Item Banks are the modernised replacement for Question Banks used in Classic Quizzes. Item Banks offer superior functionality, especially for sharing and management across courses.
An Item Bank is a centralised, digital library used to store questions (or “items”) for use in any New Quiz. They combine the storage and randomisation functions that previously required both Question Banks and Question Groups in Classic Quizzes.
Key Benefits
The main pedagogical benefit of Item Banks is efficiency through shared content:
- Cross-Course Sharing: Unlike Question Banks (Classic Quizzes), Item Banks can be owned and shared by individuals, multiple people, or an entire course. This allows for easy standardization and team-based assessment development across course sections.
- Instant Updates: Editing a question within the Item Bank instantly updates that question across all linked quizzes and courses (without affecting quizzes students have already started or completed). This saves significant time when moderating or correcting an item.
- Simplified Randomisation: Item Banks streamline the process of test randomisation. You simply “draw” a specified number of items from the bank to create an auto-randomized block of questions in your quiz.
Breakdown of Key Features
| Feature | Description | Implication for Teaching |
| Ownership | Banks can be owned by a person or a course. Course ownership allows any Teacher/Designer to create, edit, and delete items. | Crucial for collaborative assessment design across a team or department. |
| Editing | Item editing is centralized. Any change made in the bank applies to all future instances where that item is used. | Ensures consistency and accuracy across multiple sections and semesters. |
| Access | Banks are accessible from the Item Banks link in the Course Navigation or directly from the New Quizzes Build page. | Provides two easy methods for accessing your question library. |
| Randomisation | Item Banks automatically handle the selection and delivery of random items when linked to a New Quiz. | Simplifies the creation of fair, randomised assessments for academic integrity. |
Hints and Tips
- Migration: There is currently no simple tool to automatically convert Classic Question Banks into New Quizzes Item Banks. This guide provides a workaround solution that requires a higher level of technical working knowledge – reach out to an Academic Partner if you need further assistance.
- Be Thoughtful with Sharing: Anyone who is an owner or has Edit access to a bank can create, edit, and delete content. Set sharing permissions carefully to maintain security and quality control.