Abstract:
A computer-based method for facilitating a computer-based test is provided. The method includes storing a test question in a memory of a server facility coupled to a network, associating a unique identifier with the test question, generating a traceable test question based on the test question and the unique identifier, the traceable test question including the unique identifier, and sending the traceable test question to a test taker computer coupled to the network for display to the test taker.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/168,956 (filed on Jan. 30, 2014), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/870,428 (filed on Jun. 18, 2004), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for facilitating computer-based testing, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for facilitating computer-based testing using traceable test items. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A Computer-Based Test may be defined as a test or an assessment that includes one or more test items, e.g., one or more test questions, and is administered via a processing arrangement, such as a computer, linked to an electronic data network, e.g., the Internet, the World Wide Web, an extranet, or an intranet. In general, a Computer-Based Test may be an assessment test designed to test a test taker&#39;s proficiency in a particular field, a certification test designed to allow a test taker to become certified in a particular field when the test taker correctly answers a predetermined number of test items, an academic test, e.g., a Law School Admission Test (“LSAT”) or a Standardized Academic Test (“SAT”), an academic practice test used to prepare for the academic test, or the like. 
         [0004]    Specifically, a test item provider formulates test items to be incorporated into Computer-Based Tests, and the test item provider transmits the test items and test specifications, e.g., test outlines or test blueprints, to a server facility. The server facility stores the test items in a test item bank, and also generates Computer-Based Tests in accordance with the test item provider&#39;s test specifications, such that each Computer-Based Test includes some or all of the test items stored in the test item bank. Thus, at least some of the test items included in one Computer-Based Test may be identical to at least some of the test items included in another Computer-Based Test. After the server facility generates the Computer-Based Tests, a registered test taker, e.g., a test taker that has paid a test taking fee to the test item provider and/or the server facility, may take one or more of the Computer-Based Tests by accessing a web site associated with the server facility. Alternatively, the registered test taker can take one or more of the Computer-Based Tests at a test taking facility, e.g., a facility operated by or in association with the server facility. Specifically, the server facility may transmit the Computer-Based Tests to the test taking facility, and several test takers may take one or more of the Computer-Based Tests at the test taking facility on a predetermined date and at a predetermined time. 
         [0005]    The development of test items by the test item provider is an expensive process. Consequently, once a sufficient number of test items are included in the test item bank, it is desirable to continuously generate new Computer-Based Tests over a predetermined amount of time, e.g., between about six months and about five years, without having to update or substantially update the test item bank. Nevertheless, each time a Computer-Based Test is administered to a test taker, the test taker has an opportunity to copy some or all of the test items which are included in their computer-based test, and to distribute these copied test items to others. Once the test taker distributes the copied test items to others, the distributed test items are no longer suitable for inclusion in future Computer-Based Tests, and the test item provider needs to formulate new test items in order to replace the distributed test items. Moreover, because multiple test takers likely took a Computer-Based Test that included the distributed test items, it is difficult if not nearly impossible to identify the test taker who distributed the test items. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, a need has arisen for systems and methods for facilitating computer-based testing which overcome these and other shortcomings of the related art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating a computer-based test that includes a server facility, coupled to a network, and a test taker computer coupled to the network. The server facility is configured to store a test question in a memory, associate a unique identifier with the test question, and generate a traceable test question based on the test question and the unique identifier, the traceable test question including the unique identifier. The test taker computer is configured to receive the traceable test question from the server facility, and display the traceable test question to the test taker. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for facilitating a computer-based test that includes storing a test question in a server facility coupled to a network, associating a unique identifier with the test question, generating a traceable test question based on the test question and the unique identifier, the traceable test question including the unique identifier, and sending the traceable test question to a test taker computer coupled to the network for display to the test taker. 
         [0009]    Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Below, a detailed description of the present invention is provided with reference to the attached drawing figures which are briefly described as follows: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1C  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1D  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to still yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2C  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2D  is a schematic diagram of a system for facilitating computer-based testing according to still yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a server facility which may be used by any of the systems for facilitating computer-based testing depicted in  FIGS. 1A-2D , according an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are block diagrams of exemplary Computer-Based Tests that include one or more traceable test items, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart that illustrates a method of facilitating computer-based testing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart that illustrates a method of facilitating computer-based testing according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention and their features and advantages may be understood by referring to  FIGS. 1A-6 , like numerals being used for like corresponding parts in the various drawings. 
         [0024]    The terms that are capitalized below bear the following meanings. 
         [0025]    The WWW is the World Wide Web and its associated protocols and related technologies which may be accessed via the Internet. 
         [0026]    An Electronic Data Network is any type of network environment from which at least one coupled processing arrangement, e.g., computer, is configured to receive content and to process the same. Exemplary electronic data networks include the Internet, the WWW, an extranet, an intranet, etc. 
         [0027]    A Computer-Based Test is any test or assessment that includes one or more test items, e.g., one or more test questions, and is administered via a processing arrangement, such as a computer, linked to an Electronic Data Network. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1A  depicts a system  100  for facilitating computer-based testing according to an embodiment of the present invention. System  100  may comprise a server facility  130  and a testing facility  170  that is coupled to server facility  130  via an Electronic Data Network  160 . As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 3 , server facility  130  may comprise a processing arrangement  150 , a storage facility  140 , and an I/O system  240  which supports network communications. Specifically, server facility  130  may receive a test item A, e.g., a test question, via I/O system  240 , and may store test item A in storage facility  140 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1C , a test item provider  210  may transmit test item A to storage facility  140  via I/O system  240 . Test item A then may be transmitted from storage facility  140  to processing arrangement  150 . In particular, processing arrangement  150  may associate a first unique identifier  110  with test item A, and also may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  to generate a traceable test item A. Processing arrangement  150  then may transmit traceable test item A to storage facility  140  for storage therein. However, it readily will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that a plurality of traceable test items A may be generated from a single test item A using a unique identifier for each of the traceable test items A. 
         [0029]    For example, test item A may be question to be incorporated into one or more Computer-Based Tests, and processing arrangement  150  may associate first unique identifier  110  with test item A based on a content of test item A. Specifically, in one exemplary embodiment, test item A may comprise a plurality of words, and processing arrangement  150  may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  by replacing at least one particular word of the plurality of words with at least one replacement word that comprises first unique identifier  110 . The at least one replacement word may comprise a synonym of the at least one particular word, an abbreviation of the at least one particular word, or the like. For example, if test item A includes the word “cat,” processing arrangement  150  may replace the word “cat” with the word “feline” to generate traceable test item A. Traceable test item A then may be stored in storage facility  140 . A similar approach may be employed when test item A includes the name of a person, the name of a city, the name of a company, or any other word which is interchangeable within the context of the test item. For example, if test item A includes the word “Philadelphia,” processing arrangement  150  may replace the word “Philadelphia” with the word “Miami” or the word “New York City” to generate traceable test item A. Moreover, as described-above, processing arrangement  150  may generate a plurality of traceable test items A from test item A. For example, processing arrangement  150  may generate a first traceable test item A by replacing the word “Philadelphia” with the word “Miami,” and also may generate a second traceable test item A by replacing the word “Philadelphia” with the word “New York City.” Thus, it is possible for processing arrangement to generate a plurality of traceable test items from a single test item. In a modification of this embodiment, processing arrangement  150  may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  by replacing several particular words of the plurality of words, and the combination of the several replaced particular words may represent first unique identifier  110 . For example, replacing several of the particular words (versus replacing a single particular word) increases the number of unique identifiers that are available for a particular test item. 
         [0030]    In another exemplary embodiment, test item A may comprise a plurality of numbers, and processing arrangement  150  may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  by replacing at least one particular number of the plurality of numbers with at least one replacement number that comprises first unique identifier  110 . For example, if test item A includes the equation “(4x+6)(2x−3)=8,” processing arrangement  140  may replace the equation “(4x+6)(2x−3)=8” with the equation “(4x+8)(2x−3)=8” to generate traceable test item A. Processing arrangement  150  also may use a more robust numeric replacement approach by employing a mapping of numbers to embed first unique identifier  110  within test item A to generate traceable test item A. In yet another exemplary embodiment, test item A may comprise at least one image, and processing arrangement  150  may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  by replacing the at least one image with at least one replacement image that comprises first unique identifier  110 . For example, first unique identifier  110  may comprise a modified portion of the at least one image of test item A. In still yet another embodiment, test item A may comprise a plurality of punctuation marks, e.g., commas, semicolons, quotation marks, brackets, periods, question marks, exclamation points, or the like, and processing arrangement  150  may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  by replacing at least one punctuation mark of the plurality of punctuation marks with at least one replacement punctuation mark that comprises first unique identifier  110 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1B , in addition to receiving test item A, server facility  130  also may receive a test item B, and may store test item B in storage facility  140 . Test item B then may be transmitted from storage facility  140  to processing arrangement  150 . In particular, processing arrangement  150  may associate a second unique identifier  120  with test item B, and also may alter test item B in accordance with second unique identifier  120  to generate a traceable test item B. The method for generating traceable test item B may be substantially similar to the above-described method for generating traceable test item A, and processing arrangement  150  may generate a plurality of traceable test items B. Processing arrangement  150  then may transmit traceable test item B to storage facility  140  for storage therein. Moreover, it readily will understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that server facility  130  may receive any number of test items, e.g., between one test item and about five thousand test items, and processing arrangement  150  may generate any number of traceable test items from each test item. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , after traceable test item A and/or traceable test item B is stored in storage facility  140 , traceable test item A and/or traceable test item B may be transmitted to test taking facility  170  and stored in a storage facility  180  of test taking facility  170 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 1D , processing arrangement  150  first may generate one or more Computer-Based Tests that include at least one of the traceable test items, and server facility  130  may transmit such Computer-Based Tests to test taking facility  170 . In any of these embodiments, test taking facility  170  may be a facility which is operated by or is associated with server facility  130 . Specifically, a first test taker  190  may register, e.g., pay a fee to server facility  130  and/or test item provider  210 , to take one or more Computer-Based Tests at test taking facility  170  on a predetermined date and at a predetermined time, and a second test taker  200  also may register to take one or more Computer-Based Tests at test taking facility  170  on the predetermined date and at the predetermined time. When first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200  arrive at test taking facility  170 , they may be given access to a computer. Test taking facility  170  then may transmit the one or more of the Computer-Based Tests to each of the computers, e.g., via an Electronic Data Network or by downloading the one or more Computer-Based Tests to the computer, such that test taking facility  170  presents, e.g., manifests, the Computer-Based Test to first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200 . For example, referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a first Computer-Based Test  220  which includes traceable item A may be transmitted to first test taker  190 , and a second Computer-Based Test  230  which includes traceable item B may be transmitted to second test taker  200 . In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4C , any number of the test items included in the Computer-Based Test may be traceable test items, e.g., all of the test items included in the Computer-Based Test may be traceable test items, or some of the test items may be traceable test items. After first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200  finish their Computer-Based Test, test taking facility  170  may transmit the completed Computer-Based Test to server facility  130 , and server facility  130  may store the completed Computer-Based Test in storage facility  140 . Moreover, server facility  130  may provide the results of the Computer-Based Test to the test taker. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2A  depicts a system  200  for facilitating computer-based testing according to another embodiment of the present invention. System  200  may comprise a server facility  130 ′ coupled to each of the test takers, e.g., first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200 , via Electronic Data Network  160 . As shown in  FIGS. 2A , server facility  130 ′ may comprise a processing arrangement  150 ′, a storage facility  140 ′, and I/O system  240  which supports network communications. Specifically, server facility  130 ′ may receive a test item A, e.g., a test question, via I/O system  240 , and may store test item A in storage facility  140 ′. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2C , test item provider  210  may transmit test item A to storage facility  140 ′ via I/O system  240 . Test item A then may be transmitted from storage facility  140 ′ to processing arrangement  150 ′. In particular, processing arrangement  150 ′ may associate first unique identifier  110  with test item A, and also may alter test item A in accordance with first unique identifier  110  to generate a traceable test item A. Processing arrangement  150 ′ then may transmit traceable test item A to storage facility  140 ′ for storage therein. However, it readily will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that a plurality of traceable test items A may be generated from a single test item A using a unique identifier for each of the traceable test items A. Moreover, the method for generating traceable item A may be substantially the same as in the above-described exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 2B , in addition to receiving test item A, server facility  130 ′ also may receive a test item B, and may store test item B in storage facility  140 ′. Test item B then may be transmitted from storage facility  140 ′ to processing arrangement  150 ′. In particular, processing arrangement  150 ′ may associate second unique identifier  120  with test item B, and also may alter test item B in accordance with second unique identifier  120  to generate a traceable test item B. The method for generating traceable test item B may be substantially the same as in the above-described embodiments of the present invention, and processing arrangement  150 ′ may generate a plurality of traceable test items B. Processing arrangement  150 ′ then may transmit traceable test item B to storage facility  140 ′ for storage therein. Moreover, it readily will understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that server facility  130 ′ may receive any number of test items, e.g., between one test item and about five thousand test items, and processing arrangement  150  may generate any number of traceable test items from each test item. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , after traceable test item A and/or traceable test item B is stored in storage facility  140 ′, a registered test taker, e.g., first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200 , may access traceable testy item A and/or traceable test item B by accessing a web site associated with server facility  130  via Electronic Data Network  160 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2D , processing arrangement  150 ′ first may generate one or more Computer-Based Tests that include at least one of the traceable test items, and the registered test taker may access the one or more Computer-Based Tests by accessing the web site associated with server facility  130  via Electronic Data Network  160 . As such, in either of these embodiments of the present invention, server facility  130 ′ presents, e.g., manifests, the Computer-Based Test to first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200 . For example, referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , first test taker  190  may access first Computer-Based Test  220  which includes traceable item A, and second test taker  200  may access second Computer-Based Test  230  which includes traceable item B. In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4C , any number of the test items included in the Computer-Based Test may be traceable test items, e.g., all of the test items included in the Computer-Based Test may be traceable test items, or some of the test items may be traceable test items. After first test taker  190  and/or second test taker  200  finish their Computer-Based Test, server facility  130 ′ may store the completed Computer-Based Test in storage facility  140 ′. Moreover, server facility  130 ′ may provide the results of the Computer-Based Test to the test taker. 
         [0036]    In any of the above-described embodiments of the present invention, because a unique identifier may be associated with some or all of the test items included in the Computer-Based Tests, when a test item which includes a unique identifier is distributed, the identity of the test taker who had access to the distributed test item during a computer-based testing session is determinable, e.g., because none of the test items included in other computer-based tests are identical to the traceable test item. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , depicted therein is a general process flow chart that illustrates a method  500  for facilitating computer-based testing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Method  500  may be employed using any of the above-described embodiments of system  100  and/or system  200 . Specifically, in step  510 , method  500  starts, and in step  520 , at least one test item, e.g., test item A and/or test item B, is stored, e.g., in storage facility  140  ( 140 ′). For example, the at least one test item may be transmitted from test item provider  210  to storage facility  140  ( 140 ′). In step  530 , a unique identifier, e.g., first unique identifier  110  and/or second unique identifier  120 , is associated with the at least one test item, e.g., based on a content of the at least one test item. The unique identifier may be any of the unique identifiers described above with respect to system  100  and/or system  200 . In step  540 , the at least one test item is altered in accordance with the unique identifier to generate at least one traceable test item, e.g., traceable test item A and/or traceable test item B. For example, the at least one test item may comprise a plurality of words or numbers, and processing arrangement  150  ( 150 ′) may alter the at least one test item in accordance with the unique identifier by replacing at least one particular word or number of the plurality of words or numbers with at least one replacement word or number that comprises the unique identifier. Alternatively, the at least one test item may comprise at least one image, and processing arrangement  150  ( 150 ′) may alter the at least one test item in accordance with the unique identifier by replacing the at least one image with at least one replacement image that comprises the unique identifier. Moreover, in step  550 , the at least one traceable test item is presented during a computer-based testing session, e.g., presented by test taking facility  170  or server facility  130 ′. Finally, in step  560 , method  500  ends. 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , depicted therein is a general process flow chart that illustrates a method  600  of facilitating computer-based testing according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Method  600  may be employed using any of the above-described embodiments of system  100  and/or system  200 . Specifically, in step  610 , method  600  starts, and in step  620 , at least one test item, e.g., test item A and/or test item B, is stored, e.g., in storage facility  140  ( 140 ′). For example, the at least one test item may be transmitted from test item provider  210  to storage facility  140  ( 140 ′). In step  630 , at least one traceable test item is generated by altering the at least one test item in accordance with a unique identifier, e.g., first unique identifier  110  and/or second unique identifier  120 . For example, the at least one test item may comprise a plurality of words or numbers, and processing arrangement  150  ( 150 ′) may alter the at least one test item in accordance with the unique identifier by replacing at least one particular word or number of the plurality of words or numbers with at least one replacement word or number that comprises the unique identifier. Alternatively, the at least one test item may comprise at least one image, and processing arrangement  150  ( 150 ′) may alter the at least one test item in accordance with the unique identifier by replacing the at least one image with at least one replacement image that comprises the unique identifier. Moreover, in step  640 , the at least one traceable test item is presented during a computer-based testing session, e.g., presented by test taking facility  170  or server facility  130 ′. Finally, in step  650 , method  600  ends. 
         [0039]    While the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the preferred embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or from a practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and the described examples are considered exemplary only, with the true scope of the invention indicated by the following claims.