Update and add docs based on MIT review

source/educators/concepts/advanced_features/about_content_experiments.rst

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ About Content Experiments
 .. tags:: educator, concept
 
 
-You use content experiments to show different course content to different groups of learners. Also known as "A/B tests" or "split tests", content experiments enable you to research and compare the performance of learners in different groups to gain insight into the relative effectiveness of your course content.
+Content experiments enable showing different course content to different groups of learners. Also known as “A/B tests” or “split tests”, content experiments allow an instructor or researcher to compare the performance or engagement of learners in different groups. This function also enables per-unit randomization for other purposes such as the assessment of learning. See :ref:`Randomize Units for Assessment (Exams)`.
 
 If your course uses content experiments, the grade report that you generate from the instructor dashboard includes a column identifying the experiment group that each learner has been assigned to. For more information, see :ref:`Guide to the Grade Report`.
 
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ To determine the available groupings of learners, you set up group configuration
 
 You then select which group configuration to use when you add a content experiment :ref:`using Studio <Create a Content Experiment>` or :ref:`Add a Content Experiment in OLX`.
 
+.. note::
+
+  To see a research use case of the content experiment, view `The Effect of Course Content Position on Student Attempts of Practice Problems in Introductory Biology <https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8534635>`_.
+
+
 .. seealso::
 
  :ref:`About Group Configurations` (concept)
@@ -54,10 +59,12 @@ You then select which group configuration to use when you add a content experime
 
  :ref:`Experiment Group Configurations` (reference)
 
+ :ref:`Randomize Units for Assessment (Exams)` (how-to)
+
 **Maintenance chart**
 
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
 | Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
-|              |                               |                |                                |
+| 2025-03-19   | Docs WG                       | Sumac          |  Pass                          |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+

source/educators/how-tos/advanced_features/randomize_units_for_assessment_exams.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+.. _Randomize Units for Assessment (Exams):
+
+Randomize Units for Assessment (Exams) or Variable Content Sharing
+##################################################################
+
+Common Instructor Use Cases
+***************************
+
+Often instructors want to randomize assessments in an online setting to deter
+dishonest sharing or comparing of answers in a summative assessment. There is
+also an interest in randomizing content or assessment units that keep multiple
+problem or HTML components linked together when they share a logical flow,
+concept, or narrative. The content experiment setup solves both of these
+requests. 
+
+In this example use case, different learners encounter different versions of the
+same unit allowing multiple problem components or HTML components to stay
+together after randomization via the content experiment or split test. Each
+learner encounters a different version of each unit of the exam allowing
+exponentially different versions of the same exam. For example, in one extensive
+use case, a 25-unit exam using 4 different content experiment groups per unit
+has :math:`4^{25}` different versions if you treat each unit as an independent
+randomization from the previous unit. This scenario would have 25 content
+experiments under the settings menu → group configurations in Studio. See
+:ref:`Manage Content Experiments` (how-to). This allows for all learners to
+receive similar summative assessments testing the same learning objectives but
+not having the same exam questions and answers as any other learner.
+
+Design Strategies to Randomize Units for Assessment (Exams)
+***********************************************************
+
+Keep the overall structure and number of problems nearly identical per content
+group in one unit. Manipulate easy-to-change variables like a number in a
+calculation. For example, in biology, these variables include DNA sequence,
+amino acids, tables of data, etc. The following screenshots include group A, B,
+and C versions of the first two related genetics questions for one unit of an
+exam.
+
+Group A:
+
+.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/randomize_units_group_a.png
+  :width: 600 px
+  :align: center
+  :alt: Two biology questions, one about F2 Progeny with a data set of four crossing options, three are filled in and one is a dropdown option. The second about crossing pairs dominance, four dropdown options related to recessive traits.
+
+Group B:
+
+.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/randomize_units_group_b.png
+  :width: 600 px
+  :align: center
+  :alt: The same two biology questions, although in this iteration the F2 Progeny question uses a different data set. The second question is the same as Group A.
+
+Group C:
+
+.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/randomize_units_group_c.png
+  :width: 600 px
+  :align: center
+  :alt: The same two biology questions, although in this iteration the F2 Progeny question uses a third data set. The second question asks about dominant, rather than recessive, traits.
+
+
+This randomization strategy in combination with using the the Open edX features
+of not showing problem correctness and timed exam has an evidence-based
+reduction in cheating signals in an open online course setting. See `"The
+effects of assessment design on academic dishonesty, learner engagement, and
+certification rates in MOOCs"
+<https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcal.12733>`_.
+
+.. seealso::
+
+   :ref:`About Content Experiments` (concept)
+
+   :ref:`About Group Configurations` (concept)
+
+   :ref:`Guidelines for Modifying Group Configurations` (reference)
+
+   :ref:`Manage Content Experiments` (how-to)
+
+   :ref:`Add a Content Experiment in OLX` (how-to)
+
+   :ref:`Set Up Group Configuration for OLX Courses` (how-to)
+
+   :ref:`Test Content Experiments` (how-to)
+
+   :ref:`Experiment Group Configurations` (reference)
+
+
++--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
+| Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
++--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
+| 2025-03-19   | Docs WG                       | Sumac          |  Pass                          |
++--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+

source/educators/how-tos/course_development/exercise_tools/add_dropdown.rst

@@ -5,9 +5,19 @@ Add a Dropdown Problem
 
 .. tags:: educator, how-to
 
+.. contents::
+  :local:
+  :depth: 2
+
+Overview
+********
+
 .. youtube:: e6HxKo18_xE
 
-You add dropdown problems in Studio by selecting the **Problem** component.
+Adding a Basic Dropdown Problem
+*******************************
+
+To add dropdown problems in Studio, select the **Problem** component.
 In the problem editor, select the **Dropdown** option. Fill in the fields on
 this screen to create your problem.
 
@@ -64,6 +74,40 @@ You can see the OLX for the example problem from the Overview section below.
   changes you make in the advanced editor, you may not be able to cannot
   switch back to the simple editor.
 
+.. _Creating In-Line Dropdown:
+
+Creating an In-Line Dropdown Problem using the Advanced Editor
+**************************************************************
+
+To revise the previous example to an in-line question, first rewrite the
+sentence for completion. Age is a type of _ data. For inline, the OLX looks like
+the following.
+
+.. code-block:: xml
+
+  <problem>
+  Age is a type of
+    <optionresponse inline="1">
+      <optioninput inline="1" options="('Nominal','Discrete','Continuous')"
+       correct="Continuous"></optioninput>
+    </optionresponse> data.
+  </problem>
+
+.. admonition:: Tip
+
+  Do not include ``<p>`` tags to keep the in-line look of the dropdown box. The
+  resulting in-line dropdown problem is shown.
+
+  .. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/DropdownInline4.png
+    :alt: The above sentence with an in-line dropdown box with the options "Nominal", "Discrete", and "Continuous"
+    :width: 400
+
+  And what it looks like after being graded:
+
+  .. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/DropdownInline5.png
+    :alt: The in-line sentence being marked as correct. Visually, the "green check" for correctness shows up directly after the dropdown box, before the completion of the sentence.
+    :width: 400
+
 .. seealso::
 
 
@@ -81,5 +125,5 @@ You can see the OLX for the example problem from the Overview section below.
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
 | Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
-|              |                               |                |                                |
+| 2025-03-19   |  Docs WG                      |  Sumac         |  Pass                          |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+

source/educators/how-tos/course_development/exercise_tools/create_zooming_image.rst

@@ -1,36 +1,37 @@
 .. _Zooming Image:
 
-##################
-Zooming Image Tool
-##################
+Zooming Image (Dual Image) Tool
+###############################
 
 .. tags:: educator, how-to
 
-If you present information to your learners using very large or very detailed
-images, learners might not be able to clearly see all the information in the
-image. Use the zooming image tool to provide learners with the ability to zoom
-in to and enlarge selected areas of your image.
+This tool allows the instructor to overlay a subsection of one image over a
+second image. These two files can be any two image files.
+
+In the particular use case shown, the team presented two views of a biochemical
+pathway. One shows the names of molecules, and the second shows their chemical
+structure when the learner clicks on that original image. That is why the
+feature originally had the name “Zooming Image Tool”.  You could imagine other
+use cases such as a map of a region and a second image that shows data or names
+from each subsection from the first map.
 
 
 .. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/Zooming_Image.png
-  :alt: Example zooming image tool showing a chemistry exercise.
+  :alt: Example zooming image (dual image) tool showing a chemistry exercise.
 
-***********************************
-Components of a Zooming Image Tool
-***********************************
+Components of a Zooming Image (Dual Image) Tool
+***********************************************
 
-To create a zooming image tool, you need the following files.
+To create a zooming image (dual image) tool, you need the following files.
 
-* The image that you want learners to see when they access the unit.
+* The primary image that you want learners to see when they access the unit.
 
-* Optionally, an image that appears in the magnified area when a learner
-  selects the regular image. This image should be larger than the regular
-  image.
+* Secondly, an image that appears in the selected area when a learner
+  selects a point in the primary image.
 
 
-****************************
-Create a Zooming Image Tool
-****************************
+Create a Zooming Image (Dual Image) Tool
+****************************************
 
 #. In Studio, select **Content** and then select **Files & Uploads** to upload
    your regular-sized image file and, optionally, your large image file. For
@@ -90,5 +91,7 @@ Create a Zooming Image Tool
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
 | Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
-|              |                               |                |                                |
+| 2025-03-19   | Docs WG                       | Sumac          | Pass. Propose changing name to |
+|              |                               |                | "Dual Image Tool" to better    |
+|              |                               |                | reflect its actual capabilities|
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+

source/educators/navigation/advanced_features.rst

@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ Run Content Experiments
    ../how-tos/advanced_features/manage_content_experiments.rst
    ../how-tos/advanced_features/add_content_experiments_olx.rst
    ../how-tos/advanced_features/set_up_group_configuration_olx.rst
+   ../how-tos/advanced_features/randomize_units_for_assessment_exams.rst
    ../references/advanced_features/guidelines_modifying_group_configuration.rst
    ../references/advanced_features/experiment_group_configurations.rst
    ../how-tos/advanced_features/test_content_experiments.rst

source/educators/references/course_development/exercise_tools/dropdown.rst

@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 .. _Dropdown:
 
-################
 Dropdown Problem
 ################
 
 .. tags:: educator, reference
 
-The dropdown problem type is a simple problem type that can be added to any
-course. Dropdown problems include a question or prompt and
-several answer options with a single correct answer. By adding hints, feedback, or both, you can give
-learners guidance and help when they work on a problem.
+The dropdown problem type is a simple problem type that serves as another format
+for single-select problem asking. Dropdown problems include a question or prompt
+and several answer options with a single correct answer. By adding hints,
+feedback, or both, you can give learners guidance and help.
 
 .. contents::
   :local:
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@ learners guidance and help when they work on a problem.
 For more information about the simple problem types, see
 :ref:`Working with Problem Components`.
 
-********
 Overview
 ********
 
@@ -27,12 +25,12 @@ Unlike :ref:`single select<Single Select>` problems, where the answer
 choices are always visible directly below the question, the answer options for
 dropdown problems do not appear until the learner selects the dropdown arrow.
 
-Dropdown problems can only have one correct answer per question, we recommend
-adding a "Both B & C" answer where multiple selections could be correct.
+Dropdown problems can only have one correct answer per question. Use the
+:ref:`multi-select problem type <Add a Multi Select Problem>` for a scenario
+with more than one correct answer.
 
-========================
 Example Dropdown Problem
-========================
+************************
 
 In the LMS, learners select a single answer option to complete a dropdown
 problem. An example of a dropdown problem from the learner's perspective follows.
@@ -41,6 +39,31 @@ problem. An example of a dropdown problem from the learner's perspective follows
  :alt: A problem component that contains three answer choices.
  :width: 400
 
+Advanced Example: In-Line (In-Sentence) Dropdown
+************************************************
+
+With advanced editing in Studio, you can include a dropdown selection in a
+sentence or line of text. This format helps learners decide from options within
+a sentence or in-line without using long single-select choice options or
+non-ideal formatting of the dropdown problem. See the example application given.
+You can use more than one dropdown input in a sentence or section of text. You
+can also add dropdown problems within tables. For instructions, see :ref:`Creating In-Line Dropdown`.
+
+.. image:: /_images/educator_references/DropdownInline1.png
+ :alt: A sentence with two drop-down problems within the sentence: "The average likelihood of a mutation at a specific [SELECT OPTION] is 1 in 100 million [SELECT OPTION]"
+
+
+Selecting an option looks like this:
+
+.. image:: /_images/educator_references/DropdownInline2.png
+ :alt: Clicking on the first dropdown, the options "base", "gamete", and "individual" are displayed.
+
+
+And grading appears as follows:
+
+.. image:: /_images/educator_references/DropdownInline3.png
+ :alt: The in-line sentence being marked as correct. Visually, the "green check" for correctness shows up directly after the dropdown box, before the completion of the sentence.
+
 
 .. seealso::
 
@@ -58,5 +81,5 @@ problem. An example of a dropdown problem from the learner's perspective follows
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
 | Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
-|              |                               |                |                                |
+| 2025-03-19   |  Docs WG                      |  Sumac         |  Pass                          |
 +--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+