WO2003079314A2

WO2003079314A2 - Remote examination supervision

Info

Publication number: WO2003079314A2
Application number: PCT/AU2003/000331
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jamil Y. Khan
Original assignee: The University Of Newcastle Research Associates Limited
Priority date: 2002-03-15
Filing date: 2003-03-17
Publication date: 2003-09-25
Also published as: WO2003079314A3; AUPS113202A0

Abstract

The remote supervision of examination candidates using a PC (1) capable of running software that poses questions and tests to the candidates and allows them to respond via the keyboard (2) and mouse. The candidate is monitored using at least one video camera (5) and microphone (4) which are both connected to a monitoring device (7), possible via the Internet (6). The software also blocking or monitoring the communication ports of the computer (1) to restrain unauthorised user of electronic communication or computer peripherals.

Description

RE1VI TE EXAMINATION SUPERVISION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to remote examination supervision and has been devised particularly but not solely for use in distance education.

Background of the Invention

There are many situations where it is necessary or desirable to educate students at remote sites as opposed to the more conventional methods of education involving gathering together students and teachers at schools and campuses. Such education has traditionally been conducted by correspondence, or sometimes by radio or television, and in more recent times distance education has often involved the use of computers frequently in an interactive manner linked to the education provider by the Internet.

There exists a problem in such distance education of setting examinations to test the knowledge of candidates as part of obtaining the desired qualifications. It has traditionally been necessary for candidates, even though normally located on remote sites, to travel to specified centres to undertake examinations under supervision. With the increased use of computers, it would be desirable for candidates to sit examinations at their own normal location e.g. in their home, but this poses additional problems in supervising candidates during examinations to ensure that there is no cheating or other unfair practices which would give an advantage to the candidate.

With the growing use of video cameras and microphones in connection with computers, proposals have been made to monitor candidates during on-line examinations using the camera and microphone to detect any unauthorised assistance or the use of additional notes, and also to check the identity of the candidate undertaking the examination. Such proposals have not received widespread acceptance due to the possibility of a candidate using other unfair methods to acquire information during an examination.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of remote examination supervision, including the steps of providing one or more examination candidates with a computer adapted to receive software relating to the examination, using the software to pose questions or tests to the candidate to be answered using computer input devices such as a keyboard or mouse, providing at least one video camera positioned to monitor the activities of the or each candidate, providing a microphone arranged to capture any speech of the candidate, connecting the camera and microphone to monitoring devices at a location remote from the candidate, and blocking or monitoring the communication ports of the computer to restrain unauthorised use of electronic communication or computer peripherals,

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a system for remotely supervising an examination of one or more candidates, the system including: one or more computers for running software to pose questions or tests to be answered by candidates; at least one video camera positioned to monitor the activities of the or each candidate; one or more microphones arranged to capture any talking by candidates; remotely located monitoring devices connected to the camera and the microphone; wherein the software also enables blocking or monitoring communication ports or memory storage facilities of the computer to restrain unauthorised communications or access to information.

Preferably, the communication ports of the computer are blocked or monitored using software downloaded into the computer arranged to prevent or monitor email or fax communication or other similar forms of electronic communication during the examination.

Preferably, the blocking or monitoring software also prevents the candidate sending any output to a printer or other output device or receiving any input from input devices such as scanners. Preferably, the method is used by a remotely located supervisor equipped with a computer set up to monitor the visual and audio input from the camera and microphone respectively.

Preferably, the supervisor also monitors the screen image as seen by the candidate.

Preferably, the candidate's computer and the supervisor's computer are interconnected using the Internet.

Alternatively, the candidate's computer and the supervisor's computer may be interconnected by a local area network, wide area network, or other types of custom set up networks.

In one form of the invention, the supervisor is able to simultaneously monitor a plurality of examination candidates either by simultaneously viewing images from cameras at different sites, and listening to inputs from corresponding microphones, or by sequentially, and typically randomly, scanning input from candidate to candidate.

Brief Description ofthe Drawing

Notwithstanding any other forms that may fall within its scope, one preferred form of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic view of an examination and supervision computer interconnected for use in the method according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In the preferred form of the invention, one or more students sit at a remote site, such as their home, using a computer, such as a PC 1 having a conventional keyboard 2 and screen 3. The PC is typically provided with a microphone 4 which may be built in to the screen as is now commonly available in a large number of PC's, and a video camera 5 which may be an ancillary unit, typically mounted on top of the screen as diagrammatically shown in the accompanying drawing or alternatively placed in a suitable location to monitor at least the face of the candidate during the examination process. In alternative forms of the invention, one or more further video cameras may also be provided to monitor any activity behind the computer screen or in the vicinity of the candidate.

The candidates PC 1 is connected via the Internet network 6, or via a corresponding local area network, wide area network, or the like, to a supervisory computer 7 which may take any one of a number of suitable forms.

For example, in a simple one on one situation, the supervisory computer 7 may simply comprise a PC at which the supervisor may monitor the activities of the candidate, visually via the camera 5, and audially via the microphone, in real time. Alternatively the supervisory PC may be set up to monitor the activities of a large number of candidates at once, recording the information for later analysis, or for replay simultaneously or in a speeded up manner, to check for cheating activities after the examination. It is also possible for the supervising computer to be set up to electronically detect unauthorised movement or sound patterns and provide warning notices either in real time to the supervisor or for later analysis.

In addition, further software is downloaded into the candidate's PC 1 preparatory to undertaking the examination, which is set up to block or monitor the communication ports of the computer and typically also access to unauthorised parts of the computer hard drive or other internal memory capability to restrain unauthorised use of electronic communication or computer peripherals or access to unauthorised information held within the PC.

The blocking and monitoring software is devised to ensure that the candidate, although appearing to the supervisor to be conducting normal examination answering procedures using the keyboard, is not in fact communicating electronically with another person at a remote site e.g. by email, or accessing databases containing information pertinent to the ex-unination answers.

The method of remote examination supervision set up as described above is able to ensure that πo-oπe other than the candidate is sitting in front of the computer and using the input devices such as the keyboard and the mouse. This information is obtained using the camera 5 and/or other cameras installed in appropriate positions. Similarly, the method ensures that no-one around the computer is talking with the candidate while examination is in progress, this information being obtained through the PC microphone 4.

The method of remote examination supervision also ensures that the candidate is not communicating with other computer users or not sending any output to a printer or getting any input from other devices such as a scanner. This is achieved using special software which monitors all input and output communication pots effectively locking the candidate's computer for the examination period. The candidate is only able to communicate with the supervisory computer 7. Any other communication attempt is recorded and a record will be sent to the supervisory computer 7. These actions are necessary to prevent use of other output and input devices to send or receive information.

In some situations it may be felt desirable to visually monitor the situation behind the computer to prevent a candidate receiving visual input from an accomplice in the same room, and if necessary this can be achieved by additional video camera although obviously at increased cost at the candidate's end of the system.

Most of the other equipment required by the candidate is commonly provided within commercially available PC's, augmented where necessary by the use of an inexpensive screen top video camera.

The complete remote examination system uses the following sub-systems:

Hardware

Audio and video interfaces together with software developed to drive the hardware and gather data.

Software

The system utilises several intelligence software modules.

This examination site software gathers data and communicates with the supervisory computer and maintains the communication link. In the event that the Internet connection goes down, the site software will store necessary information on its hard disc in protected mode and transmit this information when the candidate's PC connection to the Internet is re-established.

Server Architecture

The system uses a server developed to perform the following tasks:

■ Receive request for an examination and schedule the exam. The server will have the capacity to run a maximum number of remote sessions so initial booking can be made.

■ The server must authenticate the candidate's identity, PC configuration etc. at the start the examination. For an advanced system, the candidate could be identified by using object recognition software.

■ Collect records while the examination is in progress and store necessary information as the examination record.

■ Terminate the examination and collect the electronic script for marking.

In this manner a method of remote examination supervision is provided which is relatively inexpensive to implement and conduct using equipment typically already available to the candidate, and which enables a high degree of reliability and fairness to be achieved in an examination situation.

The present invention has been described herein by way of example only. Skilled workers in this field will readily recognise many variations and modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the broad inventive concept.

Claims

We claim:

1. A method of remote examination supervision, including the steps of providing one or more examination candidates with a computer adapted to receive software relating to the examination, using the software to pose questions or tests to

5 the candidate to be answered using computer input devices such as a keyboard or mouse, providing at least one video camera positioned to monitor the activities of the or each candidate, providing a icrophone arranged to capture any speech of the candidate, connecting the camera and microphone to monitoring devices at a location remote from the candidate, and blocking or monitoring the communication ports of the o computer to restrain unauthorised use of electronic communication or computer peripherals.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the communication ports of the computer are blocked or monitored using software downloaded into the computer arranged to prevent or monitor email or fax communication or other similar forms of 5 electronic communication during the examination.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking or monitoring software also prevents the candidate sending any output to a printer or other output device or receiving any input from input devices such as scanners.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is used by a 0 remotely located supervisor equipped with a computer set up to monitor the visual and audio input from the camera and microphone respectively.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the supervisor also monitors the screen image as seen by the candidate.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the candidate's computer and the supervisor' s computer are intercontiected using the Internet.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein the candidate's computer and the supervisor's computer may be interconnected by a local area network, wide area network, or other types of custom set up networks.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the supervisor is able to simultaneously monitor a plurality of examination candidates by simultaneously viewing images from cameras at different sites, and listening to inputs Bom corresponding microphones.

5 9. A method according to claim 4, wherein the supervisor is able to simultaneously monitor a plurality of examination candidates by sequentially, and typically randomly, scanning input from candidate to candidate.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more further video cameras are provided to monitor any activity behind the computer screen or in the l o vicinity of the candidate.

11. A method according to claim I , wherein the supervisory PC is set up to monitor the activities of a large number of candidates at once, recording the information for later analysis, or for replay simultaneously or in a speeded up manner, to check for cheating activities after the examination.

15 12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein for the supervising computer is set up to electronically detect unauthorised movement or sound patterns and provide warning notices either in real time to the supervisor or for later analysis.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in the event that the Internet connection goes down, the site software will store necessary information on its hard 0 disc in protected mode and transmit this information when the candidate's PC connection to the Internet is re-established,

14. A system for remotely supervising an examination of one or more candidates, the system including: one or more computers for nmning software to pose questions or tests to be 5 answered by candidates; at least one video camera positioned to monitor the activities of the or each candidate; one or more microphones arranged to capture any talking by candidates; remotely located monitoring devices connected to the camera and the 0 microphone; wherein the software also enables blocking or monitoring communication ports or memory storage facilities of the computer to restrain unauthorised communications or access to information.