Quick Check in Canvas is an innovative tool designed for creating inline assessments, allowing instructors to integrate frequent, low-stakes evaluations directly into their course content. It provides a flexible way to embed learning checks and gauge student understanding throughout a module or lesson, rather than relying solely on major assignments.
Understanding Quick Check's Core Function
At its heart, Quick Check aims to enrich the learning experience by making assessment an ongoing, integrated part of the course flow. Unlike traditional quizzes or exams that might stand alone, Quick Check assessments are seamlessly woven into modules, pages, or other learning materials within Canvas.
Key Features and Benefits
Quick Check offers several advantages for both instructors and students, fostering a more dynamic and responsive learning environment.
- Inline Integration: Assessments appear directly within the content, providing immediate opportunities for students to apply what they've learned.
- Low-Stakes Approach: These are typically short, informal checks that reduce student anxiety associated with high-stakes testing, encouraging participation and honest self-assessment.
- Frequent Feedback Opportunities: By offering multiple small assessments, instructors can provide regular feedback, helping students correct misunderstandings early and often. This also helps instructors understand student work more intimately.
- Enhanced Engagement: Embedding questions directly into lectures or readings can keep students actively engaged with the material.
- Deter Cheating: A mix of higher and lower stakes assessments, integrated throughout the course, provides diverse assessment opportunities and can act as a deterrent to academic dishonesty by emphasizing continuous learning and understanding.
Benefits for Teaching and Learning
Quick Check transforms how instructors and students interact with course material and assessments.
| Benefit for Instructors | Benefit for Students |
|---|---|
| Gain immediate insights into student comprehension | Receive instant feedback on understanding |
| Offer diverse and frequent assessment opportunities | Reinforce learning through practice |
| Easily monitor progress and identify learning gaps | Reduce anxiety with low-stakes, informal checks |
| Adapt teaching strategies based on real-time data | Actively engage with content through embedded questions |
This approach helps instructors get to know their students' work better by observing their performance on smaller, more frequent tasks, leading to more tailored instruction.
Practical Applications and Examples
Quick Check can be utilized in various scenarios to reinforce learning and gather formative data:
- Reading Comprehension: After students complete a reading assignment on a Canvas page, embed a Quick Check to ask a few questions about the main ideas or key terms.
- Video Lecture Engagement: During a long video lecture, pause the video at key points to insert a Quick Check question, ensuring students are processing the information as they watch.
- Concept Checks: Following the explanation of a new, complex concept, use a Quick Check to quickly assess if students grasped the fundamental principles before moving on.
- Pre-requisite Knowledge Assessment: At the beginning of a new module, a Quick Check can gauge students' prior knowledge, helping instructors tailor their introduction or review.
How Quick Check Enhances Assessment Strategy
Quick Check complements a comprehensive assessment strategy by providing a balance to traditional high-stakes exams. It emphasizes the process of learning rather than just the outcome, creating a continuous feedback loop. This blend of assessment types helps cultivate an environment where students feel more supported in their learning journey and instructors have a clearer picture of their students' progress. Learn more about Canvas assessments and their integration options on the official Canvas Guides.
