Integrated paper and computer-based testing administration system

• US 7,831,195 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Borchers, Gregory Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Xuan M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yip; Jack
• Application Number:
  US11/609,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 434/350, 434/118, 434/322, 434/323, 434/362, 434/353, 434/327, 434/361, 271/278, 271/288, 271/289
• US Class Current: 434/350
• 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: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An improved system for administering a computer and paper-based test, including a multifunction peripheral having a printing function and a scanning function for operating on the test, and a host remotely connected to the peripheral over a network. The multifunction peripheral is configured to receive the test from the host and transmit a scanned copy of a modified paper test to the host, and the host is configured to transmit a result of an evaluation of the modified test to the peripheral. A method for administering a test including transmitting a registration code, receiving a print job including a test associated with the registration code and printing the test. The method further includes digitizing the test and transmitting the digitized test.

Claims

1. A system for administering a computer and paper-based test comprising:

a multifunction peripheral device comprising an integrated printer and scanner contained in a same housing as the multifunctional peripheral device, wherein the multifunction peripheral device is remotely connected to a host over a network, and wherein the multifunction peripheral device is configured to;

scan an identification of a test taker;

transmit the scanned identification to the host;

receive a registration code from the host in response to transmitting the scanned identification, wherein the registration code identifies the test taker and a test;

select the test corresponding to the registration code;

print out the test including questions on paper;

scan a modified version of the printed test including both the questions and answers to the questions;

detect if the modified version includes constructed responses, wherein the scanned copy of the modified version of the printed test is automatically sent to a central testing facility for human evaluation if the answers comprise the constructed responses, else automatically evaluate the scanned modified version of the printed test;

automatically store the modified version of the printed test in a locked compartment of the multifunction peripheral device, wherein the modified version of the paper test is stored in the locked compartment multifunction peripheral device after the modified version of the paper test is scanned;

transmit the scanned copy of the modified test to the host;

receive a result of an evaluation of the modified test from the host;

verify the result of the evaluation is accurate, wherein verifying an accuracy of the result of the evaluation is based in part on a comparison of a data size of the scanned modified test to determine image quality; and

responsive to verifying the result of the evaluation is accurate, destroy the modified version of the paper test.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the scanned identification includes an identification card.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanned identification includes biometric identification of the test taker.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the biometric identification includes a fingerprint, handprint, retinal scan, or voice scan.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the registration code is transmitted with the scanned copy of the modified test to the host, and wherein the registration code determines where the scanned copy of the modified test is evaluated.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the registration code identifies the selected test, the test taker, and a test site where the multifunction peripheral device is located.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the accuracy of the result of the evaluation is verified by evaluating a transmission quality of the scanned copy of the modified test.

8. A method for administering a test comprising:

transmitting a registration code;

receiving a print job including a test associated with the first registration code in response to transmitting the first registration code;

printing the test for a test session, wherein the test is a paper test printed by a multifunctional peripheral device;

digitizing a modified version of the paper test, wherein the modified version of the paper test is digitized by the multifunctional peripheral device;

automatically storing a paper copy of the modified version of the paper test in a locked document chamber of the multifunctional peripheral device, wherein the paper copy is stored after digitizing the modified version of the paper test;

detecting if the modified version includes constructed responses, wherein the digitized test is automatically sent to a central testing facility for human evaluation if one or more answers comprise the constructed responses, else automatically transmitting the digitized test from the multifunctional peripheral device for onsite evaluation to obtain a test result;

receiving the test result in response to transmitting the digitized test, wherein the test result is received by the multifunctional peripheral device;

automatically comparing the test result with the modified version of the paper test to determine an accuracy of the test result, wherein the accuracy of the test result is determined by comparing a data size of the digitized test; and

destroying the stored paper copy of the modified test in the locked document chamber if the test result is accurate.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

releasing the print job after printing the test;

reprinting the print job when a second registration code is received, wherein the print job is reprinted without clearing the print job from a data storage of the multifunctional peripheral device; and

clearing the print job from the data storage so the test cannot be reprinted, wherein the first and second registration codes identify two different test takers.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

digitizing an identification of a test taker, wherein digitizing the identification comprises scanning an identification card of the test taker;

transmitting the identification; and

receiving an authentication acknowledgment in response to transmitting the identification, wherein the authentication acknowledgement is used to obtain the registration code.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the test result is compared by evaluating a transmission quality of the digitized test.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the multifunctional peripheral device comprises a shredder for destroying the stored paper copy of the modified test.

13. A multifunctional peripheral device, comprising:

a housing;

means for transmitting an identification of a test taker to a host, wherein a registration code is received from the host in response to transmitting the identification, and wherein the registration code identifies a test;

means for printing out the test including questions, wherein the means for printing is contained within the housing;

means for scanning a modified version of the printed test including both the questions and answers to the questions, wherein the scanned test is transmitted to the host, and wherein the means for scanning is contained within the housing;

means for automatically storing the modified version of the printed test in a locked compartment of the housing;

means for detecting if the scanned modified version of the test includes constructed responses, wherein the scanned modified version of the test is automatically sent to a central testing facility for human evaluation if the answers comprise the constructed responses, else automatically transmitting the scanned modified version of the test from the multifunctional peripheral device for onsite evaluation to obtain a test result;

means for receiving the test result in response to transmitting the scanned test, wherein the test result, is received by the multifunctional peripheral device;

means for automatically comparing the test result with the scanned modified version of the printed test to determine an accuracy of the test result, wherein the accuracy of the test result is determined by comparing a data size of the scanned test; and

means for destroying a stored paper copy of the scanned modified version of the test in the locked document chamber if the test result is accurate.