Method and system for controlling item exposure in computer based testing
First Claim
1. A method of controlling item exposure in a computer based test in which a predetermined number of items selected from an item pool associated with the computer based test are administered to a test taker at a computer workstation, the items being selected for administration based on defined criteria, the method comprising the steps of:
- ordering the items in the item pool to form an item list based on at least some of the defined criteria so that the items are listed from most desirable to least desirable to administer;
generating a set of operant probabilities having a one-to-one correspondence with each item in the item pool, each operant probability being indicative of the probability that the corresponding item is administered given that all of the items being more desirable based on the item list are not administered first; and
randomly selecting an item for administration based upon the set of operant probabilities and defining said item as the current item.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for item exposure control in computer based testing. A set of exposure control parameters representing the probability that an item selected from an item pool is administered to a test taker for each item in the pool is generated through computer based test simulation. The exposure control parameters can be initialized using values less than one that reflect the expected value after the test simulations are complete. The items in the item pool are ordered from most desirable to least desirable to administer based on predefined criteria. The set of exposure control parameters are used to generate operant probabilities associated with each of the items and represent the probability that the item is selected to be administered given that no more desirable item has been administered first. Items are randomly selected to be administered based on their corresponding operant probabilities. Stimuli may be included in the item list, and when randomly selected, the set of items associated with the stimulus are administered. The operant probabilities can be adjusted by item security parameters which are defined based on a desired measure of test security. A system for carrying out the steps includes an exposure control parameter generator, an item selector, and an item administrator.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of controlling item exposure in a computer based test in which a predetermined number of items selected from an item pool associated with the computer based test are administered to a test taker at a computer workstation, the items being selected for administration based on defined criteria, the method comprising the steps of:
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ordering the items in the item pool to form an item list based on at least some of the defined criteria so that the items are listed from most desirable to least desirable to administer; generating a set of operant probabilities having a one-to-one correspondence with each item in the item pool, each operant probability being indicative of the probability that the corresponding item is administered given that all of the items being more desirable based on the item list are not administered first; and randomly selecting an item for administration based upon the set of operant probabilities and defining said item as the current item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a system for controlling item exposure in a computer based test in which a predetermined number of items selected from an item pool associated with the computer based test are administered to a test taker at a computer workstation, the items being selected for administration based on defined criteria, the system having an item selector comprising:
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an item ordering means for ordering the items in the item pool to form an item list based on at least some of the defined criteria so that the items are listed from most desirable to least desirable to administer; a generator means interfaced with the item ordering means for generating a set of operant probabilities having a one-to-one correspondence with each item in the item pool, each operant probability being indicative of the probability that the corresponding item is administered given that all of the items being more desirable based on the item list are not administered first; and a random selection means interfaced to at least the generator means for randomly selecting an item for administration based upon the set of operant probabilities and defining said item as the current item. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In a system for controlling item exposure in a computer based test in which a predetermined number of items selected from an item pool associated with the computer based test are administered to a test taker at a computer workstation, the items being selected for administration based on defined criteria, the system having an exposure control parameter generator comprising:
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a test simulation means for simulating the computer based test using a set of operant probabilities having a one-to-one correspondence with the items in the item pool, each operant probability being indicative of the probability that the corresponding item is administered given that all more desirable items based on the predefined criteria are not administered first, the test simulator having an input of exposure control parameters having a one-to-one correspondence with each item in the item pool and each being indicative of the conditional probability that the corresponding item is selected and administered during the simulated computer based test and providing an output indicative of the probability of selection associated with each item during the computer based test simulation; and an adjustment means interfaced to the test simulation means for adjusting the exposure control parameters following each computer based test simulation until the exposure control parameters do not exceed a preselected maximum rate of administration. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification