Proctored Performance Analysis

• US 20110207108A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kryterion, Inc. (Drake International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kryterion, Inc. (Drake International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dorman, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/07 providing for individual presentation of questions to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein provide for administering and proctoring of a secure online exam that allows for complex testing utilizing practical examination tasks. The practical examination tasks provide for evaluation of the knowledge of the exam taker, as well as the exam taker'"'"'s ability to apply that knowledge in a real-world environment. By performing the practical examination tasks in the context of a secure online exam, the competence of the test taker can be readily determined without worrying about the exam taker illicitly accessing information on their computer or via a remote source of data. The exam taker may perform the practical examination tasks through manipulation of an evaluation application executing on the exam taker'"'"'s secured computer. The practical examination tasks may also be carried out through manipulation by the exam taker of an evaluation apparatus coupled to the exam taker'"'"'s secured computer.

Claims

1. A system for administration of a secure examination via a network, the system comprising:

a testing server coupled to the network and that provides testing data for the examination;

a first computing device coupled to the network, the first computing device;

receiving the testing data to execute a testing routine for the examination,

executing a secure testing application that implements security limitations for the first computing device during the testing routine, and

providing interaction data indicating manipulation by a user of the first computing device in performing one or more practical examination tasks during the testing routine; and

a second computing device coupled to the network that receives the interaction data in order to determine competence of the user in the one or more practical examination tasks.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device further executes an evaluation application concerning the one or more practical examination tasks, and the interaction data includes interaction data corresponding to user input provided by the user to manipulate the assessment application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the security limitations implemented by the secure testing application include limitations that prohibit execution of the evaluation application during a particular portion of the testing routine.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the security limitations implemented by the secure testing application include limiting functionality of the evaluation application when executed by the first computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the security limitations implemented by the secure testing application include prohibiting access to certain data stored in memory of the first computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an evaluation apparatus coupled to the first computing device, the evaluation apparatus manipulated by the user to perform the one or more practical examination tasks, and the interaction data includes interaction data corresponding to the manipulation of the evaluation apparatus.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the interaction data includes interaction data indicating a response of the evaluation apparatus to the manipulation by the user, so that the second computing device can determine competence of the user in the one or more practical examination tasks based on the response.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the secure testing application further implements security limitations for the evaluation apparatus.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the security limitations for the evaluation apparatus include limitations that prohibit manipulation of the evaluation apparatus during a particular portion of the testing routine.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the evaluation apparatus is coupled to the first computing device via the network, and security limitations for the evaluation apparatus include allowing only certain types of data to be exchanged with the evaluation apparatus via the network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the evaluation apparatus is physically remote from the first computing device.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the evaluation apparatus is manipulated by the user via user input to an evaluation application executing on the first computing device, the evaluation application providing configuration data to control the evaluation apparatus based on the user input.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the evaluation apparatus is manipulated by the user via physical input by the user to the evaluation apparatus, and the interaction data includes interaction data indicating the physical input.

14. A method for administration of a secure examination via a network, the method comprising:

providing testing data for the examination during execution of a testing routine on a computing device, the testing data provided over the network and including security limitations for the computing device during the testing routine;

receiving interaction data over the network indicating manipulation by a user of the computing device in performing one or more practical examination tasks during the testing routine; and

analyzing the received interaction data to determine competence of the user in the one or more practical examination tasks.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interaction data includes interaction data corresponding to user input provided by the user to manipulate an evaluation application executing on the computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the security limitations include limitations that prohibit execution of the evaluation application during a particular portion of the testing routine.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the security limitations include limiting functionality of the evaluation application when executed by the computing device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the security limitations include prohibiting access to certain data stored in memory of the computing device.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the interaction data includes interaction data corresponding to manipulation by the user of an evaluation apparatus coupled to the computing device to perform the one or more practical examination tasks.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the interaction data includes interaction data indicating a response of the evaluation apparatus to the manipulation by the user, and analyzing the received interaction data includes analyzing the interaction data indicating the response of the evaluation apparatus to determine competence of the user in the one or more practical examination tasks.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the testing data further includes security limitations for the evaluation apparatus.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the security limitations for the evaluation apparatus include limitations that prohibit manipulation of the evaluation apparatus during a particular portion of the testing routine.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the evaluation apparatus is coupled to the first computing device via the network, and security limitations for the evaluation apparatus include allowing only certain types of data to be exchanged with the evaluation apparatus via the network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the evaluation apparatus is physically remote from the computing device.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the evaluation apparatus is manipulated by the user via user input to an evaluation application executing on the computing device, the evaluation application providing configuration data to control the evaluation apparatus based on the user input.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the evaluation apparatus is manipulated by the user via physical input by the user to the evaluation apparatus, and the interaction data includes interaction data indicating the physical input.