WO2012114281A1

WO2012114281A1 - A system for testing skills, for instance for distance learning, methods and computer program products therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2012114281A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/050802
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manuela MARTINI; Giuseppe Portelli
Original assignee: E-Mentor S.R.L.
Priority date: 2011-02-25
Filing date: 2012-02-22
Publication date: 2012-08-30
Also published as: IT1404533B1; ITTO20110163A1

Abstract

A computerized system for testing skills, for example for distance-learning systems, comprises a server (CS) configured for exchanging with at least one client (CU) documents representing test items coming from the server (CS) and responses given to said test items by a subject being tested via the client (CU). The server (CS) comprises a memory (DB) for filing the aforesaid documents exchanged with the client (CU) as documents protected via digital signature. The digital signature has at least one of the following characteristics: - it is generated with a private key of the client (CU) so that the documents are not modifiable by said server (CS ); and - it is affixed on the documents when the latter are not modifiable by the client (CU).

Description

"A system for testing skills, for instance for distance learning, methods and computer program products therefor"

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Technical field

The present disclosure relates to techniques for testing skills.

In various embodiments, the disclosure can be applied to remote assessment and certification of skills, such as for example professional skills.

In various embodiments, the description can be applied to systems for distance learning.

Technological background

The meaning of "skill" is rapidly changing: today by "skill" is meant the right knowledge at the right moment and in the right context. Companies have by now understood that training of the work force must be a continuous process that calls for considerable resources and upon which there depends the achievement of pre-set targets. However, it is still very difficult today to calculate return^' on these investments, whilst at the same time there is noted a high rate of deterioration of the knowledge acquired also at the cost of big investments in resources.

If residential training presents high costs, an adequate combination of "face-to-face" training (i.e., with the physical presence of both the teacher and the pupil) and distance training seems to guarantee more efficient professional training paths. The distance mode, in fact, affords many advantages: modularity and flexibility, reduction of direct and indirect costs (e.g., for logistics), possibility of reaching simultaneously a large number of people and of being timely in providing the necessary knowledge and skills to all the work force.

Both in the case of classroom training and in the case of distance training there is noted a high rate of deterioration of the knowledge acquired even given big investments: if the training is not accompanied by intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for the worker, it is estimated that only 20-30% of all the new knowledge is still effectively used after a month from training. In conclusion, if the workers do not feel involved in the process of acquisition of new skills, the process will be inefficient.

Management of training of the staff can activate systems of growth where the learning is no longer an optional faculty or a right, but becomes a duty of the employee who only through training can guarantee his or her own continuity and the continuity of the company, especially if an approach by incentives is adopted, upon which there depends his/her level of earning and his/her professional career.

However, the sustainability of an approach by incentives depends upon the reliability of the tools that certify acquisition of the skills following upon training. Typically, this certification is made via an individual assessment on a specific set of skills made in the presence of a trainer. The logistic costs are such as to cause the companies to prefer providing training, prevalently distance training, without implementing, if not in a discontinuous way, processes of testing and certification of the skills. In this context, it is possible to introduce testing systems such as the systems known by the commercial names of Webassessor of the company Kryteri^'on, Securexam of the company Software Secure (see also US-A-2006/174338 or US-A-2007/062121) or ProctorU of the company by the same name. Object and summary

At the current state of the art there do not, however, exist efficient and low-cost tools that enable reliable certification of acquisition of skills by a user and at the same time combination of the benefits of flexibility, modularity, and economy typical of a distance-learning solution.

The object of the present invention is to provide an answer to the requirements outlined above.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved thanks to a system having the characteristics recalled specifically in the ensuing claims. The invention also regards a corresponding method, as well as a computer program product that can be loaded into the memory of at least one computer and comprises portions of software code that can execute the steps of the method when the product is run on at least one computer. As used herein, reference to such a computer program product is understood as being equivalent to reference to a computer-readable means containing instructions for controlling the processing system in order to co-ordinate implementation of the method according to the invention. Reference to "at least one computer" is evidently intended to highlight the possibility of the present invention being implemented in a modular and/or distributed form.

The claims form part an integral part of the technical disclosure provided herein in relation to the invention.

In various embodiments, the solution described herein makes it possible to provide an answer to one or more of the requirements outlined hereinafter:

- creating a method and a system for assessment and certification of the professional skills that will be sustainable and effective in particular in terms of cost, with limited impact on the technological structures of the companies;

- constituting .a monitoring system aimed at a greater transparency in the procedures of certification of the skills in the professional-updating paths;

- reduction to a minimum of the bureaucratic procedures and organization of processes that diminish the motivational effectiveness of the systems for certification of skill;

- documenting the personal history of the employee with the aim of certifying the activities connected to a given role or function in the company, enabling, also with purposes of guarantee for the employee, tracking of the results achieved;

- facilitating management of the activities of assessment ;

- planning assessment of the skills in strict relation with the company targets;

- guaranteeing verification of the identity of the worker at the moment of testing; and

- providing the possibility of carrying out, once again also with purposes of guarantee for the employee, tracking of the positive or negative results.

In various embodiments, as a further guarantee of the identity of the user, there can be envisaged a function of detection of the geometry of the face of the user (for example via webcam), repeated, for example, in pseudo-random or random mode, a number of times during the testing session. Various embodiments can envisage recourse to mechanisms of protection, of the digital documents by affixing a digital signature, which may be used not with the customary purpose of unique identification of the user (following upon possible issuing by a certification authority (CA) that verifies once and for all in a direct way the identity of the subject) but with the following purposes:

- as a guarantee for the user being tested of the integrity of the document, which cannot be modified by the supervisory body that promotes testing of the skills without the private part (key) of the digital signature; and

- as a guarantee for the supervisory body of the integrity of the document, which cannot be modified by the user being tested in so far as the digital signature on the document is affixed before the user can resume_, control of the client PC.

In various embodiments, even though the digital signature is not issued by a certification authority (an option that is in any case applicable if the supervisory body takes upon itself the organizational aspects), it can hence count as a guarantee of integrity of the document between the supervisory body ^"'"and the person tested. In various embodiments, the person tested can thus have a guarantee of receipt of the document via a receipt that summarizes the data of the test, date, result, skill/skills ascertained. Said receipt can be digitally signed by the supervisory body and sent by the server as soon as the digital document is received. This receipt can thus register the result and consignment of the assessment test and protects the user from any possible destruction/loss of the document on the part of the supervisory body. Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the annexed figures, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating an operating sequence according to one embodiment; - Figures 2 to 7 are examples of screens that may recur in various embodiments;

- Figure 8 is a block diagram representing the architecture of a system according to one embodiment; and

- Figure 9 is a sequence diagram representing the dialogue between a client and a server in a system according to one embodiment . Detailed description

In the following description various specific details are illustrated aimed at an in-depth understanding of various embodiments. The embodiments may be provided without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials, or operations are not illustrated or described in detail so that the various aspects of the embodiments will not be obscured.

Reference to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" in the framework of this description is intended to indicate that a particular configuration, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is comprised in at least one embodiment. Hence, phrases such as "in an embodiment" or "in one embodiment" that may be present in various points of the present description do not necessarily refer to one and the same embodiment. Moreover, particular conformations, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any adequate way in one or more embodiments.

The references used herein are only provided for convenience and hence do not define the sphere of protection or the scope of the embodiments.

The ensuing detailed description is articulated in two parts: - the first, dedicated to the presentation of modalities for distance assessment of professional skills; and

- the second, aimed at illustrating various possible embodiments of a corresponding system based upon hardware and software technologies and organized according to a multi-user client /server architecture.

In various embodiments, said system can ensure:

- access in remote mode and in autonomous mode by the user to sessions for assessment and certification of the skills acquired;

- management of the "portfolio" of the skills of the users registered in the system;

verification, with a high degree of confidence of the identity of the user that participates in the test;

- real-time monitoring of the testing session;

- reduction to a minimum of the possibilities of fraud by the user being tested;

- certification with certainty of the result of the assessment through faithful recording of the entire testing session and simultaneous filing;

- issuing of a certificate of merit to the user at the end of the testing session;

- guarantee, for the person whose skills are being tested, of the transparency in issuing qualifications that can be exploited subsequently in the professional context .

The foregoing is ensured in the framework of various embodiments use of which can be such as:

- not to require investments in too costly hardware technologies on the part of the body that adopts the system;

- to be compatible with modest hardware equipment in terms of computational power and storage capacity; -^' to be compatible with the most widespread connection protocols and with the bandwidth available;

- not to require an excessive cognitive load in learning operation of the interfaces thereof by users;

- to admit short times of installation and configuration;

- to be integratable and synchronizable with applications of Learning Management System and of Human Resources Management System; and

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

The flowchart of Figure 1 represents embodiments of a session of ( sel f ) assessment that involves a user undergoing the test, of whom the session ascertains that he/she has acquired given skills in view of obtaining, in the case of success, corresponding advantages in terms of certification, incentives, benefits of various type, etc.

It will likewise be assumed that a subject entrusted with the task of co-ordinating the assessment procedure, such as, in the case of a firm, a head of human resources, has performed tasks such as filling-in of the data in the personal "portfolio", definition of the individual development plan starting from analysis of the skills of each worker, definition of the sessions, definition of the incentives or benefits that can be achieved from the outcome of the certification process. Added to this is the possible intervention of a subject responsible for certification who is entrusted with the role of supervising the process of assessment of the skills, for example according to given guidelines established by the subject entrusted with co-ordinating the assessment.

In this regard, it will be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the session can assume fully the character of self-assessment session, such as not to necessarily require simultaneous intervention, in real time, of the subject entrusted with the task of co- ordinating assessment and/or of the person responsible for certification, whose intervention can be performed previously at the level of configuration/programming of the system.

The diagram of Figure 1 likewise assumes that, according to various embodiments, the user undergoing the test has already had access through the network to the central server of the system and that, after prior verification of registration/uploading of the demographic data of the user to be assessed, the system itself has guided the user through an initialization procedure to carry out downloading of a . client software, aimed at enabling the user's terminal to conduct the testing or assessment session according to the modalities described more fully in what follows.

For example, in various embodiments, once downloading has been performed, a guided installation procedure can explain to the user how to install the software on his/her own PC. In various embodiments, the completion of the installation procedure can be made conditional to recognition of the existence of the drivers of the motor-driven webcam, with which it is assumed the user is provided, for example because such a webcam has been supplied to the user upon subscription to the testing program.

In various embodiments, the client software can generate, for example automatically, a certificate for the digital signature, sending the public part to the central server, whilst it stores in the file of the operating system also the private part of the digital key. In various embodiments, this mechanism enables protection through digital signature of the documents exchanged with the central server and filed in the central database associated thereto.

In various embodiments, the installation procedure can terminate with the request made to the user as to whether he wishes to proceed with running of the software installed as an alternative to the possibility of running the software at a subsequent time.

Upon launching of execution (START, see Figure 1), the client software proceeds in a step 100 to setting of the equipment provided (microphone and webcam C) activating and verifying operation thereof. Any possible faults detected can be analysed by the client software, which can request intervention of the user for resolution of the fault (e.g., check on connection of the webcam device C, interruption of the connection based upon the http protocol, presence of any conflict following upon the concurrent execution of other programs, etc.), blocking execution of the session of testing of the skills in the case of failure to solve the fault.

In a next step 102, the software communicates the credentials of identification of the user to the central server, which returns the information regarding the summary situation of the user and the testing sessions scheduled for that user and to which the user can possibly gain access at that moment.

In a step 104 the user can then select the session in which he/she intends to participate, the client forwards the request to the central server, which in turn sends the information and contents that characterize and constitute the testing session. The user displays on the graphic interface the instructions and the information note pursuant to the personal-data protection code and digitally signs a declaration of integrity of his/her data and consent to their treatment in compliance with the personal-data protection code, authorizing video and audio recording.

At this point, in step 106 and the subsequent steps, there starts provision of the contents regarding the testing session proper. For simplicity of illustration, in Figure 1 the session is schematically represented as a sequence of cycles of questions (step 106) and answers (step 108) .

Said sequence, which is essentially based upon sending by a server CS of test items (designated by TI in some of the figures) to a client CU (which sends back to the server CS the responses given to the test items by a subject being tested) continues until the positive outcome (Y) of a verification step 110 indicates that given conditions have arisen such as to enable the sequence to be considered as completed or exhausted. Of course, such a representation is to be understood as deliberately simplified for simplicity of illustration. In various embodiments, in addition or as an alternative to the administration of a linear sequence of questions, the session can envisage the administration, as items on which the test is based, of a sequence conditioned to the likelihood of the outcome of the response or the administration of "case studies" to be solved.

In various embodiments, the interface can guarantee display of contents in text or multimedia format.

In various embodiments, the creation of the testing sessions can be centralized and be performed previously by an authorised user through the web interface of the management server.

In various embodiments, to optimize the data flows and the queues of requests/replies between the client and the server, the server can send to the client a packet of metadata and possible content items, for example in rich-text format (images, audio, video) that the client software may interpret and reprocess applying pre-defined graphic themes so as to guarantee for the user a pleasant and understandable interface.

In various embodiments, the rules of the testing session (type of test items TI, their sequence, time available for reply to each item, correct results, any possible feedback, duration of the entire session) can be provided by the server on the basis of the rules predetermined by the person responsible for the process of assessment who has created the testing session at the central level.

In various embodiments, all or part of these data can be encrypted using the pair of keys associated to the client software. In this way, only the software can read the questions and the correct answers; otherwise, the user would be able to extract questions and answers before undergoing the test.

In various embodiments, the client interface can be configured to enable always the user to display the parameters that supply him with an indication of the time still available and of the state of advance with respect to the items to be completed.

In various embodiments, once the pre-defined time for assessment or for completion of the single item has elapsed, the client can prevent sending of any answer. In various embodiments, the client may be able to manage also the number of possible attempts at access to each testing session.

In various embodiments, the client software can communicate with the webcam C provided (and, preferably, with a microphone), through the operating system of the client PC thanks to purposely provided libraries created ad hoc for operation of the system presented herein, so that the processes of recording and monitoring of the testing session will be activated.

In various embodiments, recording of the testing session can be aimed at generating and filing a document that is as faithful and complete as possible and certifies the conduct of the test continuously from start to finish by recording the behaviour of the user throughout the test, the test items proposed and the corresponding responses given by the user.

For this purpose, there can be adopted specific equipment that possesses given characteristics, namely, a robotized webcam C that is able to perform a lateral rotation through at least 180° in the horizontal direction (horizontal view) and a vertical inclination of at least 60° (vertical view) . The lateral rotation enables exploration of the environment in which the client PC is located and verification of the presence of possible prompters in the proximity of the desktop, rotation on the vertical axis enables detection of possible material that can be consulted (texts, books, electronic devices, etc.) present on the user's desk.

In various embodiments, the webcam C is activated by the software (see Figure 2), whilst the user is required to carry out simple actions designed to enable the webcam C to store the main points of the user' s face. In various embodiments, this fast procedure can enable the webcam C to follow if necessary the movement of the user' s face and to turn on the basis thereof so as to guarantee constant framing of the user's face, providing a further guarantee on the identity of the user so that it is possible to detect possible variations of the geometry of the face of the person framed (exchange of persons during execution of the test ) .

In various embodiments, as schematically represented in Figure 3, audio/video recording can start with step 106 of the flowchart of Figure 1, i.e., at the end of the initialization procedure. In addition to following the movement of the user's face, the webcam C can also rotate so as to display the environment surrounding the user's location.

In various embodiments, the rotation can be automated and take place at random intervals or upon request by a remote invigilator, hence being subtracted from control of the user undergoing the test.

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

In various embodiments, parallel to the audio and video^' recording, it is possible to start filming of the desktop of the client PC, the film filing all thescreens and the possible movements of the mouse made by the user.

In various embodiments, a warning system can inform the user via messages from the interface and with sound stimuli/voice messages of the possible occurrence of anomalies (for example, the user has disappeared from the angle of view of the webcam C) , with the possibility of suspending execution of the test.

In various embodiments, during execution of the test, the user interacts with the client software in different ways.

For example, as schematically represented in Figure 4, for each test item TI (e.g., question/case) proposed during assessment (step 106), the examinee can give his own response aloud (step 108) . The software, through the voice-recognition system, can determine the option specified by the user and supply a feedback regarding its unde standing of what has been communicated by the user.

If the user confirms (once again vocally - see, for example, Figure 5), the software can supply a positive or negative feedback on the exactness of the response of the user.

In various embodiments, these actions can be recorded through audio/video recording and the capture of the screens of the desktop, it having been found that, from an emotive standpoint, the voice response and its recording contribute to inhibiting fraudulent behaviour of the person and to involve him or her to a greater extent.

In various embodiments, it is possible to envisage that the client software dialogues with the operating system of the client PC, controlling the possibilities of interaction of the user with the operating system itself, for example inhibiting the possibility of starting in parallel to the testing session other software programs installed on the client PC (access to the electronic mail, programs of instantaneous messaging, text chats, etc.), as well as other utilities of the operating system (access to the control panel, access to the activity manager, etc.) and opening of browsers for web navigation. It is also possible to envisage inhibiting use of special keys and combination of special keys of the keypad (such as Alt- Tab and Print, function keys, Print Screen, etc.) and/or use of the mouse (so as to limit the interaction of the user with the system to just the voice interaction based upon voice recognition) . In various embodiments, the system can be configured so as to enable also a remote and time-real monitoring of the conduct of the testing session by a supervisor who accesses the system via the web through a PC location for controlling in real time in a random way the films or recordings. In various embodiments, the control clients can be connected to the central server, which receives in real time the images captured of the desktop and of the webcam C and posts them, for example, every 5 seconds, on an interface reserved to the supervisor /tutor .

In various embodiments, the software that resides on the control client can receive at intervals a data flow decomposed by the server, which may be analysed and recomposed in a suitable way for facilitating verification by the supervisor.

In various embodiments, the functions of analysis of the control client can facilitate supervision through an alert mechanism that brings to the attention of the supervisor events potentially indicating occurrence of anomalies in the process of assessment. For example, an analysis of the images can generate an alarm signal if the difference between the information on the client computer received ata given instant and the information received previously is greater than a threshold value (e.g., if the distance between two successive images or frames, understood as 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 receive simultaneously a number of data flows coming from all the testing sessions that are being conducted at that moment and to which he has been assigned as supervisor.

In various embodiments, a system as described enables a faithful recording of the conduct of the testing session and enables a total and real-time control on the digital environment (desktop) and physical environment (surrounding space) .

In various embodiments, the end of the assessment can be determined by the positive outcome of step 110 according to a wide range of events, i.e., just to provide some examples within a practically infinite range of options available to the subject entrusted with the task of co-ordinating the assessment, for instance, a head of human resources of a firm: exhaustion of the test questions/events, expiry of a time limit, reaching of a threshold of positive/negative responses, etc.

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

In various embodiments, the digital documents produced in the assessment stage can be certified by means of digital signature to protect their integrity and authenticity.

In various embodiments, to guarantee transparency of the test, it may be envisaged that the body that certifies the skills of the user through supply of the testing sessions can in no way modify without authorization of the user (private key) the document that certifies the validity or invalidity of the test.

In various embodiments, as soon as the encrypted file is received, the server can generate a receipt digitally signed with the signature. of the body/department that has the responsibility for the process of certification of the skills as a guarantee to the user and the possible certificate of merit (on the basis of the outcome of the test) that certifies acquisition of the skills assessed. The user has the possibility of printing and filing the receipt and the

both of the documents will be filed along with the documentation on the user.

In various embodiments, it is possible to envisage that the user who has undergone the test cannot, on his own part, tamper with the document recording conduct of the test, generated automatically during assessment, and sent at the end of the session, in a step in which the user has not yet been enabled to resume control of the client PC.

In various embodiments, the fact that the document is signed also with the private key of the client can provide a further guarantee of the fact that the ■■ - contents have not been altered or generated artificially outside the software.

Figures 6 and 7 are schematic illustrations of 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 previously by way of example .

In various embodiments, the system for assessing the skills described offers a possibility of interfacing and synchronisation with software for management of training and e-learning paths and/or for human-resources management through a back-end structure based upon web services whereby it is possible to synchronize the databases regarding the demographic data of the users between the various systems.

The block diagram of Figure 8 illustrates a possible architecture of a system for enabling and monitoring sessions of distance testing (e.g., assessment and certification) of the skills according to the criteria exemplified previously.

It is, in the example considered herein, a multiuser client-server architecture, including:

- a plurality of user client computers CU distributed where the users that are to be tested are located and equipped with specific devices for acquisition of audio/visual information from the environment in which the client unit resides according to the criteria described previously;

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

- one or more control client computers CC made available to the subjects entrusted with the task of co-ordinating conduct of the test and/or to which the role of supervising the testing process is entrusted.

In various embodiments, the connection between the computers CU, CS and CC can be performed on a (wired or wireless) network N, by means of which each client unit of the system CU, CC is operatively connected to the central server unit CS, which functions as conveyor of information and in compliance with the same network protocol or protocols of that is/are normally used in the computer system and can be synchronized with applications of Learning Management System and Human Resources Management System.

In various embodiments, the computers CU and CC can be configured for supporting client software compatible with operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and OS Macintosh, that are executed on the users' PCs connected up to the central management server CS.

In various embodiments, the user interface made available on the client computers CU can be configured so as to be simple and usable, minimizing the number of interactions by the user to functions such as, for example: launching of the software; entry of personal credentials; and voice interaction during the testing session.

In various embodiments, the majority of the operations necessary can be performed automatically by the client software, with the interface aiming at enabling the display of contents regarding the test sent in real time by the server presented according to - a specific format.

In various embodiments, the computers CU can be configured for enabling execution of operations chosen from the following:

- sending to the central server requests for authentication of the credentials of the user, reception, and management of the reply;

- display of the updated list of the test activities scheduled for the user via synchronisation with the management server;

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

- start of the timed testing session;

- setting of the control tools;

- activation of communication with the drivers of the webcam device;

- turning-on of the webcam;

- detection of the geometry of the face of the subject being tested and comparison with parameters previously stored;

- automatic activation of audio acquisition via control of the microphone;

- automatic activation of video acquisition via control of the webcam;

- automatic activation of the screen-capturing activities ;

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

- random activation of the movement of rotation of the motor-driven webcam;

- activation of the movement of rotation of the motor-driven webcam following upon particular events;

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

- detection of particular events on the basis of pre-defined rules;

- inhibition of specific commands from the keypad; - blocking of the concurrent applications on the

PC of the user;

- formulation of the request to the central server CS for the data regarding the testing session;

- creation in real time of a user display according to a pre-set format and on the basis of the data received from the central server;

- processing in real time of the audio acquired via purposely designed voice-recognition software;

- return of a visual/voice feedback of the re- processed audio data;

- return of the result of the test;

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

- creation at the end of the testing session of the document certifying conduct thereof;

- protection of the file via digital signature previously generated . and sending thereof to the central server CS for filing;

- launching of^" the script for creation/printing of a certificate of the skills acquired in the case of positive result; and

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

As has already been said, in various embodiments it may be envisaged that the client computers CU are equipped with . robotized webcam devices capable of performing a lateral rotation of at least 180° in the horizontal direction (horizontal view) and a vertical inclination of at least 60° (vertical view) .

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

For this purpose, in various embodiments, the system can offer a web interface through which the user via an administrator browser can carry out operations of management of the "portfolio" of the users that form part of the program of certification of the skills, for example as regards entities chosen from:

- the demographic data (possibly understood as the certificate for the digital signature containing the public key and the access data) ;

- the individual development plan;

- the description of the personalized certification process;

- the "historic" presentation of the previous assessments .

In various embodiments, the interface can enable design, implementation, filing, updating, and administration of sessions of testing of the skills, if need be with modalities of possible integration with applications of Learning Management System and Human Resource Management System.

In various embodiments, the management server CS can be configured for enabling operations chosen from:

- access to the specific data for each client;

- sending of confirmation of the credentials of the user;

- transmission to the client of the updated list of the test activities scheduled for a given user;

- reception and logging of the public key regarding the user arriving from the client;

- subsequent management of the requests regarding the authenticity of the digital signature with which the client software signs the documents for which filing is requested;

- sending to the client CU of the data regarding the testing session; .

- logging of the encrypted file that documents the testing session;

- reception and logging of the data of updating of the portfolio of the skills.

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

In various embodiments, the computers CC can have available the client software, compatible with operating systems such as Windows, Linux and OS Macintosh, resident on devices of a PC type, that are able to allow authorised users to connect up remotely and display the images/films sent by the distributed clients CU in real time for each connected client CU and to consult the historic file thereof.

In various embodiments, the computer or computers CC can have available a classic web interface to access via browser, such as to enable the user to access the software via authentication, with a control panel to display the testing sessions in progress, with the possibility of choosing a source and of receiving the ^■ video signals acquired, displaying them via the graphic interface .

In various embodiments, the computer or computers CC can have available a client software that enables remote control of the webcam of the client PCs of the users being tested CU according to the need and/or activation of direct communications with the client PCs of the users CU through voice interaction.

In various embodiments, the computers CC can be configured for enabling execution of operations chosen from the following:

- sending to the central server CS of a request of authentication of the credentials of the administrator user, reception and management of the reply;

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

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

- enabling of alarm modes, for example, when the successive images received from the client are different by more than a pre-set percentage of pixels (with an appropriate threshold of resemblance for the colours) in order to generate an alert message;

- sending of a request to the server for interruption of the testing session on the client PC of the user who is carrying out the test;

- display via graphic interface of the audio and video flows coming from remote clients in real time;

- display of a historic type of the testing sessions recorded; - sending to the central server CS of the request for audio and video data of one or more testing sessions recorded;

- downloading and reproduction via the graphic interface of the audio and video flows of the session;

remote control of the webcam of the client^' PC of the single user being tested; and

- voice chat for direct communication with the users being tested.

Figure 9 is a sequence diagram representing the dialogue between a client CU and the server CS in a system according to one embodiment which regards the architectural scheme of Figure 8.

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

1000: initialization step, in turn comprising:

- 1002: download of software

- 1004: start of software with the user who enters his/her username/password

- 1006: login on the server CS with personal account

- 1008: verification of username/password

- 1010: login confirmation

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

- 1014: saving on the server of personal public key;

- 1016: download of questions/tests from browser (L S/KMS) ;

- 1018: opening of files by the user via the software and sending of the answers (audio/video recording) ;

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

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

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

- 1026: signature of the document by the server

CS;

- 1028: download of notification of receipt (signature of document) .

Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect to what has been illustrated herein purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the annexed cla ims .

Claims

1. A computerized system for testing skills including at least one server (CS) configured to:

- send to at least one client (CU) documents representative of test items (TI),

receive from said client (CU) documents representative of reactions provided to said test items by a subject undergoing testing via said client (CU), and

- archive (DB) the documents exchanged with said at least one client (CU) as documents protected via a digital signature, wherein said digital signature has at least one of the following features:

- the digital signature is generated with a private key of the client (CU) , whereby said documents are unmodifiable by said server (CS) ,

the digital signature is applied to said documents when said documents are unmodifiable by said client (CU) .

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said server (CS) is configured to generate and send to said at least one client (CU) a confirmation-of-receipt message including a summary of said documents exchanged.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said confirmation message is digitally signed by said server (CS) .

4. The system of any of the previous claims, wherein said server (CS) is configured to archive (DB) documents including a recording of interactions between said server (CS) and said at least one client (CU) during respective test sessions.

5. The system of any of the previous claims, wherein said server (CS) is configured to archive (DB) a recording of reactions provided to said test items by said subject undergoing testing via said client (CU) in the form of recordings of reaction selected out of: audio reactions, visual reactions, actions performed on said client (CU) .

6. The system of any of the previous claims, wherein to said at least one client (CU) there is associated a visual inspection device (C) adapted to be oriented, orientation of said visual inspection device (C) being adapted to be made independent of the control of said at least one client (CU) .

7. The system of any of the previous claims, wherein orientation of said visual inspection device (C) is activated in a pseudo-random fashion.

8. The system of any of the previous claims, including 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. The system of any of the previous claims 6 or 7, in combination with claim 8, wherein said at least one further control client (CC) is configured to be able to selectively activate orientation of said visual inspection device (C) associated with said at least one client (CU) .

10. A method for testing skills of at least one subject undergoing testing via the computerized system of any of claims 1 to 9, including, at said server (CS) :

sending to said at least one client (CU) documents representative of test items (TI),

- receiving from said client (CU) documents representative of reactions provided to said test items by a subject undergoing testing via said client (CU) ,

- archiving (DB) the documents exchanged with said at least one client (CU) as documents protected via a digital signature, wherein said digital signature has at least one of the following features.:

the digital signature is generated with a private key of the client (CU) , whereby said documents are unmodifiable by said server (CS),

- - the digital signature is applied to said documents when said documents are unmodifiable by said client (CU) .

11. A computer program product loadable in the memory of at least one computer (CS) and including software code portions to^' implement the method of claim 10.

12. A method for testing the skills of at least one subject undergoing testing via the computerized system of any of claims 1 to 9, including, at said client (CU) :

receiving from said server (CS) documents representative of test items (TI),

- sending to said server (CS) documents representative of reactions provided to said test items by a subject undergoing testing via said client (CU) .

13. A computer program product loadable in the memory of at least one computer (CU) and including software code portions to implement the method of claim 12.