Add a Test or Survey to a Course

One of the greatest resources in Showpad Coach is the ability to create custom tests and surveys to engage with your users. You can upload pre-configured content or build out assessments directly within Coach.

Tests can be used as simple knowledge checks based on lessons provided or as higher-level evaluations of each learner’s ability to identify specific details of products and processes. You can award your learners a certificate when they pass a test or complete a survey. Surveys operate similarly to tests, except users will not receive a score. Surveys are designed to collect answers and provide data. Tests can be graded or reset by admins and Managers using the My Team hub on the Web App.

To increase the long-term value of a Course, it is possible to edit tests over time.

See how it works

Key features

• Test users on relevant topics
• Edit tests when the Course changes
• Allow learners to skip a Course if they pass a test
• Gather data with a survey

You need this to succeed

• A Showpad Coach admin account
• Showpad Coach Plus package required for AI-generated test questions
• A Course you are building

The quick way

1. Add a test or survey component in the Course Builder
2. Input questions and answers
3. Configure test or survey settings

Do this step by step

1. Create a Test manually
2. Create a Survey manually
3. Create a Survey or Test with a CSV file
4. Add test questions using AI assistance
5. Manage Test Reminders
6. Updating a Test

Create a Test manually

1. While creating a new Course, drag the test component from the left menu to the Course Builder.
2. For each question, use the menu on the top right to select a type.

   Choose from these options:

   • Single selection: Enter multiple options with only one correct answer. The user will only be able to select one answer. Select the circle next to the correct answer.
   • Multiple selection: Enter multiple options with more than one correct answer. The user must select ALL the correct answers. As no partial credit is given, they must successfully select each answer to receive credit. Click the circles next to all correct answers.
   • Text match: List all the correct answers in the fields. Any answers that match one of the options will be marked as correct.
   • Short answer: This is an open-ended question where the user enters their answers into a text box. The answer is subjective and, therefore, requires an admin or manager to grade them and provide constructive feedback.

     As an admin, you must determine the score's weight using a scale of 1-5 when assessing.

     When Managers are selected to review Short Answers, it will be the Manager assigned to the group, not the direct Manager.

     If you select the test setting Skip course if passed, the learner will be able to skip the Course once the short answer questions are scored and they receive a passing grade.

   Note: Save early, save often! Using the Save button allows you to continue building the test as you work. The Save & Continue to Assignment button saves your work and takes you to the next step, where you can assign users.
   
   

3. Click Add Question to start a new one. You can also duplicate or delete any question by clicking the three dot menu in the right corner of the question.
   
4. To include an optional explanation of the answer, check Answer explanation. If used, the explanation will appear during the review after a user has submitted their test for a score.
   
5. Click the top of the test component to view the Test Settings menu on the right. Configure the settings as needed. When you’re done creating your test, click Save & Continue to Assignment.
   

   Here are the Test Settings and what they mean by section:

   • Time to completion: Enter the approximate number of minutes a user can expect the test to take.
   • Passing score: Input the minimum percentage a user must correctly answer to pass the test.
   • Skip course if passed: Check the box to allow learners to test their knowledge of Course material before beginning the Course. If they pass the test, the Course is marked complete.
   • Require passing score to pass course: Tick this box to indicate that the user needs to score at or above the passing score to complete the Course. If Skip course if passed is checked, this option is on by default, ensuring users can’t skip the Course until they have a passing score.
   • Require passing score if prerequisite: Select this option if this test must be passed before going to the next assignment. If Skip course if passed is checked, this option is on by default.
   • Set test attempt limit: Input the number of times a user can take the test before passing or failing. If Skip course if passed is checked, this option is off by default.
   • Retake only incorrect responses: If more than one test attempt is permitted, you can configure this setting so that users only redo the questions they got wrong.
   • Set test time limit: When checked, input the number of minutes the user has to complete the test. The test will lock when the allotted time expires.
   • Randomize question delivery: When checked, questions will appear in a different order for each user.
   • Lock test until user completes all previous modules: Select this option if the learner shouldn’t start the test until previously assigned Course content is complete. If Skip course if passed is checked, this option is off by default.
   • Assign Reviewers: For tests with short answer questions, a reviewer needs to be assigned. Select either managers or admins to review relevant tests.
   • Assign due date: Tick this box to give reviewers a deadline to score tests that contain short answers. Choose the number of days after a user submits a test for when you want the test review to be due.
   • Award Certification: Give users proof they passed with a customized certificate they can download and print
   • Allow awarding certificate after due date: When checked, users will get their certificate no matter when they complete the test.

Create a Survey manually

1. A survey collects data from your users without assigning them a score. For each question, use the menu on the top right side to select a type. 
   

   Choose from the following:

   • Single selection: Enter multiple options, with only one answer being correct. The user will also only be able to select one answer. Select the circle next to the correct answer.
   • Multiple selection: Enter multiple options with more than one correct answer. The user must select ALL the correct answers. As no partial credit is given, they must successfully select each answer to receive credit. Click the circles next to all correct answers.
   • Short answer: These are open-ended questions where the user enters their answers into a text box. These question types are subjective and, therefore, require an admin to grade them and provide constructive feedback. As an admin, you must determine the score's weight using a scale of 1-5 when assessing.

   Note: Save early, save often! Using the Save button allows you to continue building the test as you work. The Save & Continue to Assignment button saves your work and takes you to the next step, where you can assign users.

2. Click Add Question to create another one. You can also duplicate or delete any question by clicking the lower three dots in the upper right-hand corner of the survey builder.
   Answer explanations are optional for your questions. If used, your comments will appear during the review after a user has submitted their survey.
   
3. As you build questions, the Survey Settings menu appears to the right. Configure the settings to your preference, and when you’re done creating your test, click Save and Continue to Assignment.
   

   Here are the Survey Settings and what they mean:

   • Time to completion: Enter the approximate number of minutes a user can expect the test to take.
   • Set survey time limit: When checked, input the number of minutes the user has to complete the survey. The survey will lock when the allotted time expires.
   • Randomize question delivery: When checked, questions will appear in a different order for each user.
   • Lock survey until user completes all previous modules: Select this option if the survey should not be started until previously assigned Course content is complete.
   • Award Certification: Give users proof they completed the survey with a customized certificate they can download and print.
   • Allow awarding certificate after due date: When checked, users will get their certificate no matter when they complete the survey.

Create a Survey or a Test with a CSV file

Instead of adding questions individually to a test or survey, you can upload a .csv containing all the questions and answers.

Note: Find a sample CSV template for your tests and surveys at the bottom of this article.

1. Prepare your .csv based on the following guidelines:
   
   

   Question content	Explanation	Question Type	Answer / Weight	Answer	Answer
   Write your question.	Write a short explanation if necessary. This field is optional and can be left blank.	Choose a question type between: Single Selection, Multiple Selection, Text Match, Short Answer.	Depending on the question type, this column is used to write an answer (for Single Selection, Multiple Selection, and Text Match) or the weight of the answer from 1 to 5 (for a Short Answer).	For Single Selection, Multiple Selection, and Text Match, you can add as many answers as you want in the following columns.	For Single Selection, Multiple Selection, and Text Match, you can add as many answers as you want in the following columns.

   Note:
   - Add an asterisk before the right answer(s) (e.g., *Correct Answer) to inform which answer is correct for Single Selection and Multiple Selection.
   - You can find a template CSV file attached to this article to use as a reference.

2. Add a Test or Survey block to your Course in the Course Builder, click the three dot menu in the upper right, and select Upload .csv.
   
3. If you have already written questions in your survey or test, a prompt will let you know that any currently filled questions will be deleted and replaced with the data from your file. Click Continue.
4. Upload your file. 
   In this window, you can also download a sample file template to use as a reference.
   
5. The questions and answers will automatically be imported. If not, click Upload new file to import them.

Generate test questions with AI assistance 

This AI feature provides you with the ability to automatically generate test questions by selecting text in an asset while building a Course.

1. Open a document asset from within the lessons of your Course in the Course Builder. 
2. Select the text in the document you want to create a test question for. You’ll see a Generate questions from selection option appear. Click this to open the test question generator.
   

   For best question results:

   • Select less abstract text, for example, text that includes statistics.
   • Try selecting just 1-2 sentences rather than big paragraphs of text.
   
3. One question will be generated at a time, with one correct answer and one or more incorrect answers. Review the generated question. You can choose to discard the question or click Add question to course.
4. In the test builder module of the Course Builder, you will see all the AI-generated test questions. You can edit them as needed.

Manage Test Reminders

You can define automatic reminders for tests that need to be completed.

1. Click the settings gear icon on the Online Platform and select Admin Settings.
2. Select Messaging from the left menu and scroll down to the Coach Messaging section. Choose the default reminder frequency between Never, Semi-Monthly, Weekly, or Daily, then click Save.

Updating a Test

When a test is published, you can edit it later when a Course must be updated. To update a test, click the module and update the question type and values.

Add a question by clicking the Add Question button below.

Note: Changes made to a test will only be reflected on assignments with an incomplete test.

You can see the results of previous versions of a test in the My Team hub under Question Breakdown.