Method and system for computer based testing using plugins to expand functionality of a test driver
First Claim
1. A system for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:
- a test driver, having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test;
a resource file, in operative data communication with the test driver, that stores information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, the printing, the timing, and results reporting of the at least one test, the information being accessible to the test driver to enable the functionality of the test driver; and
an expansion module, in operative data communication with the test driver and the resource file, that retrieves the information relating to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, the printing, the timing, and the results reporting of the at least one test from the resource file and provides the information to the test driver during delivery of the at least one test, the expansion module expanding the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification to the executable code of the test driver.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for computer-based testing includes a test driver that has an executable code that controls the test driver to deliver a test to an examinee, a resource file that stores information relating to data content, presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and/or results reporting of the test, which is accessible to the test driver to enable the test driver to retrieve the test specification and content and to deliver the test to the examinee, and an expansion module that retrieves the information relating to the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, printing, timing, and/or the results reporting of the test from the resource file and provides the information to the test driver during delivery of the test, expanding the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification to the executable code of the test driver. A method of computer-based testing includes instantiating an expansion module, providing to the expansion module a resource storage element within a resource file, loading information from the resource storage element into the expansion module during delivery of the test, and providing the information from the expansion module to the test driver during the delivery of the test.
-
Citations
82 Claims
-
1. A system for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:
-
a test driver, having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test;
a resource file, in operative data communication with the test driver, that stores information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, the printing, the timing, and results reporting of the at least one test, the information being accessible to the test driver to enable the functionality of the test driver; and
an expansion module, in operative data communication with the test driver and the resource file, that retrieves the information relating to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, the printing, the timing, and the results reporting of the at least one test from the resource file and provides the information to the test driver during delivery of the at least one test, the expansion module expanding the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification to the executable code of the test driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A system for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:
-
a source file storing information relating to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, timing, printing, and results reporting of the at least one test, wherein the information stored in the source file is authored by a test publisher;
a test packager, in operative data communication with the source file, retrieving the information from the source file; and
a resource file, in operative data communication with the test packager, storing the information retrieved by the test packager;
a test driver, having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control the progression of the at least one test, control the scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control the results reporting of the at least one test, the information stored in the resource file being accessible to the test driver to enable the functionality of the test driver;
an expansion module, in operative data communication with the test packager and the test driver, receiving the information stored in the source file from the test packager, validating the information received from the test packager, storing the information to the resource file, retrieving the information from the resource file, and providing the information to the test driver during delivery of the at least one test, the expansion module expanding the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification to the executable code of the test driver; and
an instance file, in operative data communication with the test driver and the expansion module, storing examination state information comprising responses provided by the examinee to items presented to the examinee during the at least one test, the examination state information accessible to the expansion module to enable a restart of the at least one test if the at least one test is interrupted. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A system for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:
-
test driver means for controlling the delivering the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, managing the at least one test, controlling progression of the at least one test, controlling scoring of the at least one test, controlling timing of the at least one test, controlling printing of the at least one test, and controlling results reporting of the at least one test, the test driver means having an executable code that controls the test driver means;
resource storage means, in operative data communication with the test driver means, for storing information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test, the information being accessible to the test driver means to enable the functionality of the test driver; and
an expansion means, in operative data communication with the test driver means and the resource storage means, for retrieving the information relating to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, the printing, the timing, and the results reporting from the resource storage means and provided the information to the test driver means during deliver of the at least one test, the expansion means expanding the ability of the test driver means to control the delivering the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test without necessitating modification to the executable code of the test driver means. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A system for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:
-
means for authoring information relating to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test;
first means for storing the information;
first means for retrieving the information from the first means for storing;
means for receiving the information stored in the first means for storing from the means for retrieving;
means for validating by the expansion module the information received from the means for retrieving;
second means for storing the information validated by the means for validating;
means for controlling functionality to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, to manage the at least one test, to control the progression of the at least one test, to control the scoring of the at least one test, to control timing of the at least one test, to control printing of the at least one test, and to control the results reporting of the at least one test;
second means for retrieving the information stored in the second means for storing;
means for providing the information retrieved by the second means for retrieving to the means for controlling during delivery of the at least one test, wherein the information enables the functionality of the test driver;
third means for storing examination state information comprising responses provided by the examinee to items presented to the examinee during the at least one test by an instance file, the examination state information enabling a restart of the at least one test if the at least one test is interrupted; and
third means for retrieving the examination state information by the second means and the means for controlling from the third means for storing.
-
-
52. A system for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:
-
a test driver having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test;
a resource file, in operative data communication with the test driver, that stores a plurality of information, including first information relating to non-interactive display material, second information relating to test navigation, third information relating to test navigation controls, fourth information relating to items, fifth information relating to timing, sixth information relating to selection, seventh information relating to scoring, eighth information relating to results, and ninth information relating to reporting for the at least one test, the plurality of information accessible to the test driver to enable the functionality of the test driver;
a first expansion module, in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver, that retrieves the first information relating to non-interactive display material from the resource file and provides the first information to the test driver during delivery of the at least one test;
a second expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the second information relating to test navigation from the resource file and provides the second information to the test driver during the delivery of the test;
a third expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the third information relating to test navigation controls from the resource file and provides the third information to the test driver during the delivery of the test;
a fourth expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the fourth information relating to items from the resource file and provides the fourth information to the test driver during the delivery of the test;
a fifth expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the fifth information relating to timing from the resource file and provides the fifth information to the test driver during the delivery of the test;
a sixth expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the sixth information relating to selection from the resource file and provides the sixth information to the test driver during the delivery of the test;
a seventh expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the seventh information relating to scoring from the resource file and provides the seventh information to the test driver during the delivery of the test;
an eighth expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the eighth information relating to results from the resource file and provides the eighth information to the test driver during the delivery of the test; and
a ninth expansion module in operative data communication with the resource file and the test driver that retrieves the ninth information relating to reporting from the resource file and provides the ninth information to the test driver during the delivery of the test, wherein the expansion modules expand the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification to the executable code of the test driver.
-
-
53. A method for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, the at least one test being controlled by a test driver, the test driver having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test, the method comprising the steps of:
-
instantiating an expansion module;
providing to the expansion module a resource storage element within a resource file;
loading information from the resource storage element into the expansion module during delivery of the at least one test, wherein the information from the resource storage element relates to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test; and
providing the information from the expansion module to the test driver during the delivery of the at least one test such that the expansion module expands the functionality of the test driver without necessitating programming changes to the executable code of the test driver. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
-
-
70. A method for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, the at least one test being controlled by a test driver, the test driver having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test, the method comprising the steps of:
-
instantiating an expansion module;
loading information into the expansion module from a source file, the information relating to at least one of the data content, presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and reporting of test results of the at least one test;
validating the information from the source file; and
unloading the information from the validation expansion module into a resource storage element within a resource file, wherein the expansion module expands the functionality of the test driver without necessitating programming changes to the executable code of the test driver. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
-
-
80. A method for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, the at least one test being controlled by a test driver, the test driver having an executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test, the method comprising the steps of:
-
instantiating an expansion module during production of the at least one test;
loading information into the expansion module from a source file, the information relating to at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting;
validating the information from the source file;
unloading the information from the validation expansion module into a resource storage element within a resource file;
instantiating the expansion module during delivery of the at least one test;
providing to the expansion module the resource storage element within the resource file;
loading information from the resource storage element into the expansion module during the delivery of the at least one test; and
providing the information from the expansion module to the test driver during the delivery of the at least one test such that the expansion module expands the functionality of the test driver without necessitating programming changes to the executable code of the test driver.
-
-
81. A method for computer-based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, the method comprising the steps of:
-
authoring information relating to at least one of the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test;
storing the information initially in a source file;
retrieving by a test packager the information from the source file;
receiving by an expansion module the information stored in the source file from the test packager;
validating by the expansion module the information received from the test packager;
storing into a resource file the information validated by the expansion module;
controlling functionality by a test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, to manage the at least one test, to control the progression of the at least one test, to control the scoring of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, and to control the results reporting of the at least one test;
retrieving by the expansion module the information stored in the resource file;
providing the information retrieved by the expansion module to the test driver during delivery of the at least one test, wherein the information enables the functionality of the test driver;
storing examination state information comprising responses provided by the examinee to items presented to the examinee during the at least one test by an instance file, the examination state information enabling a restart of the at least one test if the at least one test is interrupted; and
retrieving the examination state information by the expansion module and the test driver from the instance file. - View Dependent Claims (82)
-
Specification