Importing TestGen Publisher Testbanks Into Canvas Courses

If you use a publisher that provides testbanks for the textbook you are using for your course, and you wish to import them into your Canvas course, you will want to look to see if the publisher has an option to download the testbanks in TestGen format. If so, download the TestGen formatted testbank.

You will need to download and install the TestGen software, which is available for Windows and Mac. This application is not compatible with our Software Center. So, if you are installing it on your personal computer, you can download and install it from this page, but if you are on a college provided computer, you will need to contact the Technology Assistance Center to get it installed. Once you have TestGen installed and the TestGen testbank file downloaded, you can proceed with the steps below.

Using TestGen To Create Exams or Item Banks

Locate the TestGen zip file you downloaded from the publisher's site and double-click on it to unzip it.
You will see a file with a .BOK extension. Double-click on that and it should open within the TestGen software.
On the right side of the window, click on "Web Test" in the Create New section.
Check the box next to Blackboard 6.x-9.x and click Ok.
On the left side of the application, click on the plus to the left of the textbook name and the chapters should open up below the title.
You can use this software in one of two ways:
- Create a Canvas Item Bank that has all of the questions available for an individual chapter.
  - This option will allow you to build your quizzes and exams from all of the available questions in the chapter and even use functions in Canvas to create question pools so the students each get a different exam.
    1. For this option, simply click and drag a single chapter by its heading from the left side of the page and drop it on the right side of the page.
    2. It will give you a warning that you are about to copy 132 questions (or however many there are). Click Ok.
    3. After a moment, you will see the questions filled in in the right pane.
- Create an actual exam by picking and choosing the questions you want in TestGen and importing the resulting file as a complete quiz or exam in Canvas.
  - This option is less flexible with regards to options you will have in Canvas (no question pools or building the exam within Canvas).
    1. For this option, click on the plus next to the chapter you want to pull from, and then drill down into the question type section you wish to pull from.
    2. Drag individual questions to the right side of the window until you have all of the questions you want in this quiz or exam.
Click anywhere in the right pane of the application.
Click on File > Export.
Select the option that says QTI (Canvas) and click Ok.
A window will appear asking where you want to save the file and to give it a name. Select a folder to save it in and give it an appropriate name. Once that is done, click Save.
It'll show a "busy" window. Once that goes away, you can proceed to the next chapter or exam, if you choose.

Importing Your Newly Created TestGen Files Into Canvas As An Item Bank

Navigate to your course in Canvas and click on Item Banks.
Click the + Bank button.
Give the Item Bank an appropriate name, such as Chapter 1.
Check the box that says "Share with <course name>".
Click Create Bank.
Click on your new Item Bank. If you don't see it, you can use the Filter By dropdown and select This Course.
Click on the three dots in the upper, right corner of the page and click on Import Content.
Click Browse, navigate to the zip files you exported from TestGen earlier, and double-click on the one that should be in this Item Bank.
Click the Import button.
Once it is done importing, click Done.
Follow the same steps to import any additional TestGen created Item Banks.

Importing Your Newly Created TestGen Files Into Canvas As A Quiz

Navigate to your course in Canvas and click on Quizzes.
Click the + Quiz button to create a new quiz.
Give the quiz a name, adjust the points, due dates, etc, and click Build.
In the Build screen, click on the three dots in the upper, right corner of the page and click on Import Content.
Click on Browse, navigate to the zip files you exported from TestGen earlier, and double-click on the one for this quiz.
Click Import.
When it is done importing, click Done.
Follow the same process to import any other TestGen created quizzes.