AUTOMATIC TEACHING DEVICE

• US 3,774,316 A
• Filed: 05/24/1971
• Issued: 11/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans Werner Meier
• Original Assignee: Hans Werner Meier
• Inventors: Meier, Hans Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, Wm. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/146,147
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 35/8A,9R,9A,9B,9E,9F,35C,48R
• US Class Current: 434/316
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers

Abstract

An automatic teaching device incorporating a tape recorder for playing back the instructional material and the questions and a control mechanism for checking the correctness of the answers given to the questions which have been posed. The invention contemplates providing a number of answers for each question, these answers being sub-divided into groups and arranged at an answer carrier. Each answer within a group is spatially associated with at least one answer key which is to be actuated by the student.

Claims

1. An automatic teaching device comprising a tape recorder for playing back instructional material and questions, a control device for checking the answers given to a posed question by depressing at least one of a plurality of answer keys as to their correctness, an answer carrier having provided thereon a plurality of answers arranged one below the other and side-byside in a plurality of columns and a plurality of lines, there being provided a plurality of answers for each question, said plurality of answer keys being arranged adjacent at least one side of the answer carrier, each of said answer keys being aligned with a respective one of at least one of said plurality of columns and said plurality of lines, whereby each answer is associated with at least one answer key aligned with one of the column and line containing the answer, said at least one answer key being depressed to indicate an answer to the posed question.

2. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a predetermined number of said plurality of answers are associated with two answer keys, a first answer key being aligned with the column containing an answer and a second answer key being aligned with the line containing said answer, said first key and said second key being depressed to indicate an answer to the posed question.

3. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, wherein the tape recorder has a drive, a control device which stops the drive of the tape recorder after each question has been posed, and places such drive again into operation after a correct answer has been given.

4. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a time measuring device for measuring the amount of time required by a student for answering a question.

5. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a blocking mechanism which blocks the answer keys for a certain time after a false answer has been given.

6. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a device which counts the false answers and when the number of false answers which have been counted is below a given value dispenses reward markers.

7. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a slide projection device synchronously controlled with the tape recorder.

8. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a device preventing removal of a tape from the tape recorder prior to termination of the teaching program.

9. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a control circuit in order to limit the amount of time available for giving an answer.

10. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including an optical indicating device which can be switched-in and switched-out and which indicates a correct answer given to a posed question.

11. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including a second tape recorder having an endless revolving tape and recording the sound played back by the first tape recorder, a control circuit arrangement which on the basis of control commands places the first tape recorder out of operation and actuates the second tape recorder such that it will play back the recorded sound.

12. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including an indicator mechanism having a transport device for a control strip which can be imprinted at both faces, a printing mechanism equipped with a number of stamps, siad stamps imprinting one face of the control strip in accordance with the given answer.

13. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, further including at least one light associated with each answer key and a further key which upon depression controls the energization of the at least one light associated with the answer key to indicate the correct answer for aposed question.

14. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 1, including means for indicating to the student one of the line and column in which the plurality of answers to the posed question is arranged.

15. An automatic teaching device comprising a first tape recorder for playing back the instructional material and questions and a control device for checking the answers given to the posed questions as to their correctness, there being provided a number of answers for each question, these number of answers being divided into groups and arranged at an answer carrier, and wherein each answer within a group is spatially associated with at least one answer key which is to be actuated by the student, a second tape recorder having an endless revolving tap and recording the sound played back by the first tape recorder, a control circuit arrangement which on the basis of control commands places the first tape recorder out of operation and actuates the second tape recorder such that it will play back the recorded sound, a third tape recorder for playing back instructional material and questions, and a reversing switch mechanism which upon determining a false answer, during a certain period of time, stops the first tape recorder and switches-in the third tape recorder.

16. The automatic teaching device as defined in claim 15, further including a slide projector controlled by the third tape recorder.