Method and system for computer based testing using plugins to expand functionality of a test driver

• US 7,080,303 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prometric, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prometric Incorporated
• Inventors: Bowers, Clarke Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, David
• Application Number:
  US10/292,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 714/4, 714/33, 714/38, 714/741, 703/13, 717/125, 713/188
• US Class Current: 714/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• 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 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A method and/or system for computer-based testing includes, for example, instantiating an expansion module, and providing to the expansion module a resource storage element within a resource file. The method and/or system also includes, for example 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. Various alternative embodiments are also disclosed.

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.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the resource file comprises extensible markup language format.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the expansion module comprises a plugin.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the expansion module is written after the test driver is built.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource file comprises structure storage persistent data.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a function interface that enables communication between the test driver and the expansion module, wherein the function interface enables the test driver to load core object references into the expansion module at a start of a test delivery cycle and to unload the core object references from the expansion module at a completion of the test delivery cycle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the test driver accesses the information stored in the expansion module, the system further comprising a feature interface that enables communication between the test driver and the expansion module and enables the test driver to access the information in the expansion module to enhance the functionality of the test driver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the information stored in the expansion module comprises at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting, and wherein the feature interface enables the test driver to access the information.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the function interface enables the test driver to notify the expansion module that the at least one test is being delivered and that the test driver is accessing the information stored in the expansion module.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a source file, in operative data communication with the expansion module, that stores the information relating to the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, the printing, the timing, and the results reporting of the at least one test; and

a test packager, in operative data communication with the source file and the expansion module, that passes the information from the source file to the expansion module such that the expansion module is capable of validating the information from the source file.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a function interface that enables communication between the test packager and the expansion module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the function interface enables the test packager to notify the expansion module that the source file is present, that the information in the source file is to be validated, and to pass the information from the source file to the expansion module such that the expansion module is capable of validating the information from the source file, the information further comprising at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising data files, visual format files, and multimedia files, wherein the data files, visual format files, and multimedia files comprise further information relating to the data content, presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a resource persistence interface that enables communication between the expansion module and the resource file such that the expansion module is capable of storing the information from the source file into the resource file and retrieve the information from the resource file, wherein the expansion module retrieves the information from the resource file during the delivery of the at least one test.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the resource persistence interface enables storing the information from the source file into the resource file as at least one of a stream of data, a set of data, and a directory.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of data comprises a name-value pair.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the directory comprises at least one of sub-directories, streams, and sets of data.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the test packager comprises a compiler.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the information stored in the source file comprises extensible markup language format, and wherein validating the information entails the expansion module determining whether the information is correctly formatted.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a correct format for the information is defined in a schema and is refined in the expansion module'"'"'s code.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the information stored in the source file is authored by a test publisher;

a schema is employed as the information is being authored such that the information is capable of validating as the information is being authored.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising an instance file, in operative data communication with the test driver and the expansion module, comprising examination state information, which includes responses provided by the examinee to items presented to the examinee during the at least one test.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the instance file further comprises at least one of timing utilized and time remaining on units of the at least one test, a current unit of delivery, and an examinee score.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising an instance persistence interface that enables communication between the expansion module and the instance file such that the expansion module is capable of storing the examination state information to the instance file and retrieve the examination state information from the instance file, wherein, if the at least one test is interrupted, the expansion module is capable of retrieving the examination state information that was provided by the examinee before the at least one test was interrupted and enable the examinee to continue with the at least one test in situ.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the instance file comprises structure storage persistent data.

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.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the instance file further stores at least one of timing utilized and time remaining on units of the at least one test, a current unit of delivery, and an examinee score.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the information stored in the resource file comprises extensible markup language format.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the expansion module comprises a plugin.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the expansion module is written after the test driver is built.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the resource file and the instance file comprises structure storage persistent data.

32. The system of claim 26, further comprising a function interface that enables communication between the test driver and the expansion module and between the test packager and the expansion module, wherein:

the function interface enables the test driver to load core object references into the expansion module at a start of a test delivery cycle and to unload the core object references from the expansion module at a completion of the test delivery cycle; and

the function interface enables the test packager to notify the expansion module that the source file is present, that the information in the source file is to be validated, and to pass the information from the source file to the expansion module such that the expansion module is capable of validating the information from the source file, the information further comprising at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the test driver accesses the information stored in the expansion module, the information being of a type relating to at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting, the system further comprising a feature interface that enables communication between the test driver and the expansion module and enables the test driver to access the information in the expansion module to enhance the functionality of the test driver.

34. The system of claim 26, further comprising data files, visual format files, and multimedia files, wherein the data files, visual format files, and multimedia files comprise further information relating to the data content, presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test.

35. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

a resource persistence interface that enables communication between the expansion module and the resource file such that the expansion module is capable of storing the information from the source file into the resource file and retrieve the information from the resource file, wherein the expansion module retrieves the information from the resource file during the delivery of the at least one test, and wherein the information is able to be stored into the resource file as at least one of a stream of data, a set of data, and a directory; and

an instance persistence interface that enables communication between the expansion module and the instance file such that the expansion module is capable of storing the examination state information to the instance file and retrieve information from the instance file, wherein, if the at least one test is interrupted, the expansion module is capable of retrieving the examination state information that was provided by the examinee before the at least one test was interrupted and enable the examinee to continue with the at least one test in situ.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the test packager comprises a compiler;

the information in the source file comprises extensible markup language format; and

validating the information entails the expansion module determining whether the information is correctly formatted.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein a correct format for the information is defined in a schema.

38. The system of claim 26, wherein a schema is employed as the information is being authored such that the information is able to be validated as the information is being authored and written to the source file.

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.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising function interface means for enabling communication between the test driver means and the expansion means, wherein the function interface means enables the test driver means to load core object references into the expansion means at a start of a test delivery cycle and to unload the core object references from the expansion means at a completion of the test delivery cycle, and wherein the function interface means enables the test driver means to notify the expansion means that the at least one test is being delivered and that the test driver means wishes to access the information stored in the expansion means.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the test driver means accesses the information stored in the expansion means, the information being of a type relating to at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting, the system further comprising a feature interface that enables communication between the test driver means and the expansion means, 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.

42. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

source storage means, in operative data communication with the expansion means, for storing the information relating to the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, the printing, the timing, and the results reporting of the at least one test; and

test packager means, in operative data communication with the source storage means and the expansion means, for passing the information from the source storage means to the expansion means such that the expansion means is capable of validating the information from the source storage means.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising a function interface means that enables communication between the test packager means and the expansion means, wherein the function interface means enables the test packager means to notify the expansion means that the source storage means is present, that the information in the source storage means is to be validated, and to pass the information from the source storage means to the expansion means such that the expansion means is capable of validating the information from the source storage means, the information further comprising at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting.

44. The system of claim 42, further comprising data files, visual format files, and multimedia files, wherein the data files, visual format files, and multimedia files comprise further information relating to the data content, presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test.

45. The system of claim 42, further comprising resource persistence interface means for enabling communication between the expansion means and the resource storage means such that the expansion means is capable of storing the information from the source storage means into the resource storage means and retrieve the information from the resource storage means, wherein the expansion means retrieves the information from the resource storage means during the test delivery cycle.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the resource persistence interface means enables storing the information from the source storage means into the resource storage means as at least one of a stream of data, a set of data, and a directory.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the information in the source storage means comprises extensible markup language format, and wherein validating the information entails the expansion means determining whether the information is correctly formatted.

48. The system of claim 39, further comprising instance storage means for storing examination state information, which includes responses provided by the examinee to items presented to the examinee during the at least one test.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the instance storage means further stores at least one of timing utilized and time remaining on units of the at least one test, a current unit of delivery, and an examinee score.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising an instance persistence interface for enabling communication between the expansion means and the instance storage means such that the expansion means is capable of storing the examination state information to the instance storage means and retrieve the examination state information from the instance storage means, wherein, if the at least one test is interrupted, the expansion module is capable of retrieving the examination state information stored within the expansion means before the at least one test was interrupted and enable the examinee to continue with the at least one test in situ.

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.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the information loaded from the resource storage element into the expansion module further relates to at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the resource file comprises structure storage persistent data, and wherein the resource storage element comprises a structure storage element.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the loading of information from the resource storage element into the expansion module is facilitated by a resource persistence interface.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the resource persistence interface enables loading the information from the resource storage element into the expansion module as at least one of a stream of data, a set of data, and a directory.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein instantiating the expansion module is facilitated by standard Microsoft object instantiation using a component object model server.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the information stored in the resource storage element comprises extensible markup language.

60. The method of claim 59, instantiating the expansion module further comprising the step of calling the expansion module using a product identification comprising extensible markup language in the resource storage element.

61. The method of claim 53, further comprising the step of loading core object references from the test driver into the expansion module at a start of a test delivery cycle.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein loading the core object references from the test driver into the expansion module is facilitated using a function interface.

63. The method of claim 53, wherein providing the information from the expansion module to the test driver is facilitated using a feature interface.

64. The method of claim 53, further comprising the steps of:

providing to the expansion module an instance storage element within an instance file;

unloading examination state information, which includes responses provided by the examinee to items presented to the examinee during the at least one test, from the expansion module into the instance storage element; and

loading the examination state information from the instance storage element into the expansion module, wherein, if the at least one test is interrupted, the expansion module is capable of retrieving the examination state information that was provided by the examinee before the at least one test was interrupted and enable the examinee to continue with the at least one test in situ.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the instance file comprises structure storage persistent data and the instance storage element comprises a structure storage element.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein loading examination state information and unloading examination state information is facilitated using an instance persistence interface.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the instance persistence interface enables unloading the examination state information from the expansion module into the instance storage element and unloading of the examination state information from the instance storage element into the expansion module as at least one of a stream of data, a set of data, and a directory, and wherein a instance storage element type is determined based on how the information is loaded into the instance storage element.

68. The method of claim 64, further comprising the step of sending a query from the test driver to the expansion module, wherein the query enables the test driver to determine whether the expansion module is storing examination state information, and wherein, if the expansion module is storing examination state information, the test driver provides the instance storage element to the expansion module.

69. The method of claim 64, wherein the at least one test is interrupted, further comprising the step of reloading the 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 from the resource storage element into the expansion module, such that the expansion module is capable of retrieving the information from the resource storage element that the expansion module was storing before the at least one test was interrupted and enable the examinee to continue with the at least one test in situ.

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.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the information from the source file further relates to at least one of non-interactive display material, test navigation, test navigation controls, items, timing, selection, scoring, results, and reporting.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein instantiating the expansion module is facilitated by standard Microsoft object instantiation using a component object model server.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein a test packager takes the information from the source file and loads the information into the validation expansion module.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the test packager comprises a compiler, and wherein the information from the source file comprises extensible markup language format, validating the information further comprising determining whether the information is correctly formatted.

75. The method of claim 74, instantiating the expansion module further comprising calling the expansion module using a product identification comprising extensible markup language in the source file.

76. The method of claim 70, wherein validating the information from the source file is performed by the expansion module.

77. The method of claim 70, wherein the resource file comprises structure storage persistent data and the resource storage element comprises a structure storage element.

78. The method of claim 70, wherein unloading the information from the validation expansion module into the resource storage element is facilitated by a resource persistence interface.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the resource persistence interface enables unloading the information from the validation expansion module into the resource storage element as at least one of a stream of data, a set of data, and a directory, and wherein a resource storage element type is determined based on how the information is loaded into the resource storage element.

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.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the instance file further comprises at least one of timing utilized and time remaining on units of the at least one test, a current unit of delivery, and an examinee score.