Retrieving questions from D2L Brightspace Quizzes

Learn how to export a Brightspace quiz as a QTI file and import it into Respondus 4.0. This method is helpful when direct LMS retrieval fails. The guide includes step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and FAQs for a smooth transfer process.

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Introduction:

Instructors may need to export quiz content from Brightspace and import it into Respondus for editing, formatting, or printing purposes. While direct retrieval using Respondus is preferred, authentication issues can occur. As an alternative, you can export your quiz from Brightspace in QTI format and then import it into Respondus.

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. 1. Log into Brightspace and navigate to the course with the quiz you want to export.
2. 2. On the course navbar, click on Course Admin.
3. 3. Under Site Resources, select Import/Export/Copy Components.
4. 
5. 4. Choose Export as Brightspace Package and click Start.
6. 
7. 5.In the Select Components to Export section:
   • Check Quizzes
   • Choose Select individual items to export
   • Click Continue
8. 
9. 6. Expand the list of quizzes and select the quiz you want to export.
10. 
11. 7. Click Continue, then on the next screen click Export.
12. 
13. 8. After processing, Brightspace will notify you via Update Alerts (bell icon) when the file is ready.
14. 
15. 9. Download the ZIP package to your computer.
16. 

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Step-By-Step Instructions for Importing to Respondus:

1. 1. Extract the ZIP file to a folder on your computer.
2. 
3. 2. Open Respondus 4.0.
4. 3. Under the Start tab, set Current Personality to IMS QTI.
5. 
6. 4. Click Import Questions.
7. 5. Set the file type to QTI questions (.xml, .qti).
   • Browse to the extracted folder and select the quiz_d2l_XXXXX.xml file.
8. 6. Select the "Create a new document named: "
   • from Type of file to create, choose Exam.
9. 7. Complete the import process and save the file in Respondus by selecting the Preview button and Finish.
   • After clicking Finish you will be directed you to the editor page.
10. 
11. 8. If needed, switch back to D2L Brightspace personality in Respondus for publishing or formatting.

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Troubleshooting Tips:

• • Quiz doesn’t appear in Respondus after import
  • Make sure you selected the correct .xml file (e.g., quiz_d2l_XXXXX.xml) and not a metadata or manifest file. Double-check that you selected the IMS QTI personality before importing.
• • Quiz appears blank or errors during import
  • The quiz may contain random sections or question pools, which are not supported in standard QTI format. Try creating a version of the quiz without those elements in Brightspace before exporting.
• • Respondus won’t connect to Brightspace via Retrieval
  • This may be due to institutional Single Sign-On (SSO) or MFA settings. In that case, use the QTI export method outlined in this guide instead.
• • Import fails with XML error
  • Ensure the zip file was fully extracted before importing. Only use the .xml file inside the unzipped folder – do not try to import the .zip directly.
• • Quiz formatting looks off in Respondus
  • Once imported, use Respondus's Edit tab to clean up formatting, especially for images or LaTeX. Some styling may not fully carry over from Brightspace.

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Additional Resources:

• • Retrieving questions from D2L Brightspace Quizzes | Respondus Support
• • About Import/Export/Copy Components | D2L Brightspace Community
• • Export course components | D2L Brightspace Community
• • Respondus 4.0 Test Generator | COLTT KB Articles

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FAQ Section:

• • Q: Can I retrieve multiple quizzes at once into Respondus?
  • ​​​​​​​A: No. Brightspace only allows you to export one quiz at a time if you want the question breakdown. To import multiple quizzes, repeat the export/import process for each one.
• •Q: What happens to images and multimedia in quiz questions?
  • ​​​​​​​A: Some media files (e.g., images or audio) may not import properly into Respondus. Check the extracted quiz folder for media files and reinsert them manually if needed.
• • Q: Why can’t I import random questions or question pools?
  • ​​​​​​​A: Respondus does not support importing randomized sections or pools via QTI. You’ll need to recreate a flat version of your quiz with individual questions and export that.
• • Q: Can I reimport the edited quiz back into Brightspace?
  • A: Yes, once edited, switch Respondus’s personality back to D2L Brightspace, and use the Publish to Brightspace option to send it directly into your course (if LMS authentication allows).