What's new in STACK? MoodleMoot DACH 2026

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#What's new in STACK?
## MoodleMoot DACH 2026
### Andreas Steiger, ETH Zürich
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  ## STACK?
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This presentation will assume a basic familiarity with STACK. If you don't know STACK:

STACK is a Moodle question type, using a computer algebra system for displaying questions and evaluating student answers

- Mostly used for mathematics, also other STEM disciplines

- Various input types: Algebraic text in various forms, checkboxes, radio buttons, drop downs, graphical input

- Sophisticated randomization tools

- Multi-part questions, programmable feedback and scoring

- Question tests for QA

- Everything is deterministic
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  ## STACK?
  ## API
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# STACK API

It is now possible to run STACK through an API instead of Moodle / ILIAS

- Run STACK standalone as a Docker container

- Pro: Do whatever you want with it, wherever

- Con: There is no LMS!

- Demo: [PreTeXt integration](https://pretextbook.org/examples/sample-article/html/section-stack.html)
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  ## STACK?
  ## API
  ## Q Library
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# STACK Question Library

STACK now ships with a library of existing questions

- When authoring a new question, import a question from the library instead

- Now more than 4,000 questions available

- Contains tech demos, sample questions, actual assessment questions, and much more

- Allows much quicker and easier authoring
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  ## STACK?
  ## API
  ## Q Library
  ## Parsons
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# Parson's problems input type

STACK introduced Parson's problems as an input type

- TL;DR: Multi-column drag and drop

- Put items into the correct bucket

- Can assess with or without respect for item order

- Well established didactical tool for algorithms, can be used for many other things

- Demo
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  ## STACK?
  ## API
  ## Q Library
  ## Parsons
  ## Various
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# Various improvements

STACK improved various smaller parts:

- Introduced TODO blocks

- Redesigned response analysis page

- Libraries for generating linear algebra problems

- Added sticky footer and more helpful links

- Allowed saving broken questions

- Allowed direct XML edits (copy and paste your PRTs!)

- Question dashboard redesign

- Included data and functions for chemistry

- More flexible question tests

- And much more!
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.left-column[
  ## STACK?
  ## API
  ## Q Library
  ## Parsons
  ## Various
  ## Gitsync
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# Storing questions in a Git repository

STACK power users often have huge question libraries and like to share

- MoodleMoot DACH 2023: Wrote `qbank_importasversion` plugin

- What is the best way to share text files / code like MoodleXML? Git!

- `qbank_gitsync` enables synchronizing question banks with a git repository

- Connects through a web service, depends on `qbank_importasversion`

- Share and edit questions in whatever way you want!
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  ## STACK?
  ## API
  ## Q Library
  ## Parsons
  ## Various
  ## Gitsync
  ## Community
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# STACK Community

STACK has a very active community, you are welcome to join!

- [Online chat community](https://stack-assessment.zulipchat.com/) on Zulip

- STACK users write [case studies on their usage](https://stack-assessment.org/CaseStudies/)

- Yearly international community meeting, [2026 edition is taking place soon in Kenya](https://stack-assessment.org/Events/2026-07-27-Conf-2026/)
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