifact of the expectation that all problems on the set are submitted at the same time---thus, that it is not possible to have a different number of attempts for a given problem.
It sounds to me as if what you're describing is a different gateway (or set) than what the current module provides: one in which one can submit each problem up to a specified number of times (which is determined by problem and could be unlimited) and which, presumably, also has a time limit. This is definitely possible, and sounds like something that would be very useful, but isn't supported in the current gateway/quiz module.
Gavin
Thank you, Gavin. I figured that was the case.
-Patti
-Patti