PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEM

• US 3,735,503 A
• Filed: 07/30/1971
• Issued: 05/29/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bruce R. Dow, Francis T. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Bruce R. Dow, Francis T. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Francis T., Dow, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, Wm. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/167,581
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 35/9A
• US Class Current: 434/321
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/005 Programmed access in sequence to indexed parts of tracks of operating tapes, by driving or guiding the tape access by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816; see prov. also G11B15/602

Abstract

In an instructional system including a multi-channel recording/reproducing medium having stored thereon recorded material in the form of instructions, lectures, questions, remedial material, reinforcing material, channel transfer codes, etc. and including listener operated response switches for entering responses following reproduction of a lecture and question. The listener response occurs at a branching point in the multichannel recording medium. The entering of a response by actuating listener selected switches results in the reproduction of material on a specific channel and in a predetermined direction. Each of the numerous possible listener responses results in the reproduction of material tailored specifically for that one response. The presence of recorded code signals following the segments of material reproduced following a listener'"'"''"'"'s response serves as a transfer signal to assure reproduction of all the material on the various channels and in the proper direction necessary to complete the material appropriate to the response. The completion of the reproduction of this material reestablishes the system at the branching point.

Claims

1. An instructional system comprising a multichannel record/reproduction medium having forward and reverse drive capabilities and having recorded thereon lecture information followed by a recorded request for a listener response, and segments of supplemental material in the form of remedial information, reinforcing information, secondary lectures, etc. being recorded on a plurality of channels of said multi-channel medium, a request for listener response associated with a lecture concluding at a branching point in said multi-channel medium, recorded code signals associated with said segments of supplemental material designating the track location and direction of the appropriate successive material, and a plurality of listener operated means, each of said listener operated means comprising a code designating a different one of said plurality of channels containing supplemental material and a direction of travel of said medium, each and every operation of any of said plurality of listener operated means causing reproduction of information on said designated channel in said designated direction, the reproduced information immediately adjacent to said branching point on said designated channel further determining whether information on said designated channel or yet another channel is to be reproduced, said reproduced information immediately adjacent to said branching point being either in the form of supplemental material in which case the supplemental material is reproduced as it appears on said designated track or in the form of a code signal causing reproduction of information on yet another channel in a specified direction about said branching point.

2. An instructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said request for listener response associated with said lecture continues from said branching point in the same direction as said lecture for approximately one half of the request for listener response, the second half of said request for listener response being recorded on another channel in the opposite direction such that said request for listener response terminates at said branching point.

3. An instructional system as claimed in claim 1 further including a repeat recording of said request for listener response, said repeat recording appearing on more than one channel and in more than one direction so as to begin and end at said branching point.

4. An instructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material reproduced in response to said listener response includes a predetermined amount of said original lecture and said original request for listener response.

5. An instructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein some segments of said supplemental material are reproduced in response to the actuation of one or more of said plurality of listener operated means.

6. An instructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said code signals comprise an audible tone code pattern representative of a digital address identifying a particular channel and directiOn of reproduction, further including means for blanking the reverse reproduction of said audible tone code pattern when reproduction of said audible tone code pattern calls for a reversal in the direction of travel of said multichannel medium on the same channel, said blanking being for a time duration sufficient to prevent reproduction of said audible tone code pattern in reverse.

7. An instructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the presence of a recorded code signal on a channel following reproduction of information on said channel in a given direction corresponds to a command for continuous reproduction of information on said channel in said given direction results in termination of the reproduction of information.