SECURELY ADMINISTERING COMPUTERIZED TESTS OVER A NETWORK
First Claim
1. At a central computer system configured to remotely initiate, administer, and proctor test events, a method for administering a remotely proctored test, the method comprising:
- an act of initiating a test event for a test-taker at a remote computer system based on a determination that that remotely entered registration data is the registration data of the test-taker and a determination that remotely entered biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker;
an act of transferring test question data that can be used to administer an instance of a test, the test question data transferred in accordance with a structured order;
an act of receiving test response data and test response latencies corresponding to the test event, the test response data representing answers to questions of a test instance that was generated from the test question data, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers for questions of the test instance; and
an act of statistically analyzing the test response data and test response latencies for indications of test-taker misconduct occurring during the test event.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to securely administering computerized tests over a network, such as, for example, the Internet. A method and system are provided for the delivery of computerized tests via the Internet with unique security features which reduce or eliminate the need for constant human observation of examinees and dedicated testing centers. The system makes test creation, publication, registration and delivery tools accessible to users via the Internet. Security features include real-time analysis of examinee test-response data and test event data for indications test-taker misconduct, authentication of examinee identity using biometric information, observation of examinee activity using real-time Internet-based audio and video data, and continuous or alert-based human proctoring and intervention via the Internet.
126 Citations
64 Claims
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1. At a central computer system configured to remotely initiate, administer, and proctor test events, a method for administering a remotely proctored test, the method comprising:
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an act of initiating a test event for a test-taker at a remote computer system based on a determination that that remotely entered registration data is the registration data of the test-taker and a determination that remotely entered biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker;
an act of transferring test question data that can be used to administer an instance of a test, the test question data transferred in accordance with a structured order;
an act of receiving test response data and test response latencies corresponding to the test event, the test response data representing answers to questions of a test instance that was generated from the test question data, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers for questions of the test instance; and
an act of statistically analyzing the test response data and test response latencies for indications of test-taker misconduct occurring during the test event. - 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, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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25. At a central computer system configured to remotely initiate, administer, and proctor test events, a method for securely initiating a test event, the method comprising:
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an act of receiving test-taker registration data, the test-taker registration data remotely entered at a remote testing station, the entered registration data purported to be registration data belonging to the test-taker and for a specified test event to be administered to the test-taker;
an act of receiving test-taker biometric data, the test-taker biometric data remotely entered at the remote testing station, the entered biometric data purported to be biometric data belonging to the test-taker;
an act of comparing the received test-taker registration data entered by the test-taker to pre-supplied registration data for the test event stored on the central computer system;
an act of comparing the received test-taker biometric data entered by the test-taker to pre-supplied biometric data stored on the central computer system;
an act of determining that the received test-taker registration data is the registration data of the test-taker and is for administration of the specified test event based on the comparison;
an act of determining that the received test-take biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker based on the comparison; and
an act of initiating the specified test event for the test-taker in response to a determination that the remotely entered registration data is the registration data of the test-taker for the specified test event and a determination that remotely entered biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. At a testing station configured to administer test events, a method for securely administering a test, the method comprising:
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an act of receiving test registration data entered at the testing station by a test-taker;
an act of a receiving biometric data entered at the testing station by a test-taker;
an act of sending the received test registration and biometric data to a central computer system that supplies test question data for test events, the central computer system storing pre-supplied test registration data and biometric data for potential test-takers;
an act of receiving an indication that the entered test registration and biometric data matches pre-supplied test registration and biometric data for the test-taker;
an act of receiving test question data from the central computer system, the test question data for initiating a test event at the testing station;
an act of presenting a portion of received test question data; and
an act of recording test response data and test response latencies for the test event, the test response data representing answers to an instance of the test that was generated from the test question data, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers for questions of the test instance. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 51)
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49. At a proctor station configured to receive test registration and multimedia proctoring data associated with computerized test events, a method for reviewing test registration and proctoring data for a computerized test event, the method comprising:
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an act of receiving pre-supplied test registration data for a test-taker;
an act of receiving user-entered test registration data entered by the test-taker at the remote testing station;
an act of reviewing at least a portion of the pre-supplied test registration data and at least a corresponding portion of the user-entered registration data to determine whether there is an increased risk of test-taker misconduct for the test event;
an act of receiving multimedia proctoring data, the multimedia proctoring data received at the proctor station continuously or in response to statistical analysis of test response data and test response latencies for the test event indicating that the test event has an increased risk of test-taker misconduct, the test response data representing answers to test questions presented during the test event, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers to test questions included in the test event;
an act of reviewing at least a portion of the multimedia proctoring data to determine potential for increased risk of test-taker misconduct; and
an act of sending a message that indicates what is to be done with the results of the test event based on the information contained in the multimedia proctoring information, the message indicative of a human test proctor having reviewed the pre-supplied and user-entered registration and the multimedia proctoring data to confirm whether the test event was valid. - View Dependent Claims (50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A computer program product for use at a central computer system configured to remotely initiate, administer, and proctor test events, the computer program product for implementing a method for administering a remotely proctored test, the computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the central computer system to perform the following:
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initiate a test event for a test-taker at a remote computer system based on a determination that that remotely entered registration data is the registration data of the test-taker and a determination that remotely entered biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker;
transfer test question data that can be used to administer an instance of a test;
structure the order in which the test questions for a test event are delivered;
receive test response data and test response latencies corresponding to the test event, the test response data representing answers to questions of a test instance that was generated from the test question data, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers for questions of the test instance; and
statistically analyze the test response data and test response latencies for indications of test-taker misconduct occurring during the test event. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A computer program product for use at a central computer system configured to remotely initiate, administer, and proctor test events, the computer program product for implementing a method for securely initiating a test event, the computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the central computer system to perform the following:
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receive test-taker registration data, the test-taker registration data remotely entered by a test-taker from a remote computer system, the entered registration data purported to be registration data belonging to the test-taker and for a specified test event to be administered to the test-taker;
receiving biometric data remotely entered by a test-taker from a remote computer system, the entered biometric data purported to be biometric data belonging to the test-taker;
compare the received registration data entered by the test-taker to pre-supplied registration data for the test event stored on the central computer system;
compare the biometric data entered by the test-taker to biometric data stored on the central computer system;
determine that the remotely entered registration data is the registration data of the test-taker and for administration of the specified test event based on the comparison;
determine that the remotely entered biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker based on the comparison; and
initiate the specified test event for the test-taker in response to determining that the remotely entered registration data is the registration data of the test-taker for the specified test event and a determination that remotely entered biometric data is the biometric data of the test-taker. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. A computer program product for use at a testing station configured to administer test events, the computer program product for implementing a method for securely administering a test, the computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the testing station to perform the following:
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receive test registration data entered at the testing station by a test-taker;
receive biometric data entered at the testing station by a test-taker;
send the received test registration and biometric data to a central computer system that supplies test question data for test events, the central computer system storing pre-supplied test registration and biometric data for potential test-takers;
receive an indication that the entered test registration and biometric data matches pre-supplied test registration and biometric data for the test-taker;
receive test question data from the central computer system, the test question data for initiating a test event at the testing station;
initiate a test event based on the received test question data; and
record test response data and test response latencies for the test event, the test response data representing answers to an instance of the test that was generated from the test question data, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers for questions of the test instance. - View Dependent Claims (62)
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63. A computer program product for use at a proctor station configured to receive test registration and multimedia proctoring data associated with computerized test events, the computer program product for implementing a method for reviewing test registration and proctoring data for a computerized test event, the computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the testing station to perform the following:
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receive pre-supplied test registration data for a test-taker;
receive user-entered test registration data entered by the test-taker at the remote testing station;
review at least a portion of the pre-supplied test registration data and at least a corresponding portion of the user-entered registration data to determine whether there is an increased risk of test-taker misconduct for the test event;
receive multimedia proctoring data, the multimedia proctoring data received at the proctor station continuously or in response to statistical analysis of test response data and test response latencies for the test event indicating that the test event has an increased risk of test-taker misconduct, the test response data representing answers to test questions presented during the test event, the test response latencies representing at least the amount of time between reception of answers to test questions included in the test event;
review at least a portion of the multimedia proctoring data to determine whether test-taker actions indicate an increased risk of test-taker misconduct; and
sending a message that indicates what is to be done with the results of the test event based on the information contained in the multimedia proctoring information, the message indicative of a human test proctor having reviewed the pre-supplied and user-entered registration and the multimedia proctoring data to confirm whether the test event was valid. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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Specification