Remote test station configuration

• US 7,886,029 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co. (Private Equity))
• Original Assignee: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co. (Private Equity))
• Inventors: Bosko, John, Mutum, Raghubir S., O'Brien, Corey S., Rogers, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Zarni
• Application Number:
  US11/853,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-221, 709223-229, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

An online test platform facilitates the configuration, development, delivery, and management of educational tests with interactive participation by students, teachers, proctors, and administrators even when some or all of them are remotely located. The platform may include an installation protocol to configure a computing facility and prevent other applications from executing during an exam, administrator interfaces, test proctor interfaces, and test taker (e.g. student) interfaces to allow each participant to view, navigate, and interact with aspects of the online test platform that are intended to meet their needs.

Claims

1. A method of configuration of a remote testing station, comprising:

verifying that a computing facility has a correct configuration in order to communicate with an online educational testing platform;

initiating an installation protocol on the computing facility to enable the computing facility to communicate with the online educational testing platform upon verification that the computing facility lacks the correct configuration; and

preventing applications other than an educational testing application to be operable during an educational test session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying the correct configuration includes using the computer facility to login to the online educational testing platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification is done in association with a server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification is done from a location that is remote to the computing facility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the correct configuration is a software configuration that permits the educational test session to successfully run on the computing facility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the correct configuration is a hardware configuration that permits the educational test session to successfully run on the computing facility.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the correct configuration is a network connection that is sufficient to transmit educational test information between the online educational testing platform and the computing facility.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation protocol includes transferring educational software from a server to the computing facility for installation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation protocol includes deactivating a software program on the computing facility.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation protocol includes determining the hardware configuration of the computing facility.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, to a first server, a test session communication;

determining that that test session communication has been interrupted;

reestablishing, to a second server, the test session communication; and

switching the test session communication back over to the first server.

12. A system for configuration of a remote educational testing station, comprising:

an online educational testing platform;

a computing facility for verifying that the educational computing facility has a correct configuration in order to communicate with the online testing platform and for preventing applications other than an educational testing application to be operable during a test session; and

an install protocol in association with the computing facility for enabling the computing facility to communicate with the online educational testing platform upon verification that the computing facility lacks the correct configuration.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein verifying the correct configuration includes using the computer facility to login to the online educational testing platform.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the verification is done in association with a server.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the verification is done from a location that is remote to the computing facility.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the correct configuration is a software configuration that permits an educational testing session to successfully run on the computing facility.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the correct configuration is a hardware configuration that permits an educational testing session to successfully run on the computing facility.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the correct configuration is a network connection that is sufficient to transmit educational test information between the online educational testing platform and the computing facility.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the installation protocol includes transferring educational software from a server to the computing facility for installation.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the installation protocol includes deactivating a software program on the computing facility.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the installation protocol includes determining the hardware configuration of the computing facility.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing facility is further for:

establishing, to a first server, a test session communication;

determining that that test session communication has been interrupted;

reestablishing, to a second server, the test session communication; and

switching the test session communication back over to the first server.