[ARCHIVED] How do I really "Copy" a quiz?

[jim_the_steam_c]

HOW DO I CREATE A REAL COPY?

<EDIT> I added an "idea" submission here https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/17229-provide-a-real-copy-disassociate-feature It is open for Up Voting... PLEASE SHARE ... Canvas developers... email me any time... I would be happy to chat about this...

How do I really "Copy" a quiz?

I want to copy a quiz... and before you say, "oh that is easy... " let me say again... I want to COPY, as in make a real honest new instantiation of the quiz that does not get over written... I don't want a reference instance of the old quiz pointing to the new quiz, I want a COPY of it...

<EDIT 06/23/2020> The current copy "feature" in canvas will let you make a "copy" of a page or assignment or quiz, but the new copy and the old source are still linked, and if you make a second copy of the original source, you will "copy" that over the first copy regardless of any edits you make in the first copy... 

<EDIT 06/23/2020> I'm really wanting to have a "copy with out any link to any other instance" so that I can create some really awesome "templates" that have some text structure that I want to have in many different pages or quizzes... where I can have a template with instructions, or questions in every quiz.  So that when I want to make a new quiz, I select that template version, and make a copy... then later when I want to make another quiz, select and copy that same template quiz again... and not overwrite any previous copies... or have a module introduction template page, where I make a copy for each module I do, because it has a set of instructions and copyright and other information that I want in all the pages I create... I just want a real "copy" function... we could call it "New Instance Copy"... 

Here is what I seem to see as a current behavior of a 'copy'

1) I have a class "class A" which has a quiz in it called "my-super-Awesome-Quiz"

2) I have another "class B" to which I want to copy the "my-super-Awesome-Quiz"

3) I go into "class A" and select the quiz group, and on the right hand ... I select the 'Copy To..." option.  I select the "class B" and even select a module in "class B" called "module I copy stuff to"

4) now I have a new quiz in "class B" in the module "module I copy stuff to" called "my-super-Awesome-Quiz"

5) I move the "my-super-Awesome-Quiz" from that module to a different module, I select the quiz and I make edits... these are super AWESOME edits, these edits take thought and time, and when I am done, I cry because this new quiz is so poetics and wonderful... it is the quintessential example of formative assessment... and I call it "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO"

6) I'm so happy with my new quiz, I think I'm going to make another just as good... maybe even better... So I go back to my "class A" and proceed to do steps 3 where I go into "class A" and select the quiz group, and on the right hand ... I select the 'Copy To..." option.  I select the "class B" and even select a module in "class B" called "module I copy stuff to"

7) I go back to "class B" and go to open the copy of my "my-super-Awesome-Quiz"... but wait, where is my "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO"... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH it's gone and in it's place is the copy of "my-super-Awesome-Quiz"

So I think about this and after I have stopped screaming in my head... because I have children in the house... I think about why Canvas might want that to happen... and I think OK, when copying from one class to another, maybe we want to maintain an idea of "Source" where you might have a class that is the source of the pages, quizzes, etc... and that you want the source that you keep updated to over write when you copy it to another class... OK, sure, not exactly what I would expect, but I can kinda understand and accept that.... so...

So, I tried another experiment...

1) in class B, I recreated my lost work... I even opened a new blank quiz... and I did my best to recapture the genius that was lost.. and I called it "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO". 

2) I then made a copy if it by selecting the Copy To... option for that quiz, and make a copy selecting class B

3) I could see that I now had 2 files called "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO".  I renamed the copy to "myNewFQuiz CalledBOB"

4) I can see that both of these files have different "reference number"?  "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO" = /quizzes/5401787 and "myNewFQuiz CalledBOB" = /quizzes/5408598

5) I even make a bunch of edits to "myNewFQuiz CalledBOB" = /quizzes/5408598

AT This Point I honestly think these are different files... but no... some how if I make a 2nd copy of "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO" = /quizzes/5401787  is does not make a "new" copy, it over writes  "myNewFQuiz CalledBOB" = /quizzes/5408598, and now I have 2 quizzes... the original "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO" = /quizzes/5401787 and the 2nd copy "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO" = /quizzes/5408598

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... no I'm good because I cut and pasted all the real contend before I did this experament... so I actually did not loose the content...

SO HOW DO I MAKE A COPY of "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO"  and then make another copy of "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO"  with out overwriting the first copy of "myNewSuperAwesomeQuizTHATIPOUREDMYHEARTINTO-2PointO" 

I even tried exporting to commons, and then re-importing it.. I got the first copy fine... so I have the original, and the first copy, which I edit, and then I import from commons again, and this second import overwrites the first copy....

<EDIT>

the "settings" import also does not work.  It will still overwrite.

I went to my "class B" --> settings --> import, selected the assignments from my "class A" and imported... then I made edits to the imported assignment, and then imported again... and it over wrote the edited assignment... 

<EDIT 06/23/2020>

Experiment #67

1) in my free teacher canvas, I created a quiz called "awesomeQuiz#1"

2) I shared it to commons and "testDisassociate#1

3) I imported it to my school canvas sand box

4) I made some edits to it

5) I exported it back to commons  "awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1"

6) I imported it back to my free teacher canvas.... and it did show up as a new item... awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1... I made edits awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#2

7) but if I import it again from commons, it over writes... awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1

😎 even if I go back to my school canvas, delete from commons, make edits, re-share with commons, "testDisassociate#2 and import to my free teacher, it overwrite the last import with the new... with the new edits... so Ya for source control, but Boo for a copy... is still knows and awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1 is over written with "testDisassociate#2

HOW DO I CREATE A REAL COPY?

[jcarpenter1]

Hello Jim Burnham!  Wow!  That has to be furstrating!  Have you tried to import the quiz instead of copying? 

How do I copy content from another Canvas course using the Course Import tool? 

[jim_the_steam_c]

no, the import from another class will still over write.

I when to my class B --> settings --> import, selected the assignments from my class A and imported... then I made edits to the imported assignment, and then imported again... and it over wrote the edited assignment... 

[Bobby2]

HI  @jim_the_steam_c  Nice Work on telling us your tale. How enormously frustrating. I pictured it all, even the restraint because there were kids in the house. 

I did happen to notice that in the guide it says "If you copy the same quiz to the same course more than once, Direct Share will overwrite the quiz you previously copied with the newly copied quiz." 

Although I have not tried to copy a quiz to another course, I can understand your apprehension of losing the-best-quiz-known-to-man. Might I suggest saving it to Commons where it will be safe, and shared, then import it into your new course? 

This link takes you to all things Commons.

Wish I could be more helpful. 

[jim_the_steam_c]

Yes, that is true, and if you are just trying to make a "backup" then this works... but if you really want to have an "Awesome-template-page-that-you-want-use-as-a-stating-point-for-every-new-page" page, then it does not work, because if you copy the "Awesome-template-page-that-you-want-use-as-a-stating-point-for-every-new-page" to a "new-Module#1-page" make edits and then copy "Awesome-template-page-that-you-want-use-as-a-stating-point-for-every-new-page", thinking you are creating a "new-Module#2-page", you actually are overwriting the first copy of "new-Module#1-page"... 

[rmurchshafer]

 @jim_the_steam_c ‌,

Love the write up. I have an instructor who also experienced this issue and it was even worse because she had students who had already taken the original or one of the copies.  I don't know the exact steps she was taking, but the result was that there were already scores for students in the copy she just made (which really freaked her and the students out).  The only solution I found to really make a copy that was independent of the original was as follows:

• Export the quiz and download it.
• Import the quiz into a completely different instance of Canvas.  I happen to have access to a few instances but using the Free for Teachers version would probably work for this.  
• Export the quiz from that instance of Canvas and download it
• Import it into the course where you want it.

This was the only way I was able to break the link as even with Commons or exporting and importing in the same instance of Canvas it still seemed to "know" that it was linked to another version somewhere.  I'm not really suggesting this method as a realistic work around, but more as a validation of your claims that it's a problem.  It's especially a problem with copies in the same course when students start taking the quizzes.

Rick

[jim_the_steam_c]

I'll try that... That was what I was going to try next, as I have a free teacher canvas where I build all my material, and then send it to commons to import into my District school class... that way I always own the source... I'll let you know... but Yes, this is just a crappy work around... Canvas should really have a "Copy and Dissociate" feature.

[jim_the_steam_c]

So, I tried that.. and it kinda worked.

Experiment #67

1) in my free teacher canvas, I created a quiz called "awesomeQuiz#1"

2) I shared it to commons and "testDisassociate#1

3) I imported it to my school canvas sand box

4) I made some edits to it

5) I exported it back to commons  "awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1"

6) I imported it back to my free teacher canvas.... and it did show up as a new item... awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1... I made edits awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#2

7) but if I import it again from commons, it over writes... awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1

😎 even if I go back to my school canvas, delete from commons, make edits, re-share with commons, "testDisassociate#2 and import to my free teacher, it overwrite the last import with the new... with the new edits... so Ya for source control, but Boo for a copy... is still knows awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1 is over written with "testDisassociate#2

[rmurchshafer]

Yes, I had the same problem sending it through commons.  Somehow Canvas is still tracking it.  I was suggesting use  the Export Quiz function (Settings, Export Course Content, Quiz) to export it, import into Canvas Free for Teacher,  then Export it again from there and import into your course.  By using the actual Canvas export function I think it's being converted to QTI format and then bouncing off another instance of Canvas removes any of the tracing.  I'm totally guessing at that last explanation, but for me it worked that way.

Rick

[jim_the_steam_c]

As fare as I can tell, Canvas still tracks it... and still will over write an edited version even if you have passed it back and forth through commons 2 times...  I just now have a template and open it and edit it and then select all the text and copy it to a new quiz... not as clean... but it works.

[Nancy_Webb_CCSF]

Hi  @jim_the_steam_c , it is frustrating for sure!  You certainly did thorough testing.

Did you ever try copying the copy, rather than the original? The rule is never copy or import the same thing twice to the same course. Since you were up to #67(!) maybe you did test copying the copy. My suggested change in red.

6) I imported it back to my free teacher canvas.... and it did show up as a new item... awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1... I made edits awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#2

7) but if I import it again from commons, it over writes... awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#1  INSTEAD use the direct copy function to copy awesomeQuizCopy&Edit#2 right into the same course.  This should work.  Then you edit the new copy and rename it Edit#3. In order to make another copy, copy the Edit#3 version.  Numbering will certainly help remember which version you want to copy, always the newest copy, and only copy once. if you lose track it will wind up erasing something so this is a workaround not the best solution to the problem. 

Will you let me know if that works for you? I like your idea of disassociating the copy from the original. It would save a lot of teachers who have done this and lost a hours of work.  I will vote on your idea.

[jim_the_steam_c]

Sure, as long as you keep track as to which is the latest copy... and yes I tested your suggestion... but that's really my point... I still want a way to copy something that is then dissociated from the original... just so I don;t have to remember...

Here is what i do:

For stuff that I want to use as a "template" like a quiz instruction template for say a "read something and then write about it" assignment... I just open the "template and edit and select all and then copy it to a new quiz... and then save and then edit the new quiz...