Theme of master's work: "Developing and providing efficiency for network system of knowledge testing"
:: Topicality, goals and objectives of master work ::
Controlling and estimation of knowledge are played main role in educational process. They simultaneously carry out functions of mastering and practical application of knowledge which have been received by students and pupils during educational process. Stimulation and moral encouragement for participation in such intellectual competitions are important. We can allocate 2 types of system that testing knowledge:
- Writing tests, which required a lot of time to check their results by teacher;
- Computer test systems with right and correct tests;
Systems of the first type exist for a long time and have some lacks: impossibility of automatic processing for results of testing, a plenty of routine work, small speed of result processing. Therefore, systems of the first type are applied lesser with the time. We have the very actual problem. It is automation of process of the knowledge control, development computer systems for testing knowledge.
Advantages of test systems:
- Automation processing of results;
- Canceling typical examinations and modules;
- Maintenance of objectivity for control of knowledge;
- Increase efficiency of testing;
- An opportunity of the centralized analysis of quality prepared knowledge by various questions;
- Reduction of expenses on the organization and testing;
Opportunities Internet which allow to find practically any information, not leaving from a house or the case of university, are effective tools of training. Therefore creation models of testing system on the basis of infrastructure Internet is an extreme perspective and actual scientific task.
Object of research is the model of automated system of testing knowledge on base Internet, the problems connected to development and implementation, and also optimization of program realization.
The purpose of research is creation modern UML models of Web-service of testing of knowledge on the basis of infrastructure Internet, program realization on the created model that will be used in, carrying out of complex researches under the analysis of efficiency of functioning of the created system and optimization of parameters of system of testing of knowledge.
Before formation of model of WEB-service of testing it is necessary to outline precisely a set of functions and requirements to it. We list the basic functions, requirements, characteristics of system of testing:
- The major function - maintenance of effective testing of knowledge;
- An estimation of results of testing exact and capable to adaptation;
- An opportunity of use as for internal and open testing;
- The analysis of tests with the purpose of an estimation of quality, suitability of separate questions and revealing incorrectly generated, or simply wrong questions that is carried out by sending special messages to the manager of system from users;
- Ease of creation and updating of tests;
- Absence of a firm binding to any to a subject, a field of knowledge;
- Gathering, preservation and representation in the convenient form of the various statistical information concerning process of testing;
- An opportunity of simultaneous testing unlimited amount of users
- Absence of a rigid binding to concrete hardware and to the software;
- Easy expandability, scalability of system;
- High safety, security and stability;
- Unlimited quantity of tests, that, questions and variants of answers to them;
- Convenient both effective import and export of tests;
- The control of time of testing and preservation of the information over the interrupted session of testing;
- Support of the safe and universal mechanism of management by users with distribution of the rights of access;
- Support of a mode of the modular control during which there is some questions and time during which it is necessary to answer them;
Also it is necessary to note multicomponent system of a portal of testing of knowledge. Namely it is necessary to allocate its such components: a subsystem of testing; a subsystem of creation, preparation and editing of tests; a subsystem of the statistical data, concerning success of passage of tests; a subsystem of management of users; a database of questions and the statistical information connected to them; a database of users.
:: Review of existing solutions ::
Creation of testing systems is not innovative idea. Early such systems were successfully developed and created, both in Ukraine and in the World. In DNTU, researches on similar themes were did by Suhodolskij D.N. « Development of web-servers of scientific-educational assignment» and Changli À.N. Structure and organization of WEB services based on Internet structure». Their results represented more theoretical interest since eventually, have not been introduced in practice though ready software products have been successfully created. Because we need to testing created system, create a lot of tests and questions, and find effectively optimization of system.
For today there is many testing systems. Researches show, that the most part from them is focused on passage of testing in Internet through the Web-interface. These systems differ among themselves sphere of application, technologies of realization, a level of approachability and an openness. The best development in this sphere are Brainbench, Neyron. Also known system were OpenTest and the Mentor, but at present to their addresses other resources are placed and support of the given webs - projects is probably stopped.
Let's consider system of testing Brainbench (www.brainbench.com) which is the global leader on-line certifications. In the given system exist both paid and free-of-charge tests on various disciplines: information technologies, language knowledge and so on. Brainbench have already taken advantage about 6 million person. At creation of this system modern technologies and languages have been used: HTML, XML, SQL, PHP, Java, JavaScript. As a whole, Brainbench is successful and effective system of testing of knowledge. But nevertheless there are some lacks: at passage of tests: impossibility precisely to determine the person testing, that allows the professional to pass tests for other users. Also it is possible to use search mechanisms Internet for the answer to questions. But nevertheless these lacks are not essential since the majority of systems possess the same properties and it is feature of testing of knowledge on a network.
The system of testing Neyron (www.neyron.ru) represents a vivid example of open system of knowledge testing which is used only for public competitions and does not contain tools for the adequate control of knowledge over a context of educational process. The system has been developed by teachers and students of the Moscow State University. Each question is characterized by a subject to which it belongs, quantity of points for the answer and a level of complexity. The above complexity of a question, the more points can be received at a right answer on it. A parameter of success of the user is the total sum of points typed by him during testing. The given system does not answer the majority of requirements of modern system of testing of knowledge. The basic lacks of system are: practically full impracticality for use in educational process; conditional and inefficient system of charge of points for a right answer; Presence of a tote for rates on questions that is incompatible with educational process; inefficient system of updating of base of questions when any participant can add the question that conducts to occurrence of a plenty of wrong questions.
It is necessary to note system of testing of the consulting company the Guarantor (moodle.tests.kz) which represents testing as much as possible approached to tests of the National Center of State standards of Education and Testing of Kazakhstan. The primary goal - information support of entrants during preparation for receipt in the Kazakhstan high schools and delivery of Uniform National Testing. Specially for entrants the program of remote training and testing has been developed. The given system possesses a number of advantages:
- Tests are maximum approached to tests of the National Center of State standards of Education and Testing;
- The program at once marks wrong answers and specifies answers;
- Answers to any test tasks you can be found in a help material;
- An opportunity to receive consultation at teachers in online a mode;
- Comprehensible cost of a rate;
- Automatically there is a selection of new test questions and hashing of answers. Not visual storing of a question and the answer, and storing of essence of a question and a right answer therefore turns out.
The system of remote testing of Khabarovsk Institute Infokommunikatsy (www.sibguti.kht.ru/cgi-bin/goto.pl?dtest) represents the project created within the framework of High School for examination of students. It is possible to allocate such characteristic features of testing: the computer test will consist on the average of 10 questions; for the answer to each question one minute is allocated; in each task it is necessary to choose one true answer; answers get out with the help of the mouse, click of the left button on located in the bottom of working area of the screen to a mug, corresponding answer chosen you; the answer is considered chosen, if it the marked black point; tasks are carried out under the order, to return to the missed tasks it is impossible; on each test it is given two attempts; the test is considered included, if percent of right answers not less than 80 %; if on what or to the reasons you have not finished the test up to the end, you can continue 1 time the interrupted test from that place on which the test has been interrupted. The given project has, in my opinion, such lacks: impossibility of the plural answer to a question; limitation of quantity of questions in the test; incorrect distribution of time to each question, instead of to the test as a whole.
The center of remote testing the Moscow State University of Lomonosov (de.msu.ru/course/display?course=235). The purpose of the given testing - to give to the Russian schoolboys and students an opportunity to receive rehearsal experience of passage of entrance examination, to familiarize with computer technology of testing and to be prepared psychologically for the procedure of testing similar to introductory tests for faculties of the Moscow State University. The given portal of the Moscow State University suggests to pass trial fact-finding testing and objectively to estimate the knowledge. Tests are based on programs of introductory tests in the Moscow state university. The complex of fact-finding tests includes as variants of examinations of the last years on the given speciality, and the original tasks made specially for trial testing by teachers of the Moscow State University. Testing is carried out free-of-charge. It is possible to familiarize with results of testing directly after passage of the test. Automatic processing of results of the test provides reception of a point (glasses) for the executed tasks, representation to the participant of "form" of tasks in an on-line mode with the instruction{indication} of correct and wrong answers, and also statistics by quantity is correct and incorrectly executed tasks in the test. Not on all disciplines on a site it is possible to pass tests. Also passage of tests without registration of the user, is a little undesirable model of testing of knowledge.
:: Conclusions and research prospects ::
Prospect of the given research is creation model of testing knowledge system, development program realization and maintenance of effective functioning of this system. Such system at a high level of realization is quite capable to replace examinations and modules on the some (or all) to disciplines of our university. It is possible only at presence of the big base of correct and optimum questions, observance of principles of individuality at testing in audiences of university.
Model Model2 will be used for creation model of network system. Model precisely divides 3 various levels of interaction: a level of representation, a level business of logic, a level of the data. Base programming language will be Java, as the standard de facto, constructions of modern webs. Also modern auxiliary means and libraries for work with the data and management of inquiries of users will be used. Using rich client with the help of technology AJAX will allow to reduce the network traffic and optimize efficiency of system.
So, considering all aforesaid, we shall try to present the future model of network system of testing of knowledge. As a whole, the system of testing represents the web - appendix which will be carried out on a server of appendices. The level of the data will be submitted by easy and effective database MySQL which fully complies with criteria of system of testing, and is capable to operate effectively big quantity of records. For interaction with a database object/relational mapping (ORM) will be used on the basis of simple objects Java with use Hibernate. It will allow to simplify access to the information in a database, and to deduce designing and development of the appendix on a qualitative - new level. Management of inquiries from users will be organized as the several basic servlets which will represent Front Controller. For simplification of creation of the main level (business-logic), probably, some basic will be used frameworks of web - programming. Also to cost to note application of pattern Intercepting Filter, as lines of filters which will allow to provide the big efficiency and reliability. In this case, the question is about - the filter of security, caching and compression. The filter of compression which shows real optimization data transmission is at present already realized. If to take into account opportunities AJAX, to update only a part of page exists quite good preconditions to approve, that the created program complex, will be high-speed and effective. The level of representation of system of testing, will be created on a basis of strictly and stylish web-design, with application HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other webs - technologies. During development some divergences with technologies and the plan of development submitted here are possible. It speaks search of the optimal decisions for realization of each separate level and the module of network system of testing of knowledge.
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