Data Table Questions support multiple cell types: text input, checkboxes, and tally marks. all within the same table.
When to use Data Table Questions
Data table questions work well for:- Completing multiplication tables or times tables
- Filling in data from graphs or experiments
- Recording observations in a structured format
- Pattern completion activities
- Surveys and data collection exercises
- Tally chart completion
Settings
Display settings
When enabled, the first row is visually highlighted as a header row.
When enabled, the first column is visually highlighted as a label column.
Cell configuration
Each cell in the table can be configured individually:The type of content in each cell:
- Text: Text content or text input field
- Checkbox: A checkable box for yes/no or true/false responses
- Tally marks: Tally mark input for counting activities
When enabled, the cell becomes an input field that learners must complete.
Alignment of text within the cell: left, center, or right.
Text cell options (when cell type is text)
How text responses are marked:
- Flexible: Handles variations in capitalisation, spacing, and formatting
- Exact: Requires an exact character-by-character match
Placeholder text displayed in empty input cells.
Text displayed before the input field.
Text displayed after the input field.
Creating a Data Table Question
To create a data table question:- Set up your table structure (rows and columns)
- Configure each cell: set its type and whether it’s an input
- Add content to non-input cells (headers, labels, fixed values)
- For input cells, set the correct answer(s)
Answer and Marking
Each input cell is marked independently:- Text cells: Compared against accepted answers using the selected marking type
- Checkbox cells: Must match the expected checked/unchecked state
- Tally marks cells: Must show the correct number of tally marks
Response settings
Determines when the question is considered complete:
- Correct: The learner must answer correctly to proceed.
- Answered: Any response is accepted; correctness isn’t required.
- Optional: The learner can skip the question entirely.
The number of attempts the learner can make before the question is locked (0–3). Set to 0 for unlimited attempts.
The experience points awarded for answering the question correctly (0–10).
Tips for teachers and parents
Best practices:- Use header highlighting to make tables easier to read
- Keep tables to a reasonable size; very large tables can be overwhelming
- Use prefixes and suffixes for units (e.g., ”$” or “cm”) to provide context
- For times tables, leave strategic cells empty to test specific facts
- Mix cell types when appropriate (e.g., text for names, tally marks for counting)
- Add multiple accepted answers for cells where variations are valid