Learning should be fun; this also applies to continuing education for adults. In e-learning, you achieve this by using many different methods. In this article, you will find out why quizzes and short tests in particular make sense.
That is why quizzes are so helpful in e-learning
Back in school, we regularly took class tests and short vocabulary quizzes, and for good reason:
You prove your knowledge and show what you have learned.
At the same time, you test yourself and see where your weaknesses lie.
The fear of big exams is reduced through repeated test situations.
Knowledge must be tested regularly so that it really solidifies. Repetition and application are THE success factors for keeping what you have learned in your head. The same applies to e-learning. Of course, you have to pay attention to a few things here, as the learning process takes place completely online:
The first impression counts, even in an online course! Pick up your participants right from the start and design your first content to be appealing – through a personal approach and good structure.
Ensure motivated participants by involving managers, for example. A supportive executive floor makes it clear that continuing education is important.
Tap into your participants' playful nature and motivate them with short quizzes – very much in the spirit of gamification.
💡 Quizzes are a simple gamification element because they combine knowledge checks with playful interaction and actively involve participants in the learning process.Also, focus on regular exchange with your participants by conducting short surveys.
Offer them added value and reward your participants with a certificate of participation.
Using quizzes, exams & surveys in e-learning with blink.it
Basically, at blink.it we distinguish between quizzes, exams, and surveys. This allows you to integrate a wide variety of online tests into your e-learning courses. Here is a little guide on when to use what best:
Quiz: Independent knowledge check of the participants
A quiz is used to repeat what has already been learned or to check the level of knowledge before a new learning unit. It is the most playful form of assessment.
Exam: Mandatory test at the end of an e-learning course
The exam proves the acquired knowledge of your course participants and provides proof of participation in the course. It can be passed or failed.
Survey: Voluntary participation to capture feedback
The survey helps you as a course instructor to gather information and opinions, and allows participants to contribute to the e-learning. Use them especially at the beginning and at the end of your course.
These question types are available for quizzes with blink.it
Depending on which quiz format you want to use and which content you are testing, different question types are suitable. You can implement the following questions with blink.it:
Tip: To find out which quiz to use when in e-learning, read the blog article "How to succeed with interactive online accompaniment".
1. Free-text questions
Question type description: For open-ended questions with no fixed answer options, free-text questions are suitable. This allows your participants to formulate the answer themselves and gives them all the necessary freedom for complex questions. This question format can be used well for surveys in addition to quizzes.
Example of a free-text question with blink.it:
2. Multiple- and single-choice questions
Question type description: For questions with predefined answer options, you can specify whether one or more answers are correct. Define whether your participants can select multiple answers or if there is only one correct solution. This allows you to query opinions or solid knowledge with multiple- or single-choice questions.
Example of a multiple/single-choice question with blink.it:
3. Scale questions
Question type description: Scale questions are suitable for assessing tendencies. Participants can decide for themselves which answer they tend to agree with or which answer they tend to reject. Keep in mind that as a course instructor, you have the choice of whether there is a neutral answer in the middle or not: for example, in the sample question, there is this neutral option due to the odd number of points.
Example of a scale question with blink.it:
4. Drag-and-drop questions
Question type description: The most playful question format comes last: with "Drag and Drop", your participants are asked to assign statements or answers to a corresponding statement. Just like a puzzle, your participants drag the correct answer into the corresponding box. Optional dummy answers make this question format particularly challenging.
Example of a drag-and-drop question with blink.it:
These different quiz questions can be combined in any way you like. Get creative and design your quizzes exactly to match your e-learning!
5 tips for successful quizzes in e-learning
1. Ask challenging questions that are still answerable
Your questions should be neither too easy nor too difficult, challenging participants but not overwhelming them. Don't get hung up on the wording, after all, it's about the content.
2. Make quizzes exciting and diverse
Don't just repeat what has been learned in your e-learning, but make participants curious for more. Transfer tasks, where participants have to think for themselves and apply knowledge, are particularly suitable for this.
3. Always provide your participants with the correct answer
You should always resolve incorrect answers so that the participants ultimately really remember the right thing. This applies especially to multiple-choice answers, where the answers may differ only minimally. The exception here, of course, is surveys where there is no right or wrong.
4. Involve employees and let experts ask the questions
Use expertise and involve experts to ask exciting questions even on complex topics. Sometimes it's the little details that your experts can work out much better.
5. Refer to a maximum of one learning content per question
The principle of microlearning also applies to questions. You should only cover one topic per question. For complex topics, it is better to ask multiple questions so that your participants always know what they are referring to.
Conclusion
Quizzes not only make e-learning more interactive, but also support sustainable learning when they allow knowledge to be regularly activated, applied, and consolidated.
Instead of relying solely on one big final exam, you can distribute short knowledge checks targeted throughout the entire course. Different question types provide variety and allow participants to repeatedly check their own level of knowledge.
Quizzes can be combined particularly well with microlearning: short learning units and corresponding knowledge questions mesh directly and turn pure knowledge transfer into an active learning process.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Why are quizzes in e-learning so effective?
Quizzes promote the active recall of knowledge and help learners to anchor content in the long term. At the same time, participants receive direct feedback on their level of knowledge and can identify their own comprehension gaps more quickly.
When are quiz, exam, or survey suitable in an online course?
Quizzes are suitable for playful knowledge checks during the learning process. Exams serve as binding proof of performance at the end of a course. Surveys help to gather opinions, expectations, or feedback from the participants.
Which quiz question types ensure varied knowledge checks?
Combinations of free-text questions, multiple-choice tasks, scale questions, and drag-and-drop exercises are particularly varied. Different question types stimulate different cognitive processes and keep learners' attention high.
How can quizzes be combined meaningfully with microlearning?
Short quiz questions fit perfectly with small learning units in the microlearning style. Instead of a single large final exam, knowledge and understanding are regularly checked in small steps, making learning more continuous and motivating.
