Education and demonstration – Language
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-12
2001-07-03
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Language
C434S362000, C434S350000, C434S322000, C434S323000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254395
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to computer based testing. More particularly, the present invention relates to the standardized testing of the writing skill of an examinee using computer based testing techniques.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the standardized testing field, large-scale standardized testing has long depended upon the administration of multiple-choice tests by using paper-and-pencil, which can be scored efficiently and objectively by modern scanning technology. The recent availability of a computer based testing system has substantially automated the entire process of standardized testing. A central processing facility provides the software development to support the computer based testing system and post processing activities. A test program may be developed, produced, and packaged at the central processing facility. The computer based test is then transferred to one or more test centers. Each test center has at least one computer workstation on which the computer based test can be delivered to an examinee. After an examinee has taken the test, the examinee responses and other information recorded during the testing session may be transferred to the central processing facility for post processing, i.e., for scoring and statistical and analytical studies used in the development of new tests, or they may be scored at the test center. However, such standardized tests have the disadvantage that they depend on multiple choice type problems that may not adequately represent the tasks which examinees may encounter in academic and work settings or may not adequately test the skills sought to be assessed.
In the testing of English composition skills, large-scale standardized testing has depended on both multiple choice and “free-response” items. A free-response writing examination is one in which the examinee provides a written response to an open-ended question, which is then graded individually by humans. The grading is expensive because each response is typically scored by at least two people, usually experienced English teachers. Moreover, multiple choice questions used to test composition skills employ individual sentences and brief paragraphs. This technique has been considered inadequate by some English teaching professionals because it is an “indirect” approach to writing skill assessment.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a computer based system that assesses writing skill without the use of human graders or multiple-choice questions. The system must be able to administer the test and automatically evaluate and score the examinee's responses. The present invention has been designed to meet these needs in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention meets the above-mentioned needs in the art by providing a method of computer based testing on a computer comprising the steps of providing a textual item having at least one predetermined textual segment to an examinee, receiving an instruction from the examinee to select one of the predetermined textual segments, providing the selected textual segment to the examinee for editing, receiving an edited textual segment from the examinee, and comparing the edited textual segment to a set of solutions.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the step of providing the textual item to the examinee comprises providing the textual item in a first window on a display screen of the computer. Preferably, the step of providing the selected textual segment to the examinee for editing comprises providing the selected textual segment in an editing window on the display screen.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a step of parsing the edited textual segment from the examinee is provided after the step of receiving the edited textual segment.
According to further aspects of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of selecting the textual item from a set of textual items prior to the step of providing the textual item to the examinee. Preferably, the step of selecting the textual item is responsive to an item-selection algorithm where each textual segment comprises no error or at least an error in grammar, punctuation, syntax, sentence structure, vocabulary, idiom, and word choice.
According to further aspects of the present invention, a step of determining the set of solutions using natural language processing is provided. Preferably, the step of encrypting the set of solutions is also provided.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a score is determined responsive to the step of comparing. Preferably, the score is determined using a scoring algorithm.
According to further aspects of the present invention, another textual item is selected responsive to an instruction from the examinee, and the selected textual segment is displayed responsive to an instruction from the examinee. Preferably, the selected textual segment can be provided to the examinee for editing after receiving the edited textual segment from the examinee. Moreover, a set of instructions is preferably provided to the examinee in an instruction window on the display screen. Preferably, the set of instructions is capable of being provided responsive to an instruction from the examinee.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the edited textual segment is replaced in the textual item for the selected textual segment prior to the step of comparing the edited textual segment to the set of solutions.
In a further embodiment within the scope of the present invention, a computer based testing system is provided comprising a first memory comprising a plurality of textual items each having at least one predetermined textual segment; a controller for selecting one of the textual items from the first memory; a display for displaying the selected textual item; a selection device for allowing an examinee to select one of the predetermined textual segments for editing, the selected textual segment being displayed on the display; an editor for allowing the examinee to edit the selected textual segment; and a comparator for comparing the edited textual segment to a set of solutions.
In a further embodiment within the scope of the present invention, a method of computer based testing is provided comprising the steps of producing a computerized test having a plurality of textual items having predetermined segments of text to be selected and edited by an examinee, at least one related test screen containing messages and directions comprising information for the examinee, and an item-selection algorithm defining rules for determining a sequence of the textual items to be presented; delivering the computerized test to the examinee by presenting the textual items and related test screen to the examinee at a computer workstation according to rules defined by the item-selection algorithm; recording responses provided by the examinee to the predetermined segments of text in the textual items presented; selecting and parsing the responses to remove extraneous information; and comparing the parsed responses with a set of solutions stored in a knowledge base to generate a score using a scoring algorithm.
In a further embodiment within the scope of the present invention, a computer based testing system is provided comprising a test development system for creating a computerized test having a plurality of textual items having predetermined segments of text to be selected and edited by an examinee and at least one related test screen containing messages and directions comprising information for the examinee; a workstation operable to deliver the computerized test to the examinee by presenting the textual items and related test screen to the examinee, the workstation operable to record responses provided by the examinee to the predetermined segments of text in the textual items presented; means for selecting the responses and parsing the responses to remove extraneous information; a knowledge base comprising solutions; and means for comparing the parsed responses with th
Breland Hunter M.
Tahbildar Probal
Educational Testing Service
Harris Chandra
Harrison Jessica J.
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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