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Study Canvas hot spot questions and build quizzes from your notes

DeckOwl turns your PDFs, slides and notes into practice questions with explanations. It does not build image click questions, so this page covers how hot spot items work in Canvas and how to write the text-based quizzes around them.

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How Canvas hot spot questions work

Canvas hot spot quiz questions ask students to click a region on an image instead of choosing text from a list. The instructor uploads a diagram, map or photo, then marks the correct area, and the response is scored by whether the click lands inside that area. Canvas offers this item type in New Quizzes, while Classic Quizzes uses the standard text-based types.

Choose New Quizzes if you want the Hot Spot item type in Canvas.
Use clearly labeled images so each correct area is unambiguous.
Pair an image-based item with a text question that asks students to explain the answer.
Check your course's quiz engine before you plan hot spot items across a whole unit.

Example Canvas hot spot quiz questions

In a Canvas hot spot question, what does the student do to answer?The student clicks a spot on an image, and the answer is marked correct only if the click falls inside the area the instructor defined.

Which Canvas quiz engine includes a Hot Spot item type?New Quizzes includes it, while Classic Quizzes does not, so check which engine your course uses before planning image-based items.

What kind of content suits a Canvas hot spot question?Labeled diagrams, maps and anatomy images where students must locate a structure, because the item tests recognition of a place rather than a written definition.

What makes a hot spot image easy for students to read?Clear labels, good contrast and separated parts keep the target area unambiguous, so students are not unsure which region to click.

How do you add an image to a New Quizzes hot spot item?Upload the image in the item editor and select the correct area on it, and the saved region is used to score each student click.

Generate the full set

Multiple-choice and true/false

Generate questions with four options or true/false statements, each with an explanation for the correct answer.

Short-answer questions

Create open questions that check whether students can explain a concept in their own words.

Export for your LMS

Paid plans export to PDF and DOCX, and the Pro plan adds QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML for import into learning platforms.

How it works

Upload your material

Add a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text file or a photo of a page.

Generate questions

Choose multiple-choice, true/false or short-answer format and review each question and its explanation.

Study or export

Practice in the browser on the free plan, or export the set on a paid plan to use in your course.

Because a hot spot item depends on a clear image, it works best for labeled diagrams and maps where a student must locate a structure. For terms that need a written definition or a reasoned answer, a multiple-choice or short-answer question is usually the better fit. DeckOwl can write those text questions from your own notes, so you can pair them with the image item for a fuller check.

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Frequently asked questions

Can DeckOwl create Canvas hot spot questions?

No, DeckOwl writes multiple-choice, true/false and short-answer questions with explanations, not image click questions. You can build hot spot items directly in Canvas New Quizzes and use DeckOwl for the text-based questions around them.

What makes an image suitable for a hot spot question?

The image should be sharp, clearly labeled and free of other areas that could be mistaken for the correct target. Diagrams where students must locate one structure, region or part work better than images that need a long written explanation.

Which export formats are available on each plan?

The Plus plan at $39 per year or $7.99 per month exports to PDF and DOCX, along with Anki and CSV. The Pro plan at $14.99 per month adds QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML export.

How do I set up a hot spot item in New Quizzes?

Add a new item, choose the Hot Spot type, upload your image and select the correct area on it. Save the item and preview it as a student would before publishing.

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Keep exploring the topic

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