Abstract:
The present invention relates to an examining method of a computer-aid test for understanding the learning performance of an examinee. The examining method of the invention gives more accurate and helpful examination and learning guidance to an examinee according to the examinee&#39;s answer record of a computer aided test. In the conventional computer-aid test, the examination of a test is given according to only the ratio of the examinee&#39;s correct answers. However, the learning performance of an examinee relates to not only the ratio of the examinee&#39;s correct answers but also the sequence of the examinee&#39;s answers of testing questions. Hence, the present invention provides a new examination method to give a more suitable guidance to examinees in computer-aid tests.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an examining method of tests with a computer, and more particularly to an artificial-intelligence (AI) examining method of tests with a computer to examine the learning performance of an examinee according to the examinee&#39;s answers of a series of arranged questions generated by the computer. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Computer aided tests of learning courses have been known for many years. Most of computer aided tests are used to understand the learning performance of an examinee in some learning courses, such as language learning courses. Examinations of these tests are used to give learning directions for examinees. The testing questions of a conventional computer aided test are randomly selected from a question library stored in a computer&#39;s memory. An examinee answers these question through the input unit of the computer, and the computer records and checks the examinee&#39;s answers. Then, according to the ratio of the correct answers, the computer gives a simple evaluation or suggestion to the examinee. For example, if the ratio of correct answers is sixty percent, the computer gives an evaluation like “More efforts will pursue the goal” to the examinee. 
     However, the learning status of an examinee cannot be exactly determined only according to the ratio of the examinee&#39;s correct answers of randomly given questions. This is because the random choice of testing questions cannot systematically analyze the examinee&#39;s learning status in learning courses. In addition, the correct-answer ratio of a test cannot clearly clarify and understand the examinee&#39;s weakness in the test. Hence, the examination of the test with the conventional computer aided examining method is not helpful to give an efficient learning guidance for an examinee. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the invention is to provide an examining method of a computer-aid test for understanding the learning performance of an examinee. The examining method of the invention gives more accurate and helpful examination and learning guidance to the examinee according to the examinee&#39;s answer record of a computer aided test. 
     According to the examinee&#39;s answers of the questions of a computer aided test, the computer-aid examining method of the present invention includes the following steps: 
     A. Build up a follow-up table of the computer aided test, which includes testing objective information, examinee&#39;s answer information and questions&#39; sequence information; 
     B. List an examining report according to the follow-up table built in the step A, where the present step consists of the following steps: 
     b1. Build up an examining table which includes a plurality of learning performances and corresponding examining comments; 
     b2. According to the results of examinee&#39;s answers and the question&#39;s sequence shown in the step A, pick up a learning performance and a corresponding examining comment from the examining table as the contents of the examining report; and 
     b3. Display the examining report. 
     With the help of an AI question derivation method of a computer-aid test, the examining method of the present invention can enhance its capability. In fact, the examining method of the present invention is a three-dimension examining method which is a function of three variables, which is to say, the number of testing questions, the testing objective, and the examinee&#39;s learning performance. According to these variables, the computer-aid examining method of the present invention can give examinees a more efficient learning guidance. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is the block diagram of the hardware of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is the data structure of the memory of the embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 is the flow chart of the examining method of the invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the examining report of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Please refer to FIG. 1, which is the block diagram of the hardware of an embodiment according to the present invention. This embodiment of an examining method of the invention includes a computer  10 , a memory  20 , an input unit  30  and an output unit  40 . 
     The computer  10  is used to execute a computer-aid test program  24  to give a computer-aid test of a learning course to an examinee, record the examinee&#39;s answers in the computer-aid test, and, according to the test&#39;s results, give an examining report to the examinee. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the memory  20  can be a hard disk, a floppy disk, a tape or a RAM, which is used to store a question library  21 , the computer-aid test program  24 , a follow-up table  22  and an examining table  23 . The question library  21  includes a large quantity of questions which belong to different testing objectives such as: phrase, vocabulary, article, verb conjugation of a language grammar test. For some testing objective, the computer  10  randomly chooses a plurality of questions of the testing objective from the question library  21  as the testing questions of the computer-aid test. The examining table  23  consists of different learning performances and corresponding examining comments. 
     The input unit  30  can be a keyboard, a mouse, a light pen or a digital board, which is used to allow the examinee to input his/her answers of the testing questions. With the input unit  30 , the computer  10  records the examinee&#39;s answers and the sequence of the testing questions in the computer-aid test, which construct the follow-up table  22 . The follow-up table  22  indeed exhibits the examinee&#39;s learning performance in the learning course. An example of the follow-up table  22  is shown in Table 2. The marks ‘V’ shown in Table 2 denote that the examinee&#39;s answer is correct, and the mark ‘X’ denotes the wrong answer. The first column of Table 2 records the sequence of the testing questions, and the other columns record the correct or wrong marks of the examinee&#39;s answers in different testing objectives. It is noted that the sequence of testing questions and the correction of the examinee&#39;s answers construct the examinee&#39;s learning performance. For instance, in the testing objective  1  as shown in the second column of Table 2, the examinee&#39;s learning performance is presented by “VVV” in the order of the testing questions&#39; sequence. In addition, an example of the examining table  23  is listed in Table 1. The first column lists different learning performances, and their corresponding examining comments are listed in the second column. According to the follow-up table  22 , the computer  10  picks up an examining comment, whose corresponding learning performance matches the examinee&#39;s learning performance, from the examining table  23 . Integrating the examinee&#39;s answers, learning performance, and the examining comment, the examining report is constructed. 
     Then, the output unit  40 , which the output unit can be a display or printer, displays or prints out the examining report. 
     Based on an intelligent question library of a question derivation method for computer-aid tests, the capability of the examining method of the present invention can be increased. In fact, the examining method with the intelligent library of the question derivation method is a three-dimension examining method which is a function of three variables, which is to say, the number of testing questions, the testing objective and the learning performance of an examinee. According to these variables, the computer-aid examining method of the present invention can give examinees more helpful learning guidance. 
     Please refer to FIG. 3, the examining method of the invention based on an intelligent question library derived by a question derivation method, which includes the following steps: 
     a. Start a computer-aid test by executing the computer-aid test program  24  on the computer  10 ; 
     b. Set a testing objective; 
     c. Randomly choose a testing question from the memory  20 ; 
     d. Check if the examinee&#39;s answer of the current testing question is correct or not; if yes, go to the next step; otherwise, go to the step  1 .; 
     e. Refresh the follow-up table by inserting the correct mark ‘V’ in the union cell at the column of the current testing objective and the row of the sequence of the current question; 
     f. Check if the current testing question is the last testing question of the current testing objective or not; if yes, go to the next step; otherwise, go to the step k.; 
     g. Stop the test of the current testing objective; 
     h. Check if the computer-aid test is completed or not; if yes, go to the next step; otherwise, go to the step c.; 
     i. Construct an examining report according to the examining table and the examinee&#39;s learning performance in the follow-up table (the detailed realization of this step was shown in the step B. described above); 
     j. End the computer-aid test; 
     k. Return to the step c.; and 
       1 . Generate a testing question relating to the examinee&#39;s answer of the current question, and return to the step e. 
     For example, we assume that six testing questions are enough to understand the examinee&#39;s learning performance of a testing objective in the computer-aid test. Of course, the number of testing questions can be changed in practical. The conventional examining method considers that the examinee has passed the test of a testing objective if it occurs that three consecutive examinee&#39;s answers are correct under six testing questions. Consequently, the examining report is generated and the test is ended. In other words, the assembly of the examinee&#39;s answers belongs to the following passing set in this case (‘V’ represents ‘correct’ and ‘X’ represents ‘wrong’): 
     VVV,XVVV,XXVVV,VXVVV,VXXVVV,XVXVVV,VVXVVV 
     Similarly, the conventional examining method considers that the examinee cannot pass the test of a testing objective if it occurs that three consecutive examinee&#39;s answers are wrong under six testing questions. Consequently, the examining report is generated and the test is ended. In other words, the assembly of the examinee&#39;s answers belongs to the following failing set in this case (‘V’ represents ‘correct’ and ‘X’ represents ‘wrong’): 
     XXX,VXXX,VVXXX,XVXXX,XXVXXX,VXVXXX, VVXXX 
     In addition, the following thirty-two assemblies are impossible to be generated in the examinee&#39;s answers, which are 
     XXX???, VXXX??, VVXXX?, XVXXX?, VVV???, XVVV??, XXVVV?, VXVVV?, 
     where the mark “?” denotes that it can be one of the marks “V” and “X.” The number of total assemblies of the examinee&#39;s answers of six testing questions is sixty-four for a testing objective. Hence, there are also eighteen residual assemblies of the examinee&#39;s answers constructing a confusing set. If the assembly of the examinee&#39;s answers of the six testing questions belongs to the confusing set, it means that the examinee cannot clearly understand the testing objective. In the examining method of the invention, all assemblies of the passing set and the failing set, and the confusing set are used to adjust the examinee&#39;s learning performance of the testing objective. As shown in the Table 1, the examining table  23  has fifteen examining comments and their corresponding learning performances, which are seven passing assemblies, seven failing assemblies, and a confusing class including all the confusing assemblies. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Embodiment of the examining table. 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Learning 
                   
               
               
                 Performances 
                 Examining Comments 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 1. VVV 
                 You thoroughly understand the testing objective and 
               
               
                   
                 there is no need to take more tests. 
               
               
                 2. XVVV 
                 If you did not memorize the answer after the first error, 
               
               
                   
                 there is no need to review it. 
               
               
                 3. XXVVV 
                 You started with a wrong concept but you still got it 
               
               
                   
                 after a great effort. Don&#39;t forget to review it once in a 
               
               
                   
                 while! 
               
               
                 4. VXVVV 
                 You&#39;re in a dilemma in the beginning but got the idea at 
               
               
                   
                 the end. It&#39;s better to review it! 
               
               
                 5. VXXVVV 
                 You had some idea in the beginning but that&#39;s not 
               
               
                   
                 enough. The speed to correct the errors is slow but 
               
               
                   
                 broadly speaking, the result is satisfactory. 
               
               
                 6. XVXVVV 
                 You have light impression, cannot make your mind and 
               
               
                   
                 are capricious. Though you got the idea at the end, 
               
               
                   
                 don&#39;t forget to review it more often! 
               
               
                 7. VVXVVV 
                 Basically, you&#39;re OK for you just make mistake once in a 
               
               
                   
                 while. Practice more and you&#39;11 have no big problem! 
               
               
                 8. XXX 
                 If you don&#39;t study hard, you&#39;ll go no way! 
               
               
                 9. VXXX 
                 I doubt that you simply don&#39;t understand the test and 
               
               
                   
                 guessed the answers. 
               
               
                 10. VVXXX 
                 I just don&#39;t believe that there is such a result! You went 
               
               
                   
                 to astray after insisting the truth . . . Take a look at your 
               
               
                   
                 books and straight the concepts now! 
               
               
                 11. XVXXX 
                 The truth was only a glance in the mind . . . You have to 
               
               
                   
                 regard this testing objective as your weakness and work 
               
               
                   
                 hard on it. 
               
               
                 12. XVVXXX 
                 It seems that you have no confidence on yourself . . . It&#39;s 
               
               
                   
                 better for you to regard it as your weakness. 
               
               
                 13 VXVXXX 
                 I&#39;m afraid that the wrong concept is already deeply 
               
               
                   
                 rooted in your mind. Correct it now! 
               
               
                 14. XXVXXX 
                 You can guess it right sometimes but it&#39;s still the reason 
               
               
                   
                 why you loose points. 
               
               
                 15. confusing 
                 This testing objective is your biggest weakness and 
               
               
                 class 
                 reason why you loose points in an examination. I 
               
               
                   
                 suggest you to take more time studying it thoroughly. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The examining method of the invention gives the examinee an examining comment according to not only the number of the correct examinee&#39;s answers but also the assemblies of the examinee&#39;s answers, which is to say, the number of the correct examinee&#39;s answers and the sequence of the testing questions of the testing objective. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 embodiment of the follow-up table. 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Question Type 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Sequence 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 of Questions 
                 1 
                 2 
                 3 
                 4 
                 5 
                 6 
                 ... 
                 99 
                 100 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 First Question 
                 V 
                 X 
                 X 
                 X 
                 V 
                 V 
                 ... 
                 X 
                 X 
               
               
                 Second Question 
                 V 
                 V 
                 X 
                 X 
                 X 
                 X 
                 ... 
                 V 
                 V 
               
               
                 Third Question 
                 V 
                 V 
                 V 
                 X 
                 V 
                 V 
                 ... 
                 X 
                 X 
               
               
                 Forth Question 
                   
                 V 
                 V 
                   
                 X 
                 X 
                 ... 
                 V 
                 V 
               
               
                 Fifth Question 
                   
                   
                 V 
                   
                 X 
                 V 
                 ... 
                 V 
                 X 
               
               
                 Sixth Question 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 X 
                 X 
                 ... 
                 V 
                 V 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     An embodiment of the follow-up table  22  is shown in Table 2. The first column records the sequence of the testing questions of a testing objective, and the other columns record the corrections of the examinee&#39;s answers of different testing objectives. The assembly of the answer marks in each column unless the first column denotes the examinee&#39;s learning performance of a testing objective. According to the examinee&#39;s learning performance of a testing objective, the examining comment of the computer-aid test is found in Table 1. Consequently, the examining report of the test is generated. FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the examining report. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Testing 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Objective 
               
               
                   
                 Sequence 
               
               
                   
                 of Questions 
                 Article 
                 Verb BE 
                 Present Participle 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 First Question 
                 V 
                 V 
                 V 
               
               
                   
                 Second Question 
                 V 
                 X 
                 X 
               
               
                   
                 Third Question 
                 V 
                 X 
                 X 
               
               
                   
                 Forth Question 
                   
                 X 
                 V 
               
               
                   
                 Fifth Question 
                   
                   
                 X 
               
               
                   
                 Sixth Question 
                   
                   
                 X 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     As listed in the Table 3, an example of the test result of an examinee in an English computer-aid test is shown. Here, six testing questions are used to understand the examinee&#39;s learning performance of a testing objective. It is noted that the sequence of the testing questions of different testing objectives can be arbitrary. In the second column, the examinee&#39;s learning performance is denoted by “VVV” for the article testing objective, which is to say, the examinee&#39;s answers of three consecutive testing questions are correct. From the examining table  23  in Table 1, the examining comment of the article testing objective is “completely understood.” In the third column, the examinee&#39;s learning performance is denoted by “VXXX” for the verb BE testing objective. From the examining table  23  in Table 1, the examining comment of the verb BE testing objective is “almost misunderstood.” In the last column, the examinee&#39;s learning performance is denoted by “VXXVXX” for the present participle testing objective. From the examining table  23  in Table 1, since this examinee&#39;s learning performance belongs to the confusing class, the examining comment of the present participle testing objective is “to confuse this topic and need to learn it clearly.” According to these examining comments of the three testing objectives, the examining report of the English computer-aid test is given in FIG.  4 . 
     It is noted that the examining method of learning performance with computer described above are the preferred embodiments of the present invention for the purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed. Any modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. 
     To sum up, the computer-aid examining method of the present invention includes the following steps: 
     A. Build up a follow-up table of the computer aided test, which includes testing objective information, examinee&#39;s answer information, and questions&#39; sequence information; 
     B. List an examining report according the follow-up table built in the step A, where the present step consists of the following steps: 
     b1. Build up an examining table which includes a plurality of learning performances and corresponding examining comments; 
     b2. According to the results of examinee&#39;s answers and the question&#39;s sequence shown in the step A, picking up a learning performance and a corresponding examining comment from the examining table as the contents of the examining report; and 
     b3. Display the examining report.