Building and Running an Open edX Course: Ginkgo Release
  • 1. General Information
    • 1.1. Read Me
    • 1.2. Other edX Resources
    • 1.3. edX Browser Support
  • 2. Getting Started
    • 2.1. Getting Started with Studio
  • 3. Exploring Your Dashboard and Profile
    • 3.1. Accessing Your Courses from the Dashboard
    • 3.2. Adding Profile Information
    • 3.3. Updating Course-Specific Settings
  • 4. Reaching As Many Learners As Possible
    • 4.1. Designing Your Course For a Mobile Experience
  • 5. Accessibility Best Practices Guidance for Content Providers
    • 5.1. What Is The EdX Accessibility Best Practices Guidance Based On?
    • 5.2. Supporting Learners with Diverse Needs
    • 5.3. Accessibility Best Practices for Developing Course Content
  • 6. Setting Up a Course
    • 6.1. Planning Course Information
    • 6.2. Planning Course Run Information
    • 6.3. Creating a Course
  • 7. Developing Your Course
    • 7.1. Getting Started with Course Content Development
    • 7.2. Developing Your Course Outline
    • 7.3. Developing Course Sections
    • 7.4. Developing Course Subsections
    • 7.5. Developing Course Units
    • 7.6. Developing Course Components
    • 7.7. Controlling Content Visibility and Access
    • 7.8. Testing Your Course Content
  • 8. Adding Course Components
    • 8.1. Working with HTML Components
    • 8.2. Working with Video Components
    • 8.3. Working with Discussion Components
    • 8.4. Working with Problem Components
    • 8.5. Working with Content Libraries
  • 9. Adding Exercises and Tools
    • 9.1. Problems, Exercises, and Tools
    • 9.2. Enabling Additional Exercises and Tools
    • 9.3. Annotation Problem
    • 9.4. Calculator Tool
    • 9.5. Checkbox Problem
    • 9.6. Chemical Equation Problem
    • 9.7. Circuit Schematic Builder Problem
    • 9.8. Completion Tool
    • 9.9. Conditional Module
    • 9.10. Custom JavaScript Display and Grading Problem
    • 9.11. Drag and Drop Problem
    • 9.12. Drag and Drop Problem (Deprecated)
    • 9.13. Dropdown Problem
    • 9.14. External Grader
    • 9.15. Full Screen Image Tool
    • 9.16. Gene Explorer Tool
    • 9.17. Google Calendar Tool
    • 9.18. Google Drive Files Tool
    • 9.19. Iframe Tool
    • 9.20. Image Mapped Input Problem
    • 9.21. LTI Component
    • 9.22. Math Expression Input Problems
    • 9.23. Molecule Editor Tool
    • 9.24. Molecule Viewer Tool
    • 9.25. Multiple Choice Problem
    • 9.26. Multiple Choice and Numerical Input Problem
    • 9.27. Notes Tool
    • 9.28. Numerical Input Problem
    • 9.29. Office Mix Tool
    • 9.30. Open Response Assessments
    • 9.31. Oppia Exploration Tool
    • 9.32. Peer Instruction Tool
    • 9.33. Periodic Table Tool
    • 9.34. Poll Tool
    • 9.35. Poll Tool for OLX
    • 9.36. Problem with Adaptive Hint
    • 9.37. Problem Written in LaTeX
    • 9.38. Protex Protein Builder Tool
    • 9.39. Qualtrics Survey Tool
    • 9.40. Randomized Content Blocks
    • 9.41. Recommender Tool
    • 9.42. Survey Tool
    • 9.43. Text Input Problem
    • 9.44. Word Cloud Tool
    • 9.45. Write-Your-Own-Grader Problem
    • 9.46. Zooming Image Tool
    • 9.47. Using MathJax for Mathematics
  • 10. Adding Course Assets
    • 10.1. Adding Files to a Course
    • 10.2. Adding Course Updates and Handouts
    • 10.3. Managing the Pages in Your Course
    • 10.4. Textbooks
    • 10.5. Using the Course Wiki
  • 11. Using Enhanced Capabilities In Your Course
    • 11.1. Including Learner Cohorts
    • 11.2. Offering Different Content to Different Learner Groups
    • 11.3. Including Teams
    • 11.4. Creating Content Experiments
    • 11.5. Offering Timed Exams
    • 11.6. Using Open edX as an LTI Tool Provider
  • 12. Establishing a Grading Policy For Your Course
    • 12.1. Set the Grade Range
    • 12.2. Set the Grace Period
    • 12.3. Configure the Assignment Types
    • 12.4. Graded Subsections
    • 12.5. The Learner View of Grades
  • 13. Releasing Your Course
    • 13.1. Beta Testing a Course
    • 13.2. Course Launching Activities
    • 13.3. Exporting and Importing a Course
  • 14. Managing a Running Course
    • 14.1. Course Data
    • 14.2. Bulk Email
    • 14.3. Enrollment
    • 14.4. Manage Course Fees
    • 14.5. Staff Debug Info
  • 15. Managing Discussions
    • 15.1. Managing Course Discussions
    • 15.2. About Divided Discussion Topics
    • 15.3. Managing Divided Discussion Topics
    • 15.4. Guidance for Discussion Moderators
  • 16. Managing Learner Progress and Grades
    • 16.1. Learner Data
    • 16.2. Answer Data
    • 16.3. Learner Grades and Grading
    • 16.4. Obtaining Certificate Data
    • 16.5. Ending a Course
  • 17. Re-running Your Course
    • 17.1. Re-running a Course
  • 18. Glossary
    • 18.1. A
    • 18.2. C
    • 18.3. D
    • 18.4. E
    • 18.5. F
    • 18.6. G
    • 18.7. H
    • 18.8. I
    • 18.9. K
    • 18.10. L
    • 18.11. M
    • 18.12. N
    • 18.13. O
    • 18.14. P
    • 18.15. Q
    • 18.16. R
    • 18.17. S
    • 18.18. T
    • 18.19. U
    • 18.20. V
    • 18.21. W
    • 18.22. XYZ
 
Building and Running an Open edX Course: Ginkgo Release
  • Table of Contents »
  • 9.13. Dropdown Problem
  • Need Help? |Feedback

9.13. Dropdown Problem¶

Note

EdX offers full support for this problem type.

The dropdown problem type is a core problem type that can be added to any course. At a minimum, dropdown problems include a question or prompt and several answer options. By adding hints, feedback, or both, you can give learners guidance and help when they work on a problem.

  • Overview
    • Example Dropdown Problem
    • Analyzing Performance on Dropdown Problems
  • Adding a Dropdown Problem
    • Use the Simple Editor to Add a Dropdown Problem
    • Use the Advanced Editor to Add a Dropdown Problem
  • Adding Feedback to a Dropdown Problem
    • Configuring Feedback in the Simple Editor
    • Configuring Feedback in the Advanced Editor
    • Customizing Feedback Labels
  • Adding Hints to a Dropdown Problem
    • Configure Hints in the Simple Editor
    • Configure Hints in the Advanced Editor
  • Dropdown Problem OLX Reference
    • Template
    • Elements

For more information about the core problem types, see Working with Problem Components.

9.13.1. Overview¶

In dropdown problems, learners select one option from a list of answer options. Unlike multiple choice problems, where the answer choices are always visible directly below the question, the answer options for dropdown problems do not appear until the learner selects the dropdown arrow.

9.13.1.1. Example Dropdown Problem¶

In the LMS, learners select a single answer option to complete a dropdown problem. An example of a completed dropdown problem follows.

A problem component that contains a series of three dropdown problems. The questions have been answered, and two are marked incorrect and one correct.

In this example, a single problem component contains multiple questions, all of them using the dropdown problem type. To add the example illustrated above, you enter the following text and Markdown formatting in the simple editor in Studio. Then, select Settings for the problem to define settings. To specify that each question is worth one point, leave the Problem Weight field empty.

>>What type of data is age?<<
[[Nominal, Discrete, (Continuous)]]
---
>>What type of data is age, when rounded to the nearest year?<<
[[
Nominal
(Discrete)
Continuous
]]
---
>>What type of data is life stage, such as infant, child, or adult?<<
[[(Nominal), Discrete, Continuous]]

Note

You separate multiple questions in a problem component with three hyphen (---) characters. You can separate the answer options with either comma (,) characters or new lines.

The OLX markup for this example problem follows.

<problem>
  <optionresponse>
    <label>What type of data is age?</label>
    <optioninput options="('Nominal','Discrete','Continuous')"
     correct="Continuous"></optioninput>
  </optionresponse>
  <optionresponse>
    <label>What type of data is age, when rounded to the nearest year?</label>
    <optioninput options="('Nominal','Discrete','Continuous')"
     correct="Discrete"></optioninput>
    </optionresponse>
  <optionresponse>
    <label>What type of data is life stage, such as infant, child, or adult?</label>
    <optioninput options="('Nominal','Discrete','Continuous')"
     correct="Nominal"></optioninput>
  </optionresponse>
</problem>

9.13.1.2. Analyzing Performance on Dropdown Problems¶

For the dropdown problems in your course, you can use edX Insights to review aggregated learner performance data and examine submitted answers. For more information, see insights:Using edX Insights.

9.13.2. Adding a Dropdown Problem¶

You add dropdown problems in Studio by selecting the Problem component type and then using either the simple editor or the advanced editor to specify the prompt and the answer options.

  • Use the Simple Editor to Add a Dropdown Problem
  • Use the Advanced Editor to Add a Dropdown Problem

Note

You can begin work on the problem in the simple editor, and then switch to the advanced editor. However, after you save any changes you make in the advanced editor, you cannot switch back to the simple editor.

9.13.2.1. Use the Simple Editor to Add a Dropdown Problem¶

When you add a dropdown problem, you can choose one of these templates.

  • Dropdown
  • Dropdown with Hints and Feedback

These templates include the Markdown formatting that you use in the simple editor to add a problem without, or with, hints and feedback.

To use the simple editor to add a problem, follow these steps.

  1. In the unit where you want to create the problem, under Add New Component select Problem.

  2. From the list of Common Problem Types, select the type of problem you want to add. Studio adds a template for the problem to the unit.

  3. Select Edit. The simple editor opens to a template that shows the Markdown formatting that you use for this problem type.

  4. Replace the guidance provided by the template to add your own text for the question or prompt, answer options, explanation, and so on.

    To format equations, you can use MathJax. For more information, see Using MathJax for Mathematics.

  5. Select Settings to provide an identifying Display Name and define settings for the problem. For more information, see Defining Settings for Problem Components.

  6. Select Save.

9.13.2.2. Use the Advanced Editor to Add a Dropdown Problem¶

You can use the advanced editor to identify the elements of a dropdown problem with OLX. For more information, see Dropdown Problem OLX Reference.

To use the advanced editor to add a problem, follow these steps.

  1. Follow steps 1-3 for creating the problem in the simple editor.

  2. Select Advanced Editor. The advanced editor opens the template and shows the OLX markup that you can use for this problem type.

  3. Replace the guidance provided by the template to add your own text. For example, replace the question or prompt, answer options, and explanation.

    To format equations, you can use MathJax. For more information, see Using MathJax for Mathematics.

  4. Update the OLX to add optional elements and attributes required for your problem.

  5. Select Settings to provide an identifying Display Name and define settings for the problem. For more information, see Defining Settings for Problem Components.

  6. Select Save.

9.13.3. Adding Feedback to a Dropdown Problem¶

For an overview of feedback in problems, see Adding Feedback and Hints to a Problem. You can add feedback for each of the answer options you provide in the problem. Use the following guidelines when providing feedback.

  • Use feedback for the incorrect answers to target common misconceptions and mistakes.
  • Ensure feedback provides some guidance to the learner about how to arrive at the correct answer.
  • Use feedback for the correct answer to reinforce why the answer is correct. Because learners are able to guess, ensure that feedback provides a reason why the answer is correct for learners who might have selected that answer by chance.

You can add feedback in a dropdown problem using the simple editor or the advanced editor.

9.13.3.1. Configuring Feedback in the Simple Editor¶

You can configure feedback in the simple editor. When you add a dropdown problem, select the template Dropdown with Hints and Feedback. This template has example feedback syntax that you can replace.

[[
Wrong Answer {{Feedback for learners who select this answer.}}
Wrong Answer {{Feedback for learners who select this answer.}}
(Correct Answer) {{Feedback for learners who select this answer.}}
]]

Note

When you include feedback, you might find it more convenient to use new lines to separate the answer options.

For example, the following problem has feedback for each possible answer.

>>A/an ________ is an example of a vegetable.<<

[[
  apple {{An apple is the fertilized ovary that comes from an apple tree and
    contains seeds classifying it as a fruit.}}
  pumpkin {{A pumpkin is the fertilized ovary of a squash plant and contains
    seeds classifying it as a fruit.}}
  (potato) {{A potato is an edible part of a plant in tuber form and is
    classified as a vegetable}}
  tomato {{Many people mistakenly think a tomato is a vegetable. However,
    because a tomato is the fertilized ovary of a tomato plant and contains
    seeds it is classified as a fruit.}}
]]

9.13.3.2. Configuring Feedback in the Advanced Editor¶

In the advanced editor, you configure answer feedback with the following syntax.

<option correct="False">Option Label
  <optionhint>Feedback for when a learner selects this incorrect answer.</optionhint>
</option>

For example, the following problem has feedback for each answer.

<problem>
  <optionresponse>
    <label>A/an ________ is an example of a vegetable.</label>
    <optioninput>
      <option correct="False">apple
        <optionhint>An apple is the fertilized ovary that comes from an
         apple tree and contains seeds classifying it as a fruit.</optionhint>
      </option>
      <option correct="False">pumpkin
        <optionhint>A pumpkin is the fertilized ovary of a squash plant and
         contains seeds classifying it as a fruit.</optionhint>
      </option>
      <option correct="True">potato
        <optionhint>A potato is an edible part of a plant in tuber form and
         is classified as a vegetable.</optionhint>
      </option>
      <option correct="False">tomato
        <optionhint>Many people mistakenly think a tomato is a vegetable.
         However, because a tomato is the fertilized ovary of a tomato plant
         and contains seeds it is classified as a fruit.</optionhint>
      </option>
    </optioninput>
  </optionresponse>
</problem>

9.13.3.3. Customizing Feedback Labels¶

By default, the feedback labels shown to learners are Correct and Incorrect. If you do not define feedback labels, learners see these terms when they submit an answer, as in the following example.

Incorrect:
An apple is the fertilized ovary that comes from an apple tree and contains
seeds classifying it as a fruit.

You can configure the problem to override the default labels. For example, you can configure a custom label for a specific wrong answer.

Not Quite:
Many people mistakenly think a tomato is a vegetable. However, because a
tomato is the fertilized ovary of a tomato plant and contains seeds it is
classified as a fruit.

Note

The default labels Correct and Incorrect display in the learner’s requested language. If you provide custom labels, they display as you define them to all learners. They are not translated into different languages.

9.13.3.3.1. Customize Feedback Labels in the Simple Editor¶

In the simple editor, you configure custom feedback labels with the following syntax.

[[
Incorrect Answer {{Label:: Feedback for learners who select this answer.}}
.
.
.
]]

That is, you provide the label text, followed by two colon (:) characters, before the feedback text.

For example, the following feedback is configured to use a custom label.

[[
tomato {{Not Quite:: Many people mistakenly think a tomato is a
vegetable. However, because a tomato is the fertilized ovary of a tomato
plant and contains seeds, it is a fruit.}}
.
.
.
]]

9.13.3.3.2. Customize Feedback Labels in the Advanced Editor¶

In the advanced editor, you configure custom feedback labels with the following syntax.

<option correct="False">Answer
  <optionhint label="Custom Label">Feedback for learners who select this answer.</optionhint>
</option>

For example, the following feedback is configured to use a custom label.

<option correct="False">tomato
  <optionhint label="Not Quite">Many people mistakenly think a tomato is a
   vegetable. However, because a tomato is the fertilized ovary of a tomato
   plant and contains seeds it is classified as a fruit.</optionhint>
</option>

9.13.4. Adding Hints to a Dropdown Problem¶

You can add hints to a dropdown problem using the simple editor or the advanced editor. For an overview of hints in problems, see Adding Feedback and Hints to a Problem.

9.13.4.1. Configure Hints in the Simple Editor¶

In the simple editor, you configure hints with the following syntax.

||Hint 1||
||Hint 2||
||Hint n||

Note

You can configure any number of hints. The learner views one hint at a time and views the next one by selecting Hint again.

For example, the following problem has two hints.

||A fruit is the fertilized ovary from a flower.||
||A fruit contains seeds of the plant.||

9.13.4.2. Configure Hints in the Advanced Editor¶

In the advanced editor, you add the <demandhint> element immediately before the closing </problem> tag, and then configure each hint using the <hint> element.

.
.
.
<demandhint>
  <hint>Hint 1</hint>
  <hint>Hint 2</hint>
  <hint>Hint 3</hint>
</demandhint>
</problem>

For example, the following OLX for a multiple choice problem shows two hints.

.
.
.
</multiplechoiceresponse>
<demandhint>
  <hint>A fruit is the fertilized ovary from a flower.</hint>
  <hint>A fruit contains seeds of the plant.</hint>
</demandhint>
</problem>

9.13.5. Dropdown Problem OLX Reference¶

9.13.5.1. Template¶

<problem>
  <optionresponse>
    <label>Question or prompt text</label>
    <description>Optional information about how to answer the question</description>
    <option correct="False">Option Label
      <optionhint>Feedback for when learner selects this answer.</optionhint>
    </option>
    <option correct="True">Option Label
      <optionhint>Feedback for when learner selects this answer.</optionhint>
    </option>
    <solution>
      <div class="detailed-solution">
        <p>Explanation or Solution Header</p>
        <p>Explanation or solution text</p>
      </div>
    </solution>
  </optionresponse>
  <demandhint>
    <hint>Hint 1</hint>
    <hint>Hint 2</hint>
    <hint>Hint 3</hint>
  </demandhint>
</problem>

9.13.5.2. Elements¶

For dropdown problems, the <problem> element can include this hierarchy of child elements.

<optionresponse>
    <label>
    <description>
    <optioninput>
          <option>
              <optionhint>
    <solution>
<demandhint>
    <hint>

In addition, standard HTML tags can be used to format text.

9.13.5.2.1. <optionresponse>¶

Required. Indicates that the problem is a dropdown problem.

9.13.5.2.1.1. Attributes¶

None.

9.13.5.2.1.2. Children¶
  • <label>
  • <description>
  • <optioninput>
  • <solution>

9.13.5.2.2. <label>¶

Required. Identifies the question or prompt. You can include HTML tags within this element.

9.13.5.2.2.1. Attributes¶

None.

9.13.5.2.2.2. Children¶

None.

9.13.5.2.3. <description>¶

Optional. Provides clarifying information about how to answer the question. You can include HTML tags within this element.

9.13.5.2.3.1. Attributes¶

None.

9.13.5.2.3.2. Children¶

None.

9.13.5.2.4. <optioninput>¶

Required. Designates an answer option.

9.13.5.2.4.1. Attributes¶
Attribute Description
options

Either this attribute or a set of <option> child elements for <optioninput> is required. Accepts a comma separated list of values in the following format.

options="('Answer1','Answer2','Answer3')"

correct Used if the options attribute is set. Required. Indicates which of the answer options is correct.
9.13.5.2.4.2. Children¶
  • <option>
  • <optionhint>

9.13.5.2.5. <option>¶

Designates an answer option. Either a set of <option> child elements or the options attribute for <optioninput> is required.

9.13.5.2.5.1. Attributes¶
Attribute Description
correct Required. Indicates whether the answer option is correct or incorrect. When set to "true", the choice is a correct answer. At least one required. When set to "false", the choice is an incorrect answer.

If the <option> element is used, <optionhint> is a child of <option>.

9.13.5.2.6. <optionhint>¶

Optional. Specifies feedback for the answer.

9.13.5.2.6.1. Attributes¶

None.

9.13.5.2.6.2. Children¶

None.

9.13.5.2.7. <solution>¶

Optional. Identifies the explanation or solution for the problem, or for one of the questions in a problem that contains more than one question.

This element contains an HTML division <div>. The division contains one or more paragraphs <p> of explanatory text.

9.13.5.2.8. <demandhint>¶

Optional. Specifies hints for the learner. For problems that include multiple questions, the hints apply to the entire problem.

9.13.5.2.8.1. Attributes¶

None.

9.13.5.2.8.2. Children¶

<hint>

9.13.5.2.9. <hint>¶

Required. Specifies additional information that learners can access if needed.

9.13.5.2.9.1. Attributes¶

None.

9.13.5.2.9.2. Children¶

None.

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