RE: Exam and other quizz products

I went through this sort of product survey when I first implemented an
online learning site about 12 months ago. There were a number of products
around, but I'm afraid that J.A.R. Williams' Exam product was the only one I
could actually get working. I've managed to integrate the product into a
CMFDefault based site using a few well-placed page templates, but this
approach still requires going into the ZMI to add and edit exams and
questions. And lets not even get into setting exam properties...

In order to combat this weakness, I had considered (and even started
writing) a CMF wrapper around the Exam product - similar to how
CMFBackTalk/BackTalk works - but the product's author told me he isn't
really interested in developing it further, and the code itself breaks a few
CMF rules by having interface code in the class methods. So all this work
would most likely lead to a dead end.

As a result, I am of the opinion that the best way forward would be to
implement a new CMF/Plone product. Since I'm using CMFDefault at the moment,
but planning a migration to Plone, I'd like to develop the product so it
works in either environment (like CMFForum). I think that rules Archetypes
out for me - please correct me if I'm wrong - but if the general consensus
is that this is the best way to go, then I would still like to be involved.
The starting point for a product which works in either Plone or plain
CMFDefault could be PloneMinimalProduct 

I think we would need to develop two general classes - a folderish 'Exam'
class and a contentish 'Question' class. Of course, there are going to
potentially be different types of questions (Multi-Choice, Multi-Answer,
Short-Answer, True-False) so I think we'd need to get a common interface
right for the questions. The easiest of all these types would be
Multi-Choice (I imagine), so maybe this would be the starting point. For
storing the answers, I've looked at modifying either NeoBoard's
NP_RatableContent.py mixin class or k_vertigo's rating tool. I've already
created a hybrid of the two which I'm using in a modified CMFForum (so it
works).

Another issue - if we include short-answer style questions, then there needs
to be provision for the teacher/tutor/lecturer to grade these answers.

Anyway, I would like to see that Wiki that Rob mentioned - and plone.org
seems to be the obvious place - but if not, maybe a freezope site? And
perhaps this product could be a part of the Plone Collective?

I look forward to further contributions.

Regards,

Anton Hughes

Data Administrator
Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Project
Menzies Centre for Population Health Research
Private Bag 23, Hobart Tasmania 7001

Email: anton.hughes-w4dW+7W4mDC6c6uEtOJ/[email protected]
Web:  http://www.menzies.utas.edu.au/cohort/CDAH.htm
Phone: +61 (0) 3 6226 7761

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If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
                -- Derek Bok, president of Harvard


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