D2L Brightspace Tips: Bulk Randomize Answer Order Workaround
For multiple choice or multiple select questions in D2L, it is possible to randomize the order of the answer choices. However, this must be done individually while creating or editing each question. It is not possible to specify this option in the question import CSV file and there is currently no bulk action to randomize answer order for several questions at once within the D2L interface. Nevertheless, it is possible to export the questions from D2L and change the shuffle option for all questions using Find and Replace in a text editor. Then the questions can be re-imported back into D2L.
This find and replace workaround can also be used to edit the text of multiple questions at once. Similar steps can be used to change an orphaned question pool within a quiz into a section so that the questions can be added to the Question Library and used in other quizzes.
Bulk Randomize Answer Order for Multiple Choice / Multiple Select Questions
- After adding the questions to your Question Library, go to Course Admin and Import / Export / Copy Components
- Choose Export as Brightspace Package and click Start
- Check the box next to Question Library, choose Select individual items to export, and click Continue
- Check the section or questions to export and click Continue
- Click Export and download the zip file when it is ready
- Unzip the zip file and open the questiondb.xml file in a text/code editor, such as Sublime or BBEdit
- Find all instances of render_choice shuffle="no" and Replace them with render_choice shuffle="yes"
- Save the questiondb.xml file and compress the D2LExport folder back into a zip file
- On Windows, right-click on the folder and choose Send to and Compressed (zipped) folder
- On a Mac, right-click on the folder and choose Compress
- Return to your Question Library in D2L and click Import
- Choose Upload a File and upload the new zip file you created
- After checking the new questions to ensure that answer order shuffle has been enabled, delete the original questions from the Question Library
Direct link to video, with transcript widget
Thanks to S L at the Brightspace Community for this workaround.