Image analysis – Applications
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-07-03
Patel, Jay (Department: 2723)
Image analysis
Applications
C434S327000, C434S354000, C382S305000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256399
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for controlling the scoring or grading of nonobjective assessment materials (such as essays handwritten on paper), using scorers or readers at diverse geographic locations. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for allocating appropriate activities to scorers, distributing materials to scorers required for those activities, monitoring scorers' performance in those activities, and recording the results of the scorers' activities. The present invention provides improved control methods for scoring “on screen”, a technique marketed under the trademark “ScoreImage”. In general, the ScoreImage technique is described in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,060 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Scorer Activities in On-Screen Scoring
In on-screen scoring, nonobjective assessment materials are scored through the use of digitized images depicting the responses made for the assessment. Such digitized images are displayed on computer screens for scoring or other judgments of the assessment materials.
Through the use of captured images as the representation of the assessment materials, the need to manage and control large amounts of paper in a secure manner is eliminated. The assessment materials themselves can be kept secure at a scanning center, and need not be handled again for any part of the scoring process. Moreover, since no names or other identifying information are sent to scorers with the images of the materials to be scored, student anonymity is assured and a potential source of scorer bias is removed. Each scorer may work on a personal computer or terminal, while work for the scorer can be allocated to that scorer by an independent process.
When a scorer is ready to start or continue a session, the scorer can select from among three types of activities: training, qualifying, or scoring. For each activity, the system provides a particular “batch” or set of assessment items appropriate for that activity.
If supervisory personnel have assigned a scorer to a particular assessment, the scorer can select training and request or select a batch of assessment items appropriate for training or to help the scorer become proficient in assigning correct scores for items in that assessment. These so-called “training batches” consist exclusively of pre-scored items and may provide feedback to the scorer immediately after the scorer enters his or her score. Training batches can be pre-established or designated by supervisory personnel, and a copy of the batch can be made for the scorer, although, alternatively, training batches can be dynamically built upon request. The scorer's performance is recorded in appropriate detail and summary files so that supervisory personnel, that is, project leaders or managers, can identify scorers who are not correctly assessing the training items.
Once a scorer has completed the appropriate set of training activities, the scorer can request a so-called “qualifying batch” of assessment items, so that he or she can demonstrate his or her ability to properly score the particular assessment. “Qualifying batches” consist exclusively of pre-scored items and are used to ensure that the scorer has properly internalized the training so that the scorer provides accurate scores to assessment items. In accordance with the invention, qualifying batches are pre-established by supervisory personnel and a copy of the batch is made for the scorer, although qualifying batches may also be dynamically built upon request. When scoring qualifying batches, unlike training batches, the scorer is typically not informed of his or her performance until after scoring of the batch is completed. After scoring of the batch is completed, the scores entered by the scorer are compared to the predetermined scores, and the scorer's overall performance is compared to a pre-determined standard. The scorer's performance is recorded in appropriate detail and summary files and is made available or reported to project leaders or managers. It may then also be reported back to the scorer. After a scorer completes a required set of one or more qualifying batches. if the scorer's overall performance meets or exceeds the pre-determined standard, the scorer is deemed “qualified” to obtain batches of “live,” or unscored assessments to score. On the other hand, if the scorer fails to meet the predetermined standard, the scorer may be required to perform additional training and take additional qualifying batches or be precluded from further participation. While most projects require that a scorer successfully meet the qualifying requirements once in any given assessment, other projects may require that the scorer take at least one qualifying batch and re-qualify each day or each scoring session.
When a scorer has become qualified, the scorer can request a batch of “live,” or unscored, assessment items. Either the entire set or a subset of the assessment items in a so-called “Assessment Scoring File” is examined to find a subset of items which can be assigned to the scorer. Typically, live items to be scored by the reader are randomly chosen from the resulting subset of items. Often, a fixed number or percentage of pre-scored so called “monitoring” items are also selected and are combined with the live assessment items to form a complete “batch” of items to be scored. The scorer then scores each of the assessment items in the batch as described in the above-mentioned application, and the resulting scores or judgments and other information are stored in a “Scorer Batch File”. As soon as the scorer completes scoring of a batch, the scored results are processed into the system. Scores given to live assessment items are stored in the appropriate assessment records, and scores given to prescored, or monitoring, items are compared to the predetermined correct score so that the scorer's accuracy and precision can be monitored.
When the scorer completes work on any batch, the system creates several records that become part of the permanent project records. These records permit accounting for each scorer's activities, as well as permitting evaluation of scorers.
Remote Scoring
In the above-mentioned patent, procedures were disclosed involving the sending of batches to scorers at remote sites via diskettes, with the results of scoring communicated back to the central site via regular telephone lines and computer modems.
(a) Distributing Materials to be Scored
For most batches, the files containing the images for the assessments to be scored will not fit on a single diskette, so that on-screen scoring at remote sites based on sending to scorers diskettes of materials to be scored is somewhat difficult to control and not entirely satisfactory.
The present embodiments of the invention, therefore, provide apparatus and methods to ensure that the images and other files needed for scoring are readily available to scorers when the work is started. This aspect of the invention, then, relates to the distribution of materials to scorers for scorers in a variety of settings and for projects with a variety of special needs, with emphasis on the use of scorers at diverse locations.
(b) Controlling Materials and Accountability of Scorers
Another aspect of the present invention is in the area of controlling materials and providing techniques of holding scorers accountable for their activities. The time delays involved in sending out diskettes containing batches to be scored can sometimes hamper control and management of a scoring project. In order to provide control of the materials and oversight of the scorers and the materials, it is best to allocate work to a scorer immediately before the scorer begins that work, and important that the results of that work be processed and evaluated before additional work is allocated to the scorer, so that the scorer is held accountable for his or her activity. This step of evaluation before alloca
Merchant & Gould P.C.
NCS Pearson, Inc.
Patel Jay
LandOfFree
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