Moodle

Make the truefalse question type work better in the presence of the multilang filter

Details

  • Type: Improvement Improvement
  • Status: Closed Closed
  • Priority: Minor Minor
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • Affects Version/s: 1.8.2, 2.0.1
  • Fix Version/s: 2.1
  • Component/s: Questions
  • Labels:
  • Environment:
    W2003 Server; MySQL 5.0.45; PHP 5.2.4
  • Affected Branches:
    MOODLE_18_STABLE, MOODLE_20_STABLE
  • Fixed Branches:
    MOODLE_21_STABLE

Description

Follow the following steps:
1) Create a true/false type question in English and save it
2) Change to a language other than English and preview/add the question to a quiz.
3) The words "True" and "False" proposed as possible answers to the question are not translated in the selected language.

Issue Links

Activity

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Tim Hunt added a comment -

The true-false question type intentionally works the way it does.

It was implemented a long time ago, before the multilang filter existed. So at the time, it made sense for the words true and false in the question to be stored in the language of the teacher who created the question, because presumably that was the same language as the question text.

Now, of course, the situation has changed, and we probably need a better solution. However, it is not immediately clear to me what the right solution is. For teachers who don't bother with the multilang filter, the old behaviour is better. And what if a teacher sets up a question with the questiontext available in English and French, and then a German student comes along. Which language should they see the words true and false in?

So before anything else can be done, someone needs to sit down a work out what the correct behaviour is in all situations (a page attached to http://docs.moodle.org/en/Developer_notes would be a good place to do that).

As a work-around, you can always use a multiple-choice question with two choices.

Show
Tim Hunt added a comment - The true-false question type intentionally works the way it does. It was implemented a long time ago, before the multilang filter existed. So at the time, it made sense for the words true and false in the question to be stored in the language of the teacher who created the question, because presumably that was the same language as the question text. Now, of course, the situation has changed, and we probably need a better solution. However, it is not immediately clear to me what the right solution is. For teachers who don't bother with the multilang filter, the old behaviour is better. And what if a teacher sets up a question with the questiontext available in English and French, and then a German student comes along. Which language should they see the words true and false in? So before anything else can be done, someone needs to sit down a work out what the correct behaviour is in all situations (a page attached to http://docs.moodle.org/en/Developer_notes would be a good place to do that). As a work-around, you can always use a multiple-choice question with two choices.
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Przemyslaw Stencel added a comment -

I think the language of the words for "true" and "false" should be the current language for the user. In other words, they should not be treated as part of the question, but as part of the moodle interface. The text "choose one answer" in multiple-choice questions behaves like that and it looks logical to me.

Show
Przemyslaw Stencel added a comment - I think the language of the words for "true" and "false" should be the current language for the user. In other words, they should not be treated as part of the question, but as part of the moodle interface. The text "choose one answer" in multiple-choice questions behaves like that and it looks logical to me.
Hide
Tim Hunt added a comment -

What you say sounds sensible, but what about the situation at an English school, where the teacher of a French language class wants to create a quiz with true-false questions with the answers in French?

Show
Tim Hunt added a comment - What you say sounds sensible, but what about the situation at an English school, where the teacher of a French language class wants to create a quiz with true-false questions with the answers in French?
Hide
Julien Dehaese added a comment -

The situation you evoke Tim seems to me a particular case. If I were a French teacher at an English school, I would want the French course to force the French language for the interface and have the pupils choose between "Vrai/Faux" and not "True/False".
Indeed, language teachers usually tend to have the good habit of making sure the language they teach is spread as much as possible to the sight and ears of their pupils.
I fully support P. Stencel comment in that regards.

Show
Julien Dehaese added a comment - The situation you evoke Tim seems to me a particular case. If I were a French teacher at an English school, I would want the French course to force the French language for the interface and have the pupils choose between "Vrai/Faux" and not "True/False". Indeed, language teachers usually tend to have the good habit of making sure the language they teach is spread as much as possible to the sight and ears of their pupils. I fully support P. Stencel comment in that regards.
Hide
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment -

If the translation of 'true false' is choosen by the current language a teacher can decide which language is used by the language setting for the course.. This is what he/she did normally.

Show
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment - If the translation of 'true false' is choosen by the current language a teacher can decide which language is used by the language setting for the course.. This is what he/she did normally.
Hide
Helen Foster added a comment -

Just adding a link to a recent discussion about this issue http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=158846

Show
Helen Foster added a comment - Just adding a link to a recent discussion about this issue http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=158846
Hide
Tim Hunt added a comment -

Already fixed in the question engine rewrite.

Show
Tim Hunt added a comment - Already fixed in the question engine rewrite.
Hide
Helen Foster added a comment -

Great! Thanks for the update Tim.

Show
Helen Foster added a comment - Great! Thanks for the update Tim.
Hide
Tim Hunt added a comment -

Fixed in 2.1 dev now that MDL-20636 has been integrated.

Show
Tim Hunt added a comment - Fixed in 2.1 dev now that MDL-20636 has been integrated.

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Dates

  • Created:
    Updated:
    Resolved: