Overview
CU Boulder educators currently have access to two video quiz tools that can be used in Canvas Studio:
- Canvas Studio has a built-in video quiz functionality that allows for creating basic video quizzes.
- PlayPosit is an interactive video tool that allows instructors to layer quiz questions and text prompts over video content in Canvas Studio. Quizzes created using PlayPosit allow for a more robust in-video quizzing experience; however, they also require more time investment to create, since PlayPosit is a separate tool that instructors need to use to add video questions to Canvas Studio content.
Limitations of Canvas Studio Video Quizzes
Quizzes created using Canvas Studio currently allow for unlimited submissions, without the option to limit the number of times a student may submit their answers. Additionally, Canvas Studio video quizzes will use the highest-scoring submission as the overall grade.
Canvas has addressed these concerns in their 2025 roadmap. By the second quarter of 2025, Canvas will implement the following changes for Canvas Studio:
- Educators will be able to limit on the number of attempts students can make on video quizzes.
- With new question types and an improved video quiz builder, teachers will create more engaging video content for students.
Use Cases for Canvas Studio and PlayPosit Quiz Features
In the meantime, we recommend using Canvas Studio video quizzes when the assessment would be for formative purposes (like a practice quiz), rather than being weighted as part of the student's overall grade.
For video quizzes that an instructor would like to use for summative purposes, we recommend using the PlayPosit integration with Canvas Studio. PlayPosit allows the instructor to limit the number of attempts a student can take per quiz, while also providing more demanding question types.
Differences Between Canvas Studio and PlayPosit Quiz Features
The chart below overviews the current differences between Canvas Studio and PlayPosit video quizzes. Note that to use PlayPosit, you need to first upload your media content into Canvas Studio.
| Feature | Canvas Studio | PlayPosit |
|---|---|---|
| Required skill level | Basic | Advanced |
| Incorporates Quiz results into Gradebook | Yes - Automatically | Yes - Automatically or can manually sync from PlayPosit |
| Able to prevent multiple submissions | No | Yes |
| Quiz question types available | Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer, True/False | Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer, True/False, Free Response, Fill in the Blank, and more |
Resources
If you would like a quick demonstration of how to create a Canvas Studio or PlayPosit video quiz, please watch these videos:
- How to create a video quiz for Canvas Studio
For more information, please see How do I Create a Canvas Studio video quiz? - How to create a video quiz for PlayPosit
For more information, please see Building a Bulb in PlayPosit 3.0: Insert Interactions. To learn more about the Canvas Studio integration in PlayPosit, see Integrating PlayPosit within Canvas.
For more guidance on Canvas Studio or PlayPosit, please visit the Academic Technology Training page, where you can view on-demand trainings or request a one-on-one meeting with an Academic Technology Consultant.
