Method and system for computer based testing using a non-deterministic exam extensible language (XXL) protocol

A system for computer based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:

• test driver means, having an executable code that controls functionality means, for delivering the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, managing the at least one test, controlling progression of the at least one test, controlling scoring of the at least one test, controlling printing of the at least one test, controlling timing of the at least one test, and controlling reporting of test results based on a test definition language, wherein the test definition language supports an expansion of the functionality of the test driver means without necessitating modification of the test definition language or modification to the executable code of the test driver means;
• storage means, in operative data communication with the test driver means, having a plurality of storage locations, for storing the test definition language, the plurality of storage locations storing the test definition language as a plurality of segments, wherein the plurality of segments comprises information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test;
• and
• validation means, in operative data communication with the test driver means and the storage means, for validating at least one of the plurality of segments of the test definition language and writing the at least one of the plurality of segments directly to at least one of the plurality of storage locations in the storage means, the at least one of the plurality of segments being formatted such that the information is implemented by the validation means but cannot be implemented directly by the test driver means.

A system for computer based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:

• a source file storing a test definition language being at least one of a plurality of classes authored by a test publisher and stored initially in the source file;
• a compiler, in operative data communication with the source file, retrieving the at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language from the source file, the test definition language comprising extensible markup language format;
• a resource file having a plurality of storage locations that stores the test definition language as a plurality of classes, wherein the plurality of classes comprises information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test;
• a plugin, in operative data communication with the test driver and the compiler, validating at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language received from the compiler and storing the at least one of the plurality of classes directly to at least one of the plurality of storage locations in the resource file, the at least one of the plurality of classes being formatted such that the information is capable of being implementing by the plugin but cannot be implemented directly by the test driver, wherein the plugin is capable of validating the at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language, and wherein the compiler determines into which of the at least one of the plurality of storage locations in the resource file the at least one of the plurality of classes retrieved from the compiler is stored by the plugin;
• and
• a test driver including executable code that controls functionality and enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control the progression of the at least one test, control the scoring of the at least one test, control the printing of the at least one test, control the timing of the at least one test, and control the results reporting of the at least one test based on the test definition language received from the plugin, wherein the test definition language supports an expansion of the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification of the test definition language or modification to the executable code of the test driver.

A system for computer based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:

• first means for storing a test definition language being at least one of a plurality of classes authored by a test publisher and stored initially in a source file;
• means for retrieving the at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language from the first means for storing, the test definition language comprising extensible markup language format;
• second means for storing the test definition language as a plurality of classes, wherein the plurality of classes comprises information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test;
• means for validating at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language received from the means for retrieving;
• third means for storing the at least one of the plurality of classes directly to at least one of the plurality of storage locations in the second means for storing the test definition language;
• means for determining into which of the at least one of the plurality of storage locations the at least one of the plurality of classes retrieved by the means for retrieving is stored;
• and
• means for controlling functionality to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, to manage the at least one test, to control the progression of the at least one test, to control the scoring of the at least one test, to control the printing of the at least one test, to control the timing of the at least one test, and to control the results reporting of the at least one test based on the test definition language received from the means for storing.

A method for computer based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, the at least one test being controlled by a test driver including executable code that controls functionality that enables the test driver to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, manage the at least one test, control progression of the at least one test, control scoring of the at least one test, control printing of the at least one test, control timing of the at least one test, and control results reporting of the at least one test based on a test definition language, the test definition language having a plurality of segments that comprises information relating to the data content, the presentation format, the progression, the scoring, the printing, the timing, and the results reporting of the at least one test, the plurality of segments being authored by a test publisher and initially stored the source file, the method comprising the steps of:

• instantiating a validation expansion module during a test production cycle;
• loading at least one of the plurality of segments of the test definition language into the validation expansion module from a source file;
• validating the at least one of the plurality of segments from the source file;
• unloading the at least one of the plurality of segments from the validation expansion module into at least one of a plurality of storage elements within a storage device;
• instantiating the validation expansion module during a test delivery cycle;
• providing to the validation expansion module the at least one of the plurality of storage elements;
• and
• loading the at least one of the plurality of segments of the test definition language from the at least one of the plurality of storage elements into the validation expansion module during a test delivery cycle, the at least one of the plurality of segments of the test definition language being accessible to the test driver to enable the functionality of the test driver, the at least one of the plurality of segments being formatted such that the information is capable of implementing by the validation expansion module but cannot be implemented directly by the test driver.

A method of computer based testing for at least one test, the at least one test having a presentation format and data content, comprising:

• authoring a test definition language being at least one of a plurality of classes by a test publisher;
• storing the test definition language initially in a source file;
• retrieving the at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language from the source file by a compiler, the test definition language comprising extensible markup language format;
• storing the test definition language as a plurality of classes in a resource file, wherein the plurality of classes comprises information relating to the data content, the presentation format, progression, scoring, printing, timing, and results reporting of the at least one test;
• validating at least one of the plurality of classes of the test definition language received from the compiler by a plugin and storing the at least one of the plurality of classes directly to at least one of the plurality of storage locations in the resource file;
• determining by the compiler into which of the at least one of the plurality of storage locations in the resource file the at least one of the plurality of classes retrieved from the compiler is stored by the plugin;
• and
• controlling by a test driver functionality to deliver the at least one test to an examinee using a display device, to manage the at least one test, to control the progression of the at least one test, to control the scoring of the at least one test, control the printing of the test, control the timing of the test, and control the results reporting of the at least one test based on the test definition language received from the plugin, wherein the test definition language supports an expansion of the functionality of the test driver without necessitating modification of the test definition language or modification to the executable code of the test driver.