ITTO20110163A1 - SYSTEM FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS, FOR EXAMPLE FOR DISTANCE TEACHING, PROCEDURES AND RELATED COMPUTER PRODUCTS - Google Patents

Description

â € œSystem for the assessment of skills, for example for distance learning, related IT procedures and productsâ €

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The description refers to skills assessment techniques.

In various forms of implementation, the description is applicable to the remote assessment and certification of skills, such as professional skills.

In various embodiments, the description is applicable to distance learning systems.

Technological background

The meaning of competence is rapidly changing: today by competence we mean the right knowledge at the right time and in the right context. Companies have now understood that the training of the workforce must be a continuous process that requires important resources and on which the achievement of the set objectives depends. However, it is still very difficult today to calculate the return on these investments, while at the same time there is a high rate of deterioration of the knowledge acquired even in the face of large investments of resources.

If residential training has high costs, an adequate combination of â € œfrontâ € training (ie with the physical presence of teacher and learner) and distance learning seems to guarantee more efficient professional training paths. In fact, the remote modality has many advantages: modularity and flexibility, reduction of direct and indirect costs (e.g. for logistical travels), the possibility of reaching a large number of people at the same time and being prompt in providing the necessary knowledge and skills to the entire workforce.

Both in the case of classroom training and in the case of distance learning, there is a high rate of wasting of the knowledge acquired even in the face of large investments: if the training is not accompanied by intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for the worker, it is estimated that only 20-30% of all new knowledge is still actually used after one month of training. In conclusion, if workers do not feel involved in the process of acquiring new skills, this will be inefficient.

The management of personnel training can activate growth systems where learning is no longer an optional faculty or a right, but becomes a duty of the employee who only through training can ensure his continuity and the continuity of the company, especially if an incentive approach is adopted, on which his salary and professional career depend.

However, the sustainability of an incentive approach depends on the reliability of the tools that certify the acquisition of skills following the training intervention. Typically, this certification takes place through an individual assessment of a specific group of skills done in the presence of a trainer. The logistical costs are such that companies prefer to provide training, mainly at a distance, without implementing, if not discontinuously, processes of assessment and certification of skills. In this context, ascertainment systems such as the systems known with the commercial names of Webassessor of the Kryterion company, Securexam of the Software Secure company (see also US-A-2006/174338 or US-A-2007/062121) or ProctorU of the company of the same name.

Purpose and summary

At the current state of the art, however, there are no efficient and low-cost tools that allow to reliably certify the acquisition of skills by a user and at the same time combine the benefits of flexibility, modularity and cost-effectiveness typical of a remote solution. .

The present invention has the purpose of responding to the needs outlined above.

According to the invention, this object is achieved thanks to a system having the characteristics referred to specifically in the following claims. The invention also relates to a corresponding process, as well as a computer product that can be loaded into the memory of at least one computer and comprising parts of software code capable of carrying out the steps of the process when the product is executed on at least one computer. As used herein, the reference to such a computer product is intended to be equivalent to the reference to a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling the computer system to coordinate the implementation of the process according to the invention. The reference to "at least one computer" is evidently intended to highlight the possibility that the present invention is implemented in a modular and / or distributed form.

The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching given herein in relation to the invention.

In various embodiments, the solution described here allows to provide an answer to one or more of the needs outlined below:

- create a method and a system for the detection and certification of professional skills that are sustainable and effective in particular in terms of cost, with limited impact on the technological structures of companies;

- set up a monitoring system aimed at greater transparency in the procedures for certifying skills in professional refresher courses;

- minimization of bureaucratic practices and organizational processes that devalue the motivational effectiveness of the competence certification systems;

- document the personal history of the employee with the aim of certifying the activities connected to a specific role or function in the company, allowing, also for guarantee purposes for the employee, the tracking of the results obtained;

- facilitate the management of verification activities; - planning skills checks in close relation with company objectives;

- guarantee the verification of the identity of the worker at the time of the assessment;

- provide the possibility of tracing positive or negative results, once again also for guarantee purposes for the employee.

In various embodiments, as a further guarantee of the user's identity, a function of detecting the user's face geometry (for example via webcam) can be provided, repeated for example in pseudo-random or random mode several times during the evaluation session. Various forms of implementation may provide for the use of digital document protection mechanisms by affixing a digital signature, which may not be used with the usual purpose of uniquely identifying the user (following any release by an authority of certification (CA) that directly verifies the identity of the subject one-off) but with the following purposes:

- guarantee to the assessed user of the integrity of the document which cannot be modified by the supervisory body that promotes the assessment of skills without the private part (key) of the digital signature),

- guarantee to the supervisor of the integrity of the document which cannot be modified by the evaluated user as the digital signature on the document is affixed before the user can regain control of the client PC.

In various forms of implementation, even if not issued by a certification authority (this option is still applicable if the supervisory body takes care of the organizational aspects), the digital signature can therefore be used as a guarantee of the integrity of the document between the supervising and assessed body. . In various forms of implementation, the assessed person can thus have a guarantee of receipt of the document by means of a receipt that summarizes the summary data of the assessment, date, outcome, competence / and ascertained. This receipt can be digitally signed by the supervisor and sent by the server as soon as the digital document is received. This receipt can thus record the outcome and delivery of the proof of the assessment and protects the user from any destruction / loss of the document by the supervisor.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, in which

Figure 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an operating sequence according to an embodiment;

- figures 2 to 7 are examples of displays which can be used in various embodiments;

- figure 8 is a block diagram representative of the architecture of a system according to an embodiment; And

Figure 9 is a representative sequence diagram of the conversation between a client and a server in a system according to an embodiment.

Detailed description

The following description illustrates various specific details aimed at an in-depth understanding of the embodiments. The embodiments can be made without one or more of the specific details, or with other material component methods, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the various aspects of the embodiments.

Reference to â € œan embodimentâ € in the context of this description indicates that a particular configuration, structure or feature described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as â € œin one embodimentâ €, possibly present in different places of this description, do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular conformations, structures or characteristics can be combined in any suitable way in one or more embodiments.

The references used here are for convenience only and therefore do not define the scope of protection or the scope of the forms of implementation.

The detailed description below is divided into two parts:

- the first, dedicated to the presentation of methods for the remote detection of professional skills, e

- the second, aimed at illustrating various forms of possible implementation of a relative system based on hardware and software technologies and organized according to a multi-user client / server architecture.

In various forms of implementation, this system can ensure:

- remote and autonomous access by the user to sessions for surveying and certifying the skills acquired;

- the management of the â € œportfolioâ € of the skills of the users enrolled in the system;

- the verification, with a high degree of presumable certainty, of the identity of the user participating in the evaluation;

- real-time monitoring of the evaluation session;

- the minimization of the possibility of fraud by the assessed user;

- the certain attestation of the outcome of the evaluation through the faithful recording of the entire evaluation session and the contextual archiving;

- the issue of a certificate of merit to the user at the end of the evaluation session;

- the guarantee, for the person subject to assessment of skills, of transparency in the release of qualifications that can subsequently be spent in the professional context.

All this in the context of various forms of implementation whose use can be such as to:

- not to require investments in hardware technologies that are too expensive on the part of the body that adopts it;

- be compatible with modest hardware equipment in terms of computational computing power and storage capacity;

- be compatible with the most popular connection protocols and with the available bandwidth;

- do not require too high a cognitive load in learning the functioning of the interfaces by the user user;

- allow rapid installation and configuration times;

- be able to be integrated and synchronized with Learning Management System and Human Resources Management System applications; And

- be compatible, for example, with the accessibility guidelines issued by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The flowchart of figure 1 is representative of forms of implementation of a (self) evaluation session that involves a user subject to evaluation, of which the session ascertains the acquisition of certain skills in view of obtaining, in case of success, corresponding feedback in terms of certification, incentives, various types of benefits, etc.

It will also be assumed that a person in charge of coordinating the assessment such as, in the case of a company, a human resources manager, has performed tasks such as the compilation of data in the personal â € œportfolioâ €, the definition of the individual development plan to starting from the analysis of the skills of each worker, the definition of the sessions, the definition of the incentives or benefits likely to be achieved from the outcome of the certification process. All this with the possible intervention of a person responsible for the certification who is entrusted with the role of supervising the process of assessing the skills, for example according to certain guidelines established by the person in charge of coordinating the assessment.

In this regard, it will be appreciated that, in various forms of implementation, the session can fully assume the character of a self-assessment session, such as not to require the simultaneous intervention, in real time, of the person in charge of coordinating the assessment and / or the certification manager, whose intervention may have previously taken place at the system configuration / programming level.

The diagram of figure 1 also assumes that, according to various forms of implementation, the user subject to the assessment has already had access via the network to the central server of the system and that, after checking the registration / upload of the user to be evaluated in a personal data, the system itself has guided the user through an initialization procedure to download a client application intended to allow the user's terminal to conduct the evaluation or assessment session according to the methods better described below.

For example, in various forms of implementation, once the download has been carried out, a guided installation procedure can explain to the user how to install the application on their PC. In various forms of implementation, the completion of the installation procedure may be conditioned upon the recognition of the existence of the motorized webcam drivers, which the user is supposed to be equipped with, for example because such a webcam has been supplied to the user when registering for the assessment program.

In various forms of implementation, the client application can generate, for example automatically, a certificate for the digital signature, sending the public part to the central server, while also storing the private part of the digital key in the operating system files.

In various embodiments, this mechanism allows the documents exchanged with the central server and stored in the associated central database to be protected by digital signature.

In various embodiments, the installation procedure can end with a request to the user if he wishes to proceed with the execution of the application installed as an alternative to the possibility of running the application at a later time.

At the start of the execution (START, in figure 1), the client application proceeds in a step 100 to the setting of the supplied equipment (microphone and webcam C) activating and verifying its functioning. Any anomalies detected can be analyzed by the client application, which may require user intervention to resolve the anomaly (e.g. verification of connection of webcam device C, interruption of the connection based on http protocol, presence of conflicts following the concurrent execution of other programs, etc.), blocking the execution of the skills assessment session in the event of failure to resolve the anomaly.

In a subsequent step 102, the application communicates the user's identification credentials to the central server, which returns the information relating to the user's summary situation and the assessment sessions scheduled for that user and to which the user can possibly log in at that time.

In a step 104 the user can then select the session to which he intends to participate, the client forwards the request to the central server, which in turn sends the information and contents that characterize and make up the evaluation session. The user views the instructions and privacy policy from the graphic interface and digitally signs a declaration of integrity and consent to the processing of his data for privacy purposes, authorizing the recording of video and audio.

At this point, in steps 106 and following, the use of the contents relating to the actual evaluation session begins. For simplicity of illustration, in Figure 1 the session is schematically represented as a sequence of question (step 106) and answer (step 108) cycles.

This sequence, essentially based on the sending from a CS server of assessment elements (indicated with TI in some of the figures) to a CU client (which sends back to the CS server the feedbacks given to the assessment elements by a subject undergoing assessment ) continues until the positive result (Y) of a verification step 110 indicates that conditions have been determined that make the sequence considered completed or exhausted. Of course, such a representation is to be understood as deliberately simplified for simplicity of illustration. In various embodiments, in addition to or as an alternative to the administration of a linear sequence of questions, the session may include the administration, as elements on which the assessment is based, of a sequence conditioned by the probability of the outcome of the response) or the administration of â € œcase studyâ € to be solved.

In various embodiments, the interface can guarantee the visualization of contents in textual or multimedia format.

In various forms of implementation, the creation of the evaluation sessions can be centralized and take place previously by an authorized user through the web interface of the management server.

In various embodiments, to optimize data flows and request / response queues between client and server, the server can send the client a meta-data package and any content elements, for example in rich text format (images , audio, video) that the client application will be able to interpret and rework by applying predefined graphic themes, in order to guarantee the user a pleasant and understandable interface.

In various forms of implementation, the rules of the assessment session (type of elements or IT assessment items, their sequence, available response time for each item, correct results, any feedback, duration of the entire session) can be provided by the server. based on the rules predetermined by the head of the assessment process who created the assessment session at central level.

In various embodiments, all or part of this data can be encrypted using the key pair associated with the client software. This way only the application can read the correct questions and answers. Conversely, the user would be able to extract questions and answers before carrying out the evaluation.

In various embodiments, the client interface can be configured to always allow the user to view the parameters that provide an indication of the time still available and of the progress with respect to the elements to be completed.

In various embodiments, after the predefined time for evaluation or completion of the single element has elapsed, the client can prevent any response from being sent. In various embodiments, the client may also be able to manage the number of possible access attempts at each evaluation session.

In various forms of implementation, the client application can communicate with the webcam C supplied (and, preferably, with a microphone), through the operating system of the client PC thanks to special libraries created ad hoc for the operation of the system presented here. , so that the registration and monitoring processes of the assessment session are activated.

In various forms of implementation, the recording of the assessment session can be aimed at the generation and filing of a document as faithful and complete as possible that certifies the carrying out of the assessment continuously from start to finish, by recording the behavior of the 'user throughout the evaluation, of the elements or items of assessment proposed and the related answers provided by the user.

For this purpose, specific equipment can be adopted that has certain characteristics: a robotic webcam C is able to perform a lateral rotation of at least 180 ° horizontal (horizontal view) and a vertical inclination of at least 60 ° vertical (vertical view ). The lateral rotation allows the exploration of the environment in which the Client PC is located and to check for the presence of any prompters near the desktop, the rotation on the vertical axis allows to detect any media (texts, books, etc., electronic devices ) on the user's desk.

In various embodiments, the webcam C is activated by the application (see Figure 2), while the user is required to carry out simple actions suitable to allow the webcam C to memorize the main points of the user's face. In various forms of implementation, this quick procedure can allow the webcam C to follow the movement of the user's face if necessary and to rotate according to the same in order to guarantee a constant shot on the user's face, providing a further guarantee regarding the user's identity, thus being able to detect any changes in the geometry of the person's face (exchange of people during the execution of the test).

In various embodiments, as schematically represented in Figure 3, the audio / video recording can begin with step 106 of the diagram of Figure 1, ie at the end of the initialization procedure. In addition to following the movement of the user's face, the webcam C can also rotate in order to visualize the environment surrounding the station.

In various embodiments, the rotation can be automated and take place at random intervals or at the request of a remote controller user, thus being removed from the control of the user subjected to the assessment.

At the same time, in various embodiments, a microphone (incorporated in the webcam C or in any case supplied to the client PC) can record the user's voice and all the sounds coming from the environment in which the user is.

In various embodiments, parallel to the audio and video recording, it is possible to start recording the desktop of the client PC, whose video archives all the screens and any mouse movements made by the user.

In various embodiments, a warning system can inform the user via interface messages and with sound stimuli / voice messages of any anomalies (the user has left the viewing angle of the webcam C), with the possible possibility of suspending the conduct of the assessment.

In various embodiments, during the carrying out of the assessment, the user interacts with the client application in different ways.

For example, as schematically represented in Figure 4, for each element or TI assessment item (e.g. question / case) proposed during the assessment (step 106), the student can provide his / her answer aloud (step 108). The application, through the voice recognition system, can determine the option specified by the user and provide feedback on the understanding of what has been communicated by the user.

If the user confirms (always verbally - see for example figure 5), the application can provide a positive or negative feedback on the accuracy of the user's response.

In various forms of implementation, these actions can be recorded through the audio / video recording and the capture of the desktop screens, having been able to verify that, from an emotional point of view, the voice response and its recording contribute to inhibit fraudulent behavior of the person and to involve them more.

In various embodiments, it is possible to provide that the client application dialogues with the operating system of the client PC, checking the possibility of user interaction with the operating system itself, for example by inhibiting the possibility of starting in parallel with the evaluation of other software programs installed on the Client PC (access to e-mail, instant messaging programs, text chats, etc.), as well as other operating system utilities (access to the control panel, access to the activity manager, etc.) and opening a browser for surfing the net. It is also possible to think of inhibiting the use of special keys and combination of special keyboard keys (such as Alt-Tab and Print, function keys, Print Screen, etc.) and / or the use of the mouse (so to limit user interaction with the system to only voice interaction based on voice recognition).

In various forms of implementation, the system can be configured in such a way as to also allow remote and real-time monitoring of the evaluation session by a supervisor who accesses the system via the network through a PC station to randomly control the real-time footage. In various embodiments, the control clients can be connected to the central server which receives in real time the capture of the images on the desktop and of the webcam C and posts them for example. every 5 seconds on an interface reserved for the supervisor / tutor.

In various embodiments, the application residing on the control client can receive at intervals a data stream decomposed by the server, capable of being analyzed and recomposed in a suitable way to facilitate the supervisor's verification.

In various forms of implementation, the analysis functions of the control client can facilitate supervision by means of an alert mechanism that highlights events potentially indicative of the occurrence of anomalies in the assessment process to the attention of the supervisor. For example, an image analysis can generate an alarm signal if the difference between the information on the client computer received at a given instant compared to that received previously is greater than a threshold value (e.g. if the distance between two successive images or frames, understood as the number of different pixels, exceeds a certain threshold). Other warnings can be generated by the occurrence of predetermined sequences of actions performed by the user.

In various embodiments, the supervisor through the interface can simultaneously receive multiple data streams from all the evaluation sessions that are taking place at that moment and to which he has been assigned as supervisor.

In various embodiments, a system as described allows a faithful recording of the progress of the assessment session and allows total and real-time control over the digital (desktop) and physical (surrounding space) environment.

In various forms of implementation, the end of the evaluation can be determined by the positive outcome of step 110 according to a wide range of events, that is, just to give some examples in the context of a practically infinite range of options available of the person in charge of coordinating the assessment, eg. a human resources manager of a company: exhaustion of test questions / events, reaching a time limit, reaching a threshold of positive / negative answers, etc ...

In various embodiments, at the end of the evaluation, in a step 112 the collected data are encrypted and sent to a central server where it is possible to subsequently verify the validity of the process.

In various forms of implementation, the digital documents produced during the evaluation phase can be certified by means of a digital signature to protect their integrity and authenticity.

In various forms of implementation, to guarantee the transparency of the assessment, it may be envisaged that the body that certifies the user's skills through the provision of the assessment sessions cannot modify in any way and without the authorization of the user (private key) the document that certifies the validity or invalidity of the assessment.

In various forms of implementation, as soon as the encrypted file is received, the server can generate a digitally signed receipt with the signature of the body / department that is responsible for the certification process to guarantee the user and any certificate of merit (based on the outcome of the assessment) certifying the acquisition of the skills subject to the assessment. The user has the possibility to print and file the receipt and the certificate; both documents will be filed together with the relevant user documentation.

In various forms of implementation, it may be envisaged that the user undergoing assessment cannot in turn tamper with the registration document of the assessment process, generated automatically during the assessment, and sent simultaneously at the end of the session, in a phase where the user is still not allowed to regain control of the client PC.

In various forms of implementation, the fact that the document is also signed with the client's private key can offer a further guarantee that the contents have not been altered or artfully generated outside the application.

Figures 6 and 7 schematically illustrate possible displays that can be presented to the user on the screen of the client terminal at the end of the session in the terms described above by way of example.

In various forms of implementation, the described skills detection system offers the possibility of interfacing and synchronizing with applications for the management of training courses in elearning and / or human resources management through a back-end structure based on web services. it is possible to synchronize the databases relating to the personal data of the users, between the various systems.

The block diagram of Figure 8 illustrates a possible architecture of a system to enable and monitor remote skills assessment sessions (eg assessment and certification) according to the criteria previously exemplified.

In the example considered here, it is a multi-user client-server architecture, including:

- a plurality of CU user client computers distributed to users intended to be subjected to assessment and equipped with specific devices for the acquisition of audio / video information from the environment in which the client unit resides according to the criteria described above,

- at least one CS server computer on which the coordination intelligence of the system resides, associated with a central database DB, and

- one or more CC control client computers made available to the persons in charge of coordinating the assessment process and / or who are entrusted with the role of supervising the assessment process.

In various embodiments, the connection between the CU, CS and CC computers can take place over the N network (wired or wireless), by means of which each client unit of the CU, CC system is operationally connected to the CS server unit central, functioning as information transport and in compliance with the same network protocol (s) that is / are normally used in the computer system, can be synchronized with Learning Management System and Human Resources Management System .

In various embodiments, the CU and CC computers can be configured to support client applications compatible with operating systems e.g. Windows, Linux and Macintosh OS, running on users' PCs in connection with the CS central management server.

In various embodiments, the user interface made available on the CU client computers can be configured so as to be simple and usable, minimizing the number of interactions by the user for functions such as, for example: application launch; entering their credentials; and voice interaction during the assessment session.

In various forms of implementation, most of the necessary operations can be carried out automatically by the client application, with the interface aimed at allowing the display of contents relating to the assessment sent in real time by the server and presented according to a specific format.

In various embodiments, the computers CU can be configured to allow the carrying out of operations selected from the following:

- sending authentication request to the central server of the user's credentials, receiving and managing the response;

- display of the updated list of the assessment activities scheduled for the user through synchronization with the management server;

- generation of a certificate for digital signature based on public / private key and sending to the server of the public part, when the user uses the application for the first time;

- start of the timed evaluation session; - definition (setting) of the control tools; - activation of communication with the webcam device drivers;

- turning on the webcam;

- detection of the face geometry of the assessed and comparison with previously stored parameters;

- automatic activation of audio acquisition through microphone control;

- automatic video capture activation through webcam control;

- automatic activation of the screen capturing activity;

- periodic acquisition of images via webcam and sending in real time to the CS management server;

- random activation of the rotation movement of the motorized webcam;

- activation of the rotation movement of the motorized webcam following particular events;

- activation of the rotation movement of the webcam based on the movement of the user's face;

- detection of particular events based on predefined rules;

- inhibition of specific keyboard commands;

- blocking of concurrent applications on the user's PC;

- formulation of the request to the central CS server for the data relating to the assessment session;

- creation in real time of a user view according to a predetermined format and based on the data received from the central server;

- real-time processing of the audio acquired through a special voice recognition application;

- return of a visual / vocal feedback of the reworked audio data;

- return of the evaluation result;

- creation of the digital document (desktop capture + audio + video);

- creation at the end of the assessment session of the document certifying its performance;

- file protection by means of a digital signature previously generated and sent to the central CS server for archiving;

- launch of the script to create / print a certificate of the skills acquired in the event of a positive outcome;

- sending to the central CS server of the updating data of the skills portfolio.

As already mentioned, in various embodiments it can be envisaged that the CU client computers are equipped with a robotic webcam device capable of performing a lateral rotation of at least 180 ° horizontally (horizontal view) and a vertical inclination of at least 60 ° vertical (vertical view).

The CS server forms the core of the system, to which all CU and CC clients connect. The central CS server is responsible for coordinating activities between the various distributed applications and the monitoring client.

To this end, in various forms of implementation, the system can offer a web interface through which the user via the administrator browser can manage the â € œportfolioâ € of users who are part of the skills certification program. , for example with regard to entities chosen from:

- personal data (possibly including the digital signature certificate containing the public key and access data);

- the individual development plan;

- the description of the personalized certification process;

- the â € œhistoricalâ € presentation of the previous evaluations.

In various forms of implementation, the interface can allow the design, implementation, archiving, updating and administration of skills assessment sessions, if necessary with methods of possible integration with Learning Management Systems and Human Resource Management System.

In various embodiments, the CS management server can be configured to allow operations chosen from:

- access to specific data for each client;

- sending confirmation of the user's credentials;

- transmits to the client the updated list of the assessment activities scheduled for a given user;

- reception and storage of the public key relating to the user received from the client;

- subsequent management of requests relating to the authenticity of the digital signature with which the client application signs the documents for which archiving is required;

- sending the data relating to the assessment session to the CU client;

- historicization of the encrypted file that documents the assessment session;

- receipt and historicization of the updating data of the skills portfolio.

In various embodiments, the CS server can take over the management of the queues of requests / responses to and from the various CU clients and the management of requests by the CC monitoring client: for example, when a CC monitoring client requests to access the audio / video contents of a particular CU client, the CS server can send the appropriate commands.

In various embodiments, the CC computers can have client applications, compatible with operating systems, for example. Windows, Linux and Macintosh OS, residing on PC-type devices, able to allow authorized users to connect remotely and view the images / videos sent by the CU clients distributed in real time for each connected CU client and to consult their history.

In various forms of implementation, the CC computer or computers can have a classic web interface to be accessed via a browser, such as to allow the user to access the application via authentication, with a control panel displaying the assessment sessions in progress, with the possibility to choose a source and to receive the acquired video signals, displaying them from the graphic interface.

In various embodiments, the CC computer or computers may have a client application that allows remote control of the webcam of the client PC of the users evaluated CU according to the needs and / or to enable the activation of direct communications with the client PC of the users. CU users through voice interaction.

In various embodiments, the CC computers can be configured to allow the carrying out of operations chosen from the following:

- sending authentication request to the central CS server for the credentials of the administrator user, receiving and managing the response;

- graphic interface display of the updated list of the assessment sessions in progress;

- sending the request for audio and video acquisition from a remote client to the central server;

- enabling the alarm mode: for example when the subsequent images received by the client are different for more than a predetermined percentage of pixels (with an appropriate threshold of similarity for the colors) in order to generate an alert message;

- sending request to the server to interrupt the assessment session on the client PC of the user who is carrying out the assessment;

- graphic interface visualization of audio and video streams coming from remote client in real time;

- historical display of the recorded assessment sessions;

- sending to the central CS server the request for audio and video data of one or more recorded assessment sessions;

- download and playback from the graphical interface of the audio and video streams of the session;

- remote control of the webcam of the Client PC of the single evaluated user;

- voice chat for direct communication with evaluated users.

Figure 9 is a representative sequence diagram of the conversation between a CU client and the CS server in a system according to an embodiment to which the architectural scheme of Figure 8 refers.

The steps exemplified in the diagram of Figure 9 have the following content:

1000: initialization phase, comprising in turn:

- 1002: application download

- 1004: application starts with the user entering his username / password

- 1006: login on the CS server with your own account - 1008: verify username / password

- 1010: confirm login

- 1012: public / private key generation (e.g. only the first time)

- 1014: saving on the server of one's own public key;

- 1016: download questions / tests from browser (LMS / KMS);

- 1018: user opens the file through the application and provides the answers (audio / video recording);

- 1020: creation of the document containing audio / video / answers;

- 1022: digital signature of the document with user private key and application key;

- 1024: sending the signed document to the CS server;

- 1026: signature of the document by the CS server; - 1028: download notification of receipt (document signature).

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect to what is illustrated here purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. as defined by the attached claims.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1. Computerized system for the assessment of skills including at least one server (CS) configured for: - send to at least one client (CU) documents representing elements of assessment (IT), - receive from said client (CU) representative documents of feedback given to these elements of assessment by a subject subject to assessment through said client (CU), and - archive (DB) the documents exchanged with said at least one client (CU) as documents protected by digital signature, in which said digital signature has at least one of the following characteristics: - the digital signature is generated with a private key of the client (CU), therefore said documents cannot be modified by said server (CS), - the digital signature is affixed to said documents when said documents cannot be modified by said client (CU). System according to claim 1, wherein said server (CS) is configured to generate and send to said at least one client (CU) an acknowledgment of receipt message containing a summary of said exchanged documents. System according to claim 2, wherein said confirmation message is digitally signed by said server (CS). System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said server (CS) is configured to archive (DB) documents comprising a record of the interactions between said server (CS) and said at least one client (CU) during respective assessment sessions . 5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said server (CS) is configured to archive (DB) a record of the results given to said elements of assessment by said subject subjected to assessment through said client (CU) in the form of recordings of feedback chosen from: audio feedback, visual feedback, actions taken on said client (CU). 6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an orientable visual recording device (C) is associated with said at least one client (CU), the control of the orientation of said visual recording device (C) being susceptible to be removed from the control of said at least one client (CU). 7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the orientation of said visual recording device (C) is activated in a pseudo-random way. System according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one further control client (CC) configured to be able to intervene in the exchange of said documents between said at least one server (CS) and said at least one client (CU). 9. System according to any one of the preceding claims 6 or 7, in combination with claim 8, in which said at least one further control client (CC) is configured to be able to selectively control the orientation of the visual recording device (C ) associated with said at least one client (CU). 10. Process for ascertaining the skills of at least one subject subjected to competence assessment by means of the computerized system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising, at the level of said server (CS): - send to said at least one client (CU) documents representing elements of assessment (TI), - receive from said client (CU) representative documents of feedback given to these elements of assessment by a subject subject to assessment through said client (CU), and - archive (DB) the documents exchanged with said at least one client (CU) as documents protected by digital signature, in which said digital signature has at least one of the following characteristics: - the digital signature is generated with a private key of the client (CU), therefore said documents cannot be modified by said server (CS), - the digital signature is affixed to said documents when said documents cannot be modified by said client (CU). 11. Computer product loadable in the memory of at least one computer (CS) and containing portions of software code to carry out the process of claim 10. 12. Process for ascertaining the skills of at least one subject subjected to competence assessment by means of the computerized system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising, at the level of said client (CU): - receive from said server (CS) documents representing elements of assessment (IT), - send to said server (CS) representative documents of feedback given to said elements of assessment by a subject subjected to assessment through said client (CU). 13. Computer product loadable in the memory of at least one computer (CU) and containing portions of software code to carry out the process of claim 12.