Configure different adaptive question layouts

An adaptive question is authored with multiple sections that are presented to a student one at a time to moderate the student's progression through a specific question.

By configuring the properties within each adaptive section of your adaptive question, you can achieve unique question layouts which can then help you to achieve an educational goal (Example — by only enabling the Question Complete property for the final section of an adaptive question, you can create a step-by-step guide of the question for your students).

By first understanding the student experience of the overall adaptive question workflow, you can then use the adaptive section properties to modify the layout of the adaptive question to achieve a specific educational goal.

Student perspective of adaptive questions

Here's the general workflow of an adaptive question from the student's perspective:

The student is presented with the adaptive question within their activity. The first section is displayed. The student will see the Verify button and the number of allowed attempts at the section to indicate that this is a section of an adaptive question.
The student responds to the component(s) within the adaptive section and clicks Verify.
NOTE: If the Allow Skip property is enabled, the student can click the Next Part button.
The student is informed that they'll lose any remaining attempts at the section if they proceed.
If the Allow Skip property is enabled and the question is considered complete if an incorrect response (or no response) is entered, the student won't be taken to the next section of the question and their attempt at the question is considered as complete.
The student will receive graded feedback about how they performed on the adaptive section. Then, one of the following will occur (depending on the adaptive section's design):
- The student is given another attempt at the section
- The student is presented with the next section of the adaptive question
- The question is considered complete and the student can navigate to the next part of their activity

Examples of adaptive question layouts

Here are some example layouts of adaptive questions that can help you to achieve a specific educational goal:

Layout: Guide your students step-by-step

You can create an adaptive question to act as a step-by-step guide to help your students learn a concept.

Example — Consider an adaptive question with three adaptive sections:

Whether the student gets the section correct or incorrect, the student is navigated to the next section of the question.
The question is only considered complete once the final section (Section 3) is attempted.

Layout: Help students get to the right answer

You can create an adaptive question to help students get to the right answer if they don't know how to answer the main question.

Those students who need some additional guidance to get the right answer can still accumulate points by working through subsequent sections, possibly for reduced credit.

Example — Consider an adaptive question with three adaptive sections:

If the student correctly answers the initial question being asked at Section 1, their attempt is ended and the questions is considered complete.
If the student incorrectly answers the initial question being asked at Section 1, they're then navigated through subsequent, step-by-step sections whose weightings you define to control the available points.
The question is then considered complete once the final section (Section 3) is attempted.

Layout: Test your students' understanding with supplementary information

You can create an adaptive question to test how well your students understand a concept with the availability of supplementary information.

Example — Consider an adaptive question with three adaptive sections:

Once the student submits a correct response, their attempt is ended and the question is considered complete.
For each incorrect answer, the student is navigated to a consecutive section that provides supplementary information to support the student with achieving the correct response.
(Optional) Section-specific grade penalties can be applied for each incorrect response.

Layout: Discover where your students are struggling

You can create an adaptive question to discover where your students are struggling with a concept.

Example — Consider an adaptive question with three adaptive sections:

The student demonstrates their understanding of the concept by being able to complete all sections of the question.
The student's attempt ends and the question is considered complete once an incorrect answer is submitted.