Interactive tutorial system and method

• US 20060228689A1
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ilearning Gateway, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ilearning Gateway, Inc.
• Inventors: Rajaram, Kishore K.
• Application Number:
  US11/103,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20060228689A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication

Abstract

The present invention is an intelligent interactive tutorial system. The tutorial system includes a computing system having artificial intelligence, which enables the communication in a two-way conversation mode between a student at a computer station and the computing system thereby facilitating anytime one-on-one individual assistance for the student. The computing system provides tutoring on a specific curriculum and/or a specific subject matter. The tutoring includes assistance on problems or questions associated with a specific textbook in any subject matter or other course load assigned to the student. The student may optionally communicate with a live tutor if further assistance is necessary.

Claims

1. An interactive tutorial system, the system comprising:

a computing system having an artificial intelligence module and a memory module; and

a student computer station for use by a student desiring tutoring in a specific subject matter, the student computer station communicating with the computing system;

the artificial intelligence module generating instruction on the specific subject matter stored within the memory module for the student, the artificial intelligence capable of interacting with the student in a two-way conversational mode.

2. The interactive tutorial system of claim 1 wherein the memory stores information on a teaching module for coursework for which the student is receiving tutoring.

3. The interactive tutorial system of claim 1 wherein the student computer station communicates via the Internet to communicate with the computing system.

4. The interactive tutorial system of claim 1 wherein the subject matter is associated with a specific curriculum.

5. The interactive tutorial system of claim 4 wherein the specific curriculum includes problems associated with a course load, the problems and an associated step-by-step teaching module solution being stored within the memory module.

6. The interactive tutorial system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for communicating with a live tutor, the live tutor providing instruction on the specified subject matter.

7. The interactive tutorial system of claim 6 wherein the means for communicating with a live tutor includes a whiteboard providing real-time communication of both textual and non-textual contents.

8. The interactive tutorial system of claim 1 wherein the computing system includes an interface module for interfacing with the student through the student computer station.

9. The interactive tutorial system of claim 1 wherein the artificial intelligence provides feedback on tasks completed by the student.

10. A method of providing an interactive tutorial session to a student in a specific subject matter, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating contact with a computing system by a student via a student computer station, the computing system having artificial intelligence and a memory storing information on the specific subject matter;

selecting a specific subject matter for which the student needs tutoring;

querying by the student on a specific problem or question on the specific subject matter;

responding by the computing system by generating a teaching module on the specific problem or question on the specific subject matter; and

engaging in a two-way conversation between the computing system and the student on the specific problem or question on the specific subject matter.

11. The method of providing an interactive tutorial session to a student in a specific subject matter of claim 10 wherein the specific subject matter includes reference materials from a specific course curriculum.

12. The method of providing an interactive tutorial session to a student in a specific subject matter of claim 11 wherein:

the specific course curriculum includes problems and questions, the problems, questions and solutions being stored in the memory; and

the computing system providing tutoring on a specific problem or question queried by the student.

13. The method of providing an interactive tutorial session to a student in a specific subject matter of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

requesting by the student additional tutoring from a live tutor;

connecting a live tutor with the student by the computing system; and

tutoring by the live tutor to the student.

14. The method of providing an interactive tutorial session to a student in a specific subject matter of claim 13 wherein the student communicates with the live tutor utilizing a whiteboard to communicate both textual and non-textual contents.

15. The method of providing an interactive tutorial session to a student in a specific subject matter of claim 10 wherein the computing system provides feedback in reaction to tasks accomplished by the student.

16. An interactive tutorial system, the system comprising:

a computing system having an artificial intelligence module and a memory module, the memory storing information on a specific course curriculum; and

a student computer station for use by a student desiring tutoring in the specific course curriculum, the student computer station communicating with the computing system;

the artificial intelligence module generating instruction stored within the memory module for the student, the artificial intelligence capable of responding to any query by the student, the artificial intelligence capable of providing feedback on each task accomplished by the student.

17. The interactive tutorial system of claim 16 further comprising means for communicating with a live tutor, the live tutor providing instruction on the specified course curriculum.

18. The interactive tutorial system of claim 16 wherein the instruction includes step-by-step teaching module solutions for problems and questions used in course material assigned to the students in the specific course curriculum.

19. The interactive tutorial system of claim 16 further comprising means for supporting automatic text to voice conversion with graphics and audio to represent a tutor.

20. The interactive tutorial system of claim 16 further comprising means for archiving a session and any associated data conducted between the student and the computing system.