Respondus
This software integrates with the Learning Management System (LMS) allowing you to create quizzes, self-tests and surveys in a stand-alone application (Microsoft Word for instance) on your Windows computer. (not currently available for Mac). After having created an assessment, you can upload it directly into a course, or to multiple courses, bypassing the need to create the quiz in the LMS.
The university currently holds a site-wide license enabling any faculty member who wants full access to download the software.
Quite a few faculty use Respondus instead of creating question databases and assessments manually in the LMS systems itself, preferring to upload the completed assessment from Respondus to LMS in one go.
Respondus has the heaviest concentration of users in the Masters of Science in Global Leadership program, but has other users across campus as well.
Anecdotal evidence from various professors report that Respondus is less cumbersome to use than the quiz tool and question database in the LMS. Other faculty have mentioned that they have found little difference with the exception of saving time.
It seems a matter of personal preference, though the majority of professors who have tried it prefer it over the built-in quiz tool.
Advantages cited for Respondus:
- The interface is similar to Word and other word processing applications
- The assessment is saved as a file on your own computer vs. the server
- It is easy to upload a single quiz to multiple courses
- There are fewer steps in the process
Disadvantages cited for Respondus:
- The question database in the LMS is less intuitively organized by using Respondus
"Building assessments in WebCT can be a tedious, complicated process. Respondus makes assessment creation easy and quick. It is well worth the investment and is not difficult to learn and use.”
-Sam Chung, Assistant Director, Distance Education: Master of Science in Global Leadership,
USD School of Business Administration
- Log on to WebCT
- Go to the CE RESOURCES - & TRAINING FOR DESIGNERS & INSTRUCTORS
- Click on the link in the center of the page “Integrated Instructional Technologies”
- Click on Respondus
- Download the following:
There are several places to get help:
- CE RESOURCES - & TRAINING FOR DESIGNERS & INSTRUCTORS Course on CE
- Respondus.com:
- Demos (http://www.respondus.com/products/demos.shtml)
- Quick Start Guide (http://www.respondus.com/products/quickstart.shtml)
- and of course, our own iTeam
Contact the iTeam
We're here to help!
Phone: 619.260.7400
Email: iTeam@sandiego.edu
In person: 194-196 Maher Hall
