Möbius fact
Möbius quizzes has many advantages over Canvas quizzes, both for creating exams and material for lessons. In this document we go through some of the more accessible opportunities and some more advanced tools in short.
Starting to use Möbius in a course has two layers of complexity:
- Using Möbius modules in Canvas.
- Using complex tools and scripting inside Möbius.
However, not all use cases are created equal. Some things are quite easy to do in Möbius without an in-depth understanding of the scripting tools available.
Simple, valuable opportunities
In this section we look at some opportunitues that are simle to impliment in Möbius quizzes while still being powerful.
Advanced Randomisation
Both Canvas and Möbius can randomise numbers, which they call variables, in a question. Thus students can get different numbers while working in the same question. In Canvas it's only possible to randomise numbers between two values (e.g. − 4 ≤ x ≤ 10) while Möbius can randomize just about every part of the question with much more advanced constraints.
Input randomisation
In Möbius it is simple to apply multiple constraints to variables. This may be of a simpler type, like generating 5 ≤ x ≤ 35 in steps of 3 (i.e. one of 5, 8, 11, 14, ...), or more advanced cases like generating a N × N matrix with a non-zero determinant.
Multi-step randomisation
It is possible to randomise a variable and then adapt the question around the variable. For example, consider a multiple choice question about the sun.
- A variable is randomised between the values "East" and "West".
- In the question text, some students see the text "The sun may rise in the:", while others see "The sun will set to the:".
- The answer selected are then compared to the variable to determine if it's correct.
Thus, in Möbius each step of the question can be scripted. For comparison, in Canvas quizzes, question text can only be randomised by randomly choosing complete questions from a pre-formed pool (question banks).
Integrated questions
Möbius allows for the possibility to have self-evaluating questions anywhere, including in running text. Thus you as a teacher can have questions on the material on the same page as the material itself, without having to send the students to a separate quiz (as you do in Canvas).
Expanded feedback in multiple answer questions
Canvas allows feedback for the entire question as well as for each answer in a multiple choice question. Möbius has this function for multiple answer questions as well.
Numerical answers with units
In Möbius questions with numerical answers can also demand the correct units. Möbius knows the different prefixes that are used and accepts correct answers even if they're given with a different prefix than what the teacher specified. That is, students can write 500 mV, 0.5 V or 0.0005 kV and Möbius will see it as the same answer.
Hints
In Möbius it's possible to add hints to questions. Students choose if they wish to see hints or not and the hints can give point reductions for each hint that is shown. If the questions are part of a lesson no grade will be set, in that case the points are only meant to give an idea of how well the students can solve the problem.
Expanded student responses
Möbius can interpret the students responses much more than Canvas. For example, Möbius understands that 3/4 and 0.75 is the same number and accepts equations, functions and lists as answers. This makes it possible to, for example, ask the students to give the solutions to a cubic equation or to give the derivative of it, and it will be automatically graded.
Automatic tutorial
Möbius has so called adaptive questions and adaptive assignments which change depending on the student responses.
An adaptive question can, for example, go through a solution step by step if the student gives an incorrect answer to the question, while those who got the question right skip that. This makes it possible to find where in the solution the student made an error. It is also possible to configure the question so everyone has to go through all steps, e.g. when going through the steps in an algorithm.
An adaptive assignment is a collection of questions (adaptive or not) split into different branches. These branches can have different difficulty levels or be about different parts of the material. You can specify when students should be moved from one branch to another. For example, change branch when the student have answered correct or incorrect 3 times in a row, and end the assignment when the student have answered 15 questions in total.
As mentioned before it's possible to use adaptive questions in an adaptive assignment, and it's also possible to randomise variables just like with any other question.
Interactive slideshow
Canvas can show a recorded slideshow or link between pages, but it has no built-in slideshow function.
In Möbius there is an interactive slideshow function ("Interactive Narrative") in which you can add questions and variables. The difference between a slideshow and a lesson is that you can change the content with transitions, for example underline a word or add a sentence. A transition can be manually activated by a student or timed.
Soundfiles can be added to the slideshow, either uploaded from a computer or recorded in Möbius. If there is sound added the slideshow will be as long as the sound file. A timed slideshow can also have pauses added where the students can, for example, answer a question or just choose by themselves when to go on to the next part of the lesson.
Advanced opportunities
The following opportunities require some knowledge of programming. Möbius uses a simplified version of scripting language known as Maple Script, which you use in the “Algorithm”-tab. However, it is possible to use both Möbius Script and Maple Scrip.
Advanced automatic tutorials
An adaptive assignment can assess when it's time to change branch using an algorithm, i.e. according to programmed criterias, instead of the simpler criteria mentioned earlier (in the style of "three questions in a row are correct"). The grading can also be algorithmic.
Questions with interactive models
Möbius has two premade question types with interactive models: Sketch and Free Body Diagram.
Sketch allows you to sketch the correct answer on a 2D graph and gives the students access to the tools you used when they give their answers to this question. Thus it's possible to ask them to, for example, mark in which quadrants sin θ always is negative or to sketch out a specified quadratic equation.
Free Body Diagram is a question based on a free body diagram you as a teacher has uploaded to Möbius (without forces drawn on it as that's done in the question editor). The students are then supposed to match the right force to the right place and angle.
HTML-questions and Math-apps
These two question typer allows you to include HTML-code in a question or include a Math App programmed in Maple. If you know how this is used, please do use it, but att the moment no support from KTH is available for these two question types.