SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING LEARNING MATERIALS

• US 20130085955A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Technical Services Audio Visual
• Original Assignee: Technical Services Audio Visual
• Inventors: Dugas, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/250,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20130085955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/326
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating recommended learning materials for students based on attributes associated with other students are presented. Exemplary methods may include building profiles associated with multiple students and assigning a score to each profile based on similarities between students. Profiles may include personal attributes identifying each respective student. A peer group of a student may be determined based on a threshold score representing a similarity between the profiles, and learning materials accessed by students within the peer group may be identified. Various search parameters may also be included in identifying learning materials, such as a course subject, or student preferences. Recommended learning materials may be identified based on various criteria including weighting access by students who receive high test scores, considering a number of times that the material has been accessed, and/or considering the creator of the resource.

Claims

1. A method for locating recommended learning materials, the method comprising:

building a profile associated with each student, wherein each profile comprises one or more personal attributes identifying each respective student;

assigning a score to each profile associated with the student based on a similarity between the one or more personal attributes identifying the student and the one or more personal attributes identifying a target student, wherein the target student is a student for whom the learning materials are sought;

determining a peer group based on a threshold score, wherein the profiles having a score above the threshold score constitute students within the peer group of the target student, wherein the threshold score represents a similarity between the profiles of the students and the target student; and

identifying the learning materials accessed by students within the peer group.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a course subject as a search parameter to locate the learning materials related to the course subject;

updating the score for each profile based on a comparison between test scores received by the students relative to the test scores received by the target student, wherein the students who received higher test scores relative to the test scores of the target student constitute the recommended students; and

identifying the learning materials accessed by the recommended students, wherein the learning materials accessed by the recommended students constitute the recommended learning materials.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

scoring the recommended learning materials based on relevance of the learning materials to the course subject, wherein the relevance is determined based on the location of keywords in files associated with the learning materials and the emphasis placed on the keywords; and

displaying the learning materials, wherein the learning materials are displayed according to test scores of the recommended students, the number of times the learning materials were accessed by the recommended students, and the duration of the access of the learning materials.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the keywords are located in the meta data, text, and annotations in the files associated with the learning materials.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising equalizing test scores between students attending different institutions, wherein the equalizing is performed by comparing curriculum standards used at the different institutions, and wherein the equalizing ensures that a test score at one institution is comparable to a test score at another institution.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the learning materials accessed by the recommended students includes aggregating search results from a plurality of data repositories.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the learning materials accessed by the recommended students includes screening out learning materials that the target student is not authorized to access.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:

building a profile associated with each student, wherein each profile comprises one or more personal attributes identifying each respective student;

assigning a score to each profile associated with the student based on a similarity between the one or more personal attributes identifying the student and the one or more personal attributes identifying a target student, wherein the target student is a student for whom the learning materials are sought;

determining a peer group based on a threshold score, wherein the profiles having a score above the threshold score constitute students within the peer group of the target student, wherein the threshold score represents a similarity between the profiles of the students and the target student; and

identifying the learning materials accessed by students within the peer group.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a course subject as a search parameter to locate the learning materials related to the course subject;

updating the score for each profile based on a comparison between test scores received by the students relative to the test scores received by the target student, wherein the students who received higher test scores relative to the test scores of the target student constitute the recommended students; and

identifying the learning materials accessed by the recommended students, wherein the learning materials accessed by the recommended students constitute the recommended learning materials.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising:

scoring the recommended learning materials based on relevance of the learning materials to the course subject, wherein the relevance is determined based on the location of keywords in files associated with the learning materials and the emphasis placed on the keywords; and

displaying the learning materials, wherein the learning materials are displayed according to test scores of the recommended students, the number of times the learning materials were accessed by the recommended students, and the duration of the access of the learning materials.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the keywords are located in the meta data, text, and annotations in the files associated with the learning materials.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising equalizing test scores between students attending different institutions, wherein the equalizing is performed by comparing curriculum standards used at the different institutions, and wherein the equalizing ensures that a test score at one institution is comparable to a test score at another institution.

13. A system for managing learning materials, the system comprising:

a server comprising;

a network interface for connecting to a network;

a memory for storing one or more program modules; and

a processor for executing the one or more program modules, wherein the one or more program modules comprise computer-executable instructions for causing the server to;

build a profile associated with each student, wherein each profile comprises one or more personal attributes identifying each respective student;

assign a score to each profile associated with the student based on a similarity between the one or more personal attributes identifying the student and the one or more personal attributes identifying a target student, wherein the target student is a student for whom the learning materials are sought;

determine a peer group based on a threshold score, wherein the profiles having a score above the threshold score constitute students within the peer group of the target student, wherein the threshold score represents a similarity between the profiles of the students and the target student; and

identify the learning materials accessed by students within the peer group.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor further executes instructions for causing the server to track information related to the use of the learning materials, wherein the information includes a number of times that the learning materials have been accessed, a user identification of the student who accessed the learning materials, and the duration of the access of the learning materials.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor further executes instructions for causing the server to build a class for one or more students, wherein the class is a web page comprising links corresponding to respective learning materials identified as the recommended learning materials for the respective students.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor further executes instructions for causing the server to:

receive a course subject as a search parameter to locate the learning materials related to the course subject;

update the score for each profile based on a comparison between test scores received by the students relative to the test scores received by the target student, wherein the students who received higher test scores relative to the test scores of the target student constitute the recommended students; and

identify the learning materials accessed by the recommended students, wherein the learning materials accessed by the recommended students constitute the recommended learning materials.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor further executes instructions for causing the server to:

score the recommended learning materials based on relevance of the learning materials to the course subject, wherein the relevance is determined based on the location of keywords in files associated with the learning materials and the emphasis placed on the keywords; and

display the learning materials, wherein the learning materials are displayed according to test scores of the recommended students, the number of times the learning materials were accessed by the recommended students, and the duration of the access of the learning materials.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the keywords are located in the meta data, text, and annotations in the files associated with the learning materials.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor further executes instructions for causing the server to equalize test scores between students attending different institutions, wherein the equalizing is performed by comparing curriculum standards used at the different institutions, and wherein the equalizing ensures that a test score at one institution is comparable to a test score at another institution.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor further executes instructions for causing the server to communicate with a ratings source comprising ratings assigned to the learning materials by students who accessed the learning materials, wherein the ratings are used to filter the learning materials accessed by the students in the peer group.

21. A method comprising:

selecting learning materials created by one or more instructors, wherein the one or more instructors assign test scores to students who access the learning materials;

weighting the learning materials based on;

the number of times the learning materials were accessed by students and the test scores of the students who accessed the learning materials; and

identifying the instructors who created the learning materials.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising communicating with a ratings source comprising ratings assigned to the learning materials by students who accessed the learning materials, wherein the ratings are used to filter the learning materials created by the instructors.